P. & I. Tałałaj Spectacular wildlife, including European Lynx, are threatened by the construction of Via Baltica in Poland. Zoom In

European Commission takes last minute action to stop illegal expressway construction in Poland

30-07-2007

BirdLife International and OTOP (BirdLife in Poland) are among a number of NGOs supporting today’s decision by the European Commission to ask the European Court of Justice to halt imminent construction of the Via Baltica Expressway through the pristine Rospuda Wetlands in north-east Poland.

Breaching EU environmental law and ignoring its own commitment to wait for a decision on its recent referral to the European Court of Justice (see Via Baltica: Poland referred to European Court of Justice, 21 March 2007), Poland had announced the start of construction of the Via Baltica expressway for this Wednesday, August 1. Today's announcement sees the Commission ask the European Court of Justice to make an urgent order (‘interim measures’) requiring Poland to suspend works immediately, until the full Court judgement is delivered.

The Rospuda valley is a designated Natura 2000 site for its status as an area of outstanding biodiversity value. Bird species of concern include Lesser-spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina, White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla and Western Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus.

"Poland receives significant funding from the EU, and should also fulfil its duties as a Member State." —Izabela Flor, Director of OTOP (BirdLife in Poland)

Since the proposals for the Via Baltica Expressway were first outlined, environmental NGOs and conservationists in Poland and across Europe, as well as many Members of the European Parliament, have expressed strong opposition to the project, arguing that economically viable and less-devastating alternative routes exist to satisfy Poland’s need for better infrastructure.

Izabela Flor, Director of OTOP said: “This case has developed into a real test case for the enforcement of European legislation in Poland. Poland receives significant funding from the EU, and should also fulfil its duties as a Member State and live up to its responsibility to protect a unique European natural heritage.”

Magda Stoczkiewicz of Bankwatch, one of many organisations supporting the decision including WWF Poland, Greenpeace Poland and Wetland Conservation Centre, said: “The arrogance of the Polish government towards European law and legal institutions – namely the European Court of Justice – is appalling.”