BELGIUM/FILE: EU sets one-week deadline for Poland over controversial roadworks

EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said the Commission issued a final warning to Poland on Wednesday (February 28) over a planned highway that cuts through a nature conservation area. "The Commission decided today to send Poland a final warning, requesting that it complies with European Community legislation within one week," Dimas told a news briefing in Brussels. "If Poland fails to respond in a timely and satisfactory manner, the Commission will consider taking urgent action and requesting the European Court of Justice to look a the case," Dimas said. Poland rejects demands by the bloc's executive that it halt the project due to environmental concerns. It wants to build a section of an international highway linking Warsaw to Helsinki via the Baltic states through the northeastern Rospuda Valley, one of Europe's unique peat lands, home to rare plants and animals. The area is recognised by Brussels and Warsaw as having special environmental interest and has protected status under the union's Natura 2000 network of conservation sites. "I urge the Polish government, once more before starting works, to consider ways of building these bypasses without causing such serious and irreversible environmental damage," Dimas said. Last week, Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski said the northeastern province where the valley is located would hold a referendum about the planned road. Many local residents back the route as it would ease heavy traffic. If the European Court of Justice decides Poland are breaking EU law it may first order the country to stop construction and, if it does not comply, fine it heavily. But proceedings may take many months if not years.

ITN Source | March 1, 2007

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