Final call to see the stunning natue of Podlasie in N-E Poland, tomorrow might be too late!

CEE Bankwatch Network, OTOP - the Polish partner of BirdLife International - and WWF Poland invite you to an event called "Time for Podlasie" starting today in Brussels at the European Parliament (June 6-9) to promote the Podlasie region of north-east Poland. [1] The opening of these promotion actions involves a photo exhibition of Podlasie’s natural and cultural heritage. This is effectively your last chance to visit Podlasie and to see its unique nature, as the region’s sites of outstanding nature value pictured in the photos will soon be damaged by the "Via Baltica" expressway.

Poland currently ranks in the last place in the European Union in terms of its implementation of the European protected areas network called "Natura 2000." [2] Although quite a substantial percentage of the area in Podlasie region has been designated for protection under the Birds and Habitats Directives, it is in fact protected only on paper.

Sites that should be effectively protected by the European nature directives - the Knyszyn Primeval Forest, Biebrza Marshes and Augustow Primeval Forest - are being seriously threatened by the international transport corridor "Via Baltica." The planned route of this road corridor promoted by the regional authorities, politicians and the investor (the Polish National Roads Agency) is set to cause substantial harm to the protected species and habitats present in these designated Natura 2000 sites. At the same time, a number of alternatives bypassing the Natura 2000 sites exist but are being ignored without any reasonable justification.

Małgorzata Znaniecka from OTOP said: "As demonstrated by the photo exhibition the greatest value of the Podlasie region lies in its unique nature. The expressways and thousands of heavy lorries - that are currently being pushed in the heart of the Podlasie region in north-east Poland - will never start the engine of better economic development. The authorities’ short-term policy will damage their greatest treasure which currently attracts substantial numbers of tourists every year and thus makes a strong contribution to the region’s economy."

Marta Wisniewska from WWF Poland said: "The authorities of Podlasie are being hypocritical by promoting on the European level the region’s nature as its treasure and at the same time sanctioning irreversible damage to it by the development of expressways in this part of Poland."

It is most shocking that the "Via Baltica" expressway is being constructed with the acceptance of the decision-makers responsible for nature protection, including the Ministry of Environment. The development of investments like expressways through areas protected by European law constitutes an infringement of the nature directives. The NGOs therefore urge the European institutions to take a strong stance against the routing of the "Via Baltica."

Robert Cyglicki of CEE Bankwatch Network added: "Poland seems to be refusing to learn from the experiences of other countries which have made mistakes in protecting their nature and as a result are now paying heavily to restore habitats which should have been protected under the European nature laws."

The modernisation of the sections of the "Via Baltica" which are most harmful for nature has already started. And the construction of the next new road section in a still untouched area of unique nature value [3] is scheduled to start this year. If the Polish government does not take immediate action and change the route of the expressway, instead of corncrakes, lesser spotted eagles, Tengmalm’s owls, white-backed woodpeckers, wolves, lynxes and other species protected under the Birds and Habitat Directives, one will only be able to see an endless stream of heavy lorries.

Notes for editors:

[1] European Parliament, 3rd floor, Espace Bar, ASP. 6 - 9 June 2006. The opening of the event is today, June 6, at 6 PM.

[2] Special Protection Areas (SPAs) designated under the Birds Directive and Special Conservation Areas (SACs), designated under the Habitats Directive, together compose the European Natura 2000 network.

[3] The Wetlands in the Rospuda River Valley (Special Protection Area of Birds "Augustowska Primeval Forest")

Final call to see the stunning natue of Podlasie in N-E Poland, tomorrow might be too late!

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