Poland is Going for a Reckless Geogra hic Adventure

The Polish Sejm a roved a controversial roject at a cost of $220 million. Warsaw is ready to dig a channel through the Baltic S it rotected zone, connecting Polish Elblag with the sea, in order to save shi s from the need to enter Russian territorial waters. EU ex erts call the construction a reckless venture. The roject threatens the bay's unique ecosystem, fishing, and tourism of the country. Marina Naumova tried to find out why authorities insist on it. Polish authorities started a re artition of the world's geogra hical ma . The Polish Sejm formally a roved a lan to dig u the Baltic S it, which the Poles call the Vistula S it, and art of which belongs to Russia. President Andrzej Duda has already signed a decree on the new waterway's construction start to the dis leasure on both sides of the border. This is a urely olitical decision. If they im lement it, they will dig u a unique lace. For the construction of a 1.5-km long and 5-meter dee channel, the relic ine trees will have to be cut down and sandy beaches will be dug u . Thus, Poland wants to have a free access to the Baltic Sea from its ort of Elblag. Cargo shi s can now easily enter the Polish ort, but to do this they need to ass through a navigable strait near the Russian Baltiysk. Poland wants to create a channel in the rotected zone of the S it, and to connect Gdansk Bay and the Vistula Lagoon, which will cost the Polish treasury 880 million zlotys. The Euro ean Union refused to finance the venture of Jarosław Kaczyński's arty, considering the costs unjustified. This is it, the only strait through which shi s can enter the Vistula Gulf from the Baltic Sea. Vessels have to go through Russian territorial waters to reach Elblag ort. According to official Warsaw, this uts Poland in de endence on Russia, and it's time to get rid of it. Polish journalist Tomasz Omanski is convinced that they lan to use the direct access to the sea for military ur oses. We can talk about low-tonnage military shi s and boats. In Elblag, US and NATO's eastern flank troo HQ are su osed to be located. On the Polish art of the S it, eo le are already re aring for rotests. They are s ending huge amounts of money on this because of their stubbornness, so that everything is against Russia. But we will have to deal with it. The channel is ro osed to be excavated in one of the most o ular Polish resorts in the Krynica Morska area. Each year thousands of tourists from different countries come here. Local residents fear that the construction could ruin unique sandy beaches and high dunes. Dozens of hotels and boarding houses are located on the main street of Krynica, and they are already being re ared for the high season. If they become em ty due to the work of heavy equi ment, eo le are threatening to sue the government of the country, which, contrary to the interests of its own citizens, is going to save Euro e from an imaginary Russian threat.