Lithuania backs Poland on contested highway plan

Lithuanian Transport Minister Algirdas Butkevicius pressed Brussels not to punish Warsaw over the planned roadworks, which have raised hackles on environmental grounds but which governments in the region say are crucial to smooth trade between eastern and western EU members.

"The minister today had a telephone conversation with European Commission vice-president Jacques Barrot and asked him to support Poland's position on construction of the road near the town of Augustow, which will be a part of international Via Baltica highway," transport ministry spokeswoman Irina Sklepovic told AFP.

To ease traffic in Augustow, which is near Poland's northeastern border with Lithuania, Polish transport authorities want to build a bypass through the Rospuda Valley.

The area is considered by the EU to be "a unique wetland system". The region around the Rospuda marshlands is the world's most important breeding ground for the endangered aquatic warbler bird, and is home to rare greater spotted eagles, lynx and wolves.

The European Commission has turned to the European Court of Justice, charging that Warsaw is in breach of EU environmental rules.

It has also warned that Poland risks losing EU financial aid if it sticks to the Rospuda route.

Environmental groups such as Greenpeace earlier this year set up camp at the construction site to protest against plans to build a bridge across the valley as part of a 40-kilometre (25-mile) stretch of highway, saying that it would shatter the area's fragile ecosystem.

Work was suspended in March because of the bird-nesting season, but Polish authorities have announced that they plan to resume construction on August 1.

Source AFP/EUBusiness.com