Create a new channel through the Baltic (Vislinsky) braid the length of 1.3 km and a depth of 5 meters has been ongoing for several years. His plan originated in 2006, Lech Kaczynski – President of Poland, the twin brother of the Chairman of the ruling party “law and justice” Jaroslaw Kaczynski. It was announced that the channel necessary for “security and defense capability in the region through the opening of the Vistula lagoon in the Baltic sea and other existing waterways”. In 2007 came to power, the pragmatic Pro-European party “Civic platform”, and the construction is well forgotten. The topic became relevant again when the power came back the Russophobia of the party “law and justice”. With the new economic slogans they began construction, the cost of which was estimated at $ 220 million, but by the beginning of the first stage increased two times.
According to the calculations of the authorities, the channel needs by 2022 to connect the city-port of elbląg with the Baltic sea. It will allow ships with a length up to 100 meters, a width of 20 meters and a draft of up to 4 metres to go to the elbląg port. However, the project from the beginning had a lot of questions. According to experts, court with dimensions for which it was designed to float on the Rhine and the English channel, but in the Baltic sea, there are none. “No, not only these ships but also cargo that could be transported via Elblag, not in the direction of Kaliningrad”, – told the local newspaper Rzeczpospolita Professor of the Department of transport management of economic faculty of the University of gdańsk włodzimierz Rydzkowski. According to him, from the economic point of view, these investments are totally unjustified.
a Similar view is shared by senior researcher, Center for post-Soviet studies, IMEMO RAS Dmitry Ofitserov-Belsky. He said “RG” that the project will not affect Russian interests. “He and the Polish side is completely pointless, if you keep in mind that his return is not even in sight, but operating costs are high. Tourism will suffer, and for the most part on the Polish side, is struck on the ecology of the area, particularly affected colonies of birds,” – said Ofitserov-Belsky. The last factor to pay attention not only conservationists, but also by the European Commission. The fact that this area is part of the European Union programme Natura 2000, which protects certain species of animals and plants and their habitat. Despite the fact that the Polish authorities have not reached agreement with Brussels, the construction work carried out, and the damage is already done to this seaside district, it is impossible to fill.
the President of Poland Andrzej Duda, who intends to be re-elected for a second term, is trying to present withweapons channel the dubious value of his achievement. Recently he, along with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki visited the area of construction works and promised the poles that, despite the financial difficulties caused by the epidemic of coronavirus, the construction of the canal will continue. This statement was immediately responded by his main opponent in the presidential race Rafal Trzaskowski, already promised that in case of victory he will halt the construction. According to Trzaskowski, two billion zlotys allocated by the government for the construction of the canal should be transferred to support doctors and nurses.
