Poland vows to launch Baltic Sea canal construction to bypass Russian waters

In a radio interview on Monday, Leader of Poland’s ruling Law and Justice Party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, promised that work on a canal running across the Baltic Spit (or Vistula Spit, as it is called in Poland) to connect the port city of Elblag with the Baltic Sea would start soon, despite Russia’s protests that it might harm the environment.

The politician said the project is important for the county’s independence and sovereignty, because right now vessels have to sail through Russia’s territorial waters to get to Elblag. Kaczynski pledged that work would get underway in a month’s time. Replying to a question about Moscow’s opposition to the project, he said Russia had always been against it, but Poland was not going to abandon its plans.

He said this investment "will prove that the days of Russians telling us what we can and can’t do on our territory, are over." "This is crucial from the perspective of Poland’s status. Poland must finally cast off all vestiges of a dependent state," he stressed.

Under Poland’s plans, the construction of a canal cutting across the Vistula Spit will start by the end of 2018. Warsaw maintains it will be built with the consent of the European Commission, in full accordance with EU legislation and ecological standards.

Regarding the protests from Russia, which fears the project will harm the environment, Polish Minister for Maritime Economy and Inland Navigation Marek Grobarczyk, said these arguments "can be disregarded given the current geopolitical situation".

Under the plans, work to build the canal will be finished in 2022. In addition, the project’s price tag is valued at roughly $220 million. The 1.3-kilometer long and five-meter deep canal will connect the Vistula Lagoon with Gdansk Bay. It will be deep enough to enable ships with a draft of four meters and a length of up to 100 meters to call at the sea port of Elblag.

Currently, all ships bound for Elblag have to cross Russia’s territorial waters based on a special nautical rights agreement signed by both countries.