A regional administrative court in Warsaw has granted an initial injunction suspending the construction of a Polish deep-water container port near the German border in Świnoujście.
The injunction was sought by the German environmentalist organisation Lebensraum Vorpommern and the Ostseebad Heringsdorf municipality.
In their case they sought the prevention of the construction of the container port, which began during the time of the previous Conservative (PiS) Polish government and has been continued by the present centre-left administration led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
According to those who sought the injunction: “The contamination of the seabed with munitions in this part of the Baltic Sea was not adequately examined.”
The Polish authorities have announced they will appeal against the decision and hoped that the Supreme Administrative Court would lift the injunction when it finally rules on the case brought by the German entities.
The Mayor of Świnoujście, though, who is a member of Tusk’s Civic Coalition (KO) has opposed the construction of the container port.
The regional court in Warsaw is to make its final ruling on the container port’s further construction August 4. It is expected that either side will appeal the verdict to the higher Supreme Administrative Court whose decision will be final.
German Greens MEP Hannah Neumann expressed satisfaction with the court’s initial decision.
“This is an important signal for the protection of our Baltic Sea and a clear sign that European environmental law is being taken seriously. The Natura 2000 areas off the coasts of the islands of Usedom and Wolin are among the most valuable natural regions in this area,” she said.
Poland’s PiS opposition claimed Germany was once more attempting to stop investments by weaponising environmental organisations and called on the Polish Government to make a determined response.
“If this stands, it’s a crime against our economy. As head of the Polish parliament’s Maritime Economy Committee, I have today directed a number of questions to the Minister of Infrastructure, urging him to urgently clarify the situation, to urgently explain what our next steps will be to ensure that this investment goes ahead,” he siad.
Former PiS maritime economy minister Marek Gróbarczyk said he believed that the environmental campaign was aimed at stopping Poland creating competition for German ports.
“All of this is aimed at undermining Poland’s competitiveness compared to German ports. The Port of Rostock, the largest German port on the Baltic Sea, is feeling the pressure from the expansion of infrastructure in Świnoujście,” he said.
“Karsten Lentz, head of the logistics company Euroports in Rostock, admits that both ports compete for customers in the same markets. In his view, investments in Świnoujście may threaten Rostock’s position, primarily due to lower road costs for trucks in Poland and better transport connections,” Gróbarczyk added.
During the PiS’ time in office (2015-2023) Poland clashed with Germany over Polish plans to make the river Oder navigable again and the country’s push for the construction of nuclear power stations. Both projects were opposed by German environmentalists.
