A proposal for establishing the Lower Oder Valley National Park is heading to the Polish parliament, a project long advocated by German politicians. Paradoxically, located close to this planned protected area is the Schwedt refinery, one of Europe’s largest polluters, which, following recent decisions by German authorities, will become even more harmful. According to “Gazeta Polska,” Poland is feigning action while being disregarded by its German political allies who manage the problematic facility processing oil predominantly from Eastern sources.
The German refinery, PCK GmbH in Schwedt, where the Russian Rosneft owns 54% of shares, uniquely burns fuel waste in the region, making it an exceptionally high emitter. Nevertheless, Brandenburg’s Environmental Protection Agency has authorized the refinery to increase its sulfur dioxide emissions to 1000 mg/Nm³ until the end of 2027. The nearby Polish municipality of Widuchowa reacted first, expressing alarm given the prevailing westerly winds, highlighting that the outdated refinery, lacking adequate filters, poses a serious health and environmental threat through acid rain. All concerns raised by Polish local authorities were dismissed, prioritizing Germany’s economic interests.
Polish state institutions’ response has been marked by passivity and powerlessness, according to Jacek Liziniewicz. The General Directorate for Environmental Protection stated it “does not have jurisdiction to monitor emissions from existing installations,” while the Ministry of Climate and Environment, despite claims of ongoing dialogue, admitted its communications to Germany on March 7 have remained unanswered. Polish authorities seemingly discovered the detrimental decision through media coverage.
This situation reveals underlying interests connecting Russia and Germany. Despite official denials of Russian oil imports to Schwedt, suspicions persist about circumvention of sanctions. “The government knows Russian oil is flowing through the Druzhba pipeline to Schwedt. Have you seen any action?” questioned Daniel Obajtek in April. Concurrently, Schwedt has experienced protests demanding the return to cheaper Russian oil, while officially doubling its oil imports from Kazakhstan, shipped to Germany via Russian territory.
Against this backdrop, Poland is ironically establishing a national park, at Germany’s urging, in an area set to suffer pollution from German refinery emissions and acid rain. Is creating this protected zone merely a strategy to stifle the economic growth of the Polish region, including navigation on the Oder River? Why is the Polish government powerless against Berlin’s maneuvers?
For a complete analysis, read the latest issue of the weekly “Gazeta Polska.”