Works on the excavation of the Vistula Spit have started
As Magdalena Kierzkowska, a spokesman of the Maritime Office in Gdynia, has informed PAP the general contractor, the Polish-Belgian consortium of NDI and Besix which is currently conducting organizational and preparatory works in this area. For several weeks the land is being has cleaned of ferromagnetic objects, such as unexploded bombs and shells. So far, about 3,000 of elements have been found, including remnants of military operations during World War II ammo boxes and shells among them. This work will last about two weeks – she explained. “By the end of January 2020, however, removal of the carp and cleaning of the construction site is being planned. Installation of piezometers to monitor changes in the level of the water surface and its salinity has also begun” the spokesman adds.
The crossing of the shipping channel through the Vistula Spit will be of great strategic importance not only for Poland, but also for the EU’s Baltic States. Full independence of (free) flow from the Baltic Sea to the waters of the Vistula Lagoon, which until now took place through the Strait of Pilavia, which is under jurisdiction of the Russian Federation. It will definitely improve the safety and protective capacity of the EU’s maritime external border. Another very important aspect is free access to the harbor in Elbląg, as well as to sailing marinas built in almost all towns surrounding the Lagoon from the marina in Braniewo on the Pasłęka River to Piaski near the border with RF. The new shipping channel opens a new tourist rout from the Baltic Sea to the Masurian Lakes, using the values of the Elbląg-Ostróda Canal slipway.
The shipping channel through the Vistula Spit is to be about 1 km long and 5 meters deep. It will allow vessels with a submersion possibility of up to 4 m, length 100 m, width 20 m to enter the port in Elbląg. The construction of the channel is expected to last until 2022, the total cost of the investment is estimated at approximately 880 million PLN. The whole investment will be financed from the state budget.
According to Mateusz Morawiecki the Prime Minister of the Government, the construction of channel across the Vistula Spit is a key investment that is to contribute to the economic development of the Vistula delta, Elbląg Upland, Warmian-Masurian Voivodship, and at the same time this project is to ensure greater state security and more effective protection of the EU’s maritime border.
The construction of the shipping channel from the Baltic Sea to the Vistula Lagoon has numerous opponents. Among the dissatisfied one may find some residents of the Vistula Spit, marshal of the Pomeranian Voivodeship and some ecological organizations with their ally, which is the pro-Russian lobby. Following time, in the case concerning autonomous Republic of Poland, opponents of a good change submitted a complaint to the European Commission.
Although there is no doubt that the arguments used by opponents are not due to interest of Polish country, comforting thing might be that the majority of Polish society supports the idea of the construction of the shipping channel available on the Polish market, according to research confirmed by IBRIS for ‘Rzeczpospolita’ February 22-23, 2019.
Fire in Australia
Australia has been hit with the biggest wave of fires recorded in decades. Sydney is engulfed in smoke carried by the wind, while its inhabitants resort to wearing masks. Local authorities declared the highest level of fire hazard and recommend immediate evacuation.
The front of the fire of forests and bushes in the north-west of Sydney is 60 km long and covers around 300 thousand hectares. Before yesterday, firemen from Canada came to Australia to help control the damage. Since October, 6 people perished in the fires and more than 700 hundred homes were destroyed. The continent now enters into summertime, which will last until March. The fires are spreading mainly in western and southern Australia as well as in Tasmania.
Szczyrk
Following a tragic gas explosion which claimed the lives of 8 people, the authorities of the city of Szczyrk issued a town-wide mourning period. Many houses displayed flags with a black ribbon of grievance and all state flags in the Silesian voivodeship are being flown at half mast.
A gas explosion took place in a house in the city of Szczyrk in southern Poland on Wednesday evening. The first report about the incident was called in at 6:26 PM, with the first respondents arriving just 10 minutes later. During the search and rescue operation which lasted several hours and involved hundreds of people, remains of 8 people were found among the rubble: 4 adults and 4 children.
The residents of Szczyrk pointed out on Thursday morning that in this town of 5.600 residents where, as they said, everyone knows each other, the mourning was made regardless of the calls to honor the victims. The family which died was known in the local community as well as in the world of winter sports.
Great fake-debate Kidawa-Jaśkowiak
The debate between Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska and Jacek Jaśkowiak, candidates in the presidential elections of the Civic Platform’s primaries, was to show the better face of Grzegorz Schetyna’s party, its pluralism and freshness of their political programme. That ended up only being the goal because, according to most commentators, instead it showed all the pretense of primaries and the weaknesses of both claimants.
The most memorable moment of today’s debate will most likely be the words spoken by Małgorzata Kidawa Błońska regarding the division of the Church from the state.
“It’s very clearly written in article 25 of the constitution, that the state is separate from the church and is neutral to all religions. We wouldn’t have a conversation about this, if we were governed by people who follow the constitution”- says Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, Deputy speaker of the Parliament, The Civic Platform party.
The issue was not only the flop of Kidawa Błońska during the debate with Jacek Jaśkowiak. The possible Civic Platform candidate for president couldn’t properly elaborate on the abbreviation CJEU, which means the Court of Justice of the European Union.
“Rulings of the European Tribunal of State… of Justice, the European Court of Justice give us a chance, we know what direction we should take”- says Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, Deputy speaker of the Parliament, The Civic Platform party.
Grzegorz Schetyna, the leader of the Civic Platform, when asked about who made a better impression answered shortly: both candidates. However, it was clear from his reactions, that he was cheering on Jacek Jaśkowiak more than Małgorzata Kidawa Błońska. When asked about it, she gave an evasive answer.
“You should decide for yourself after watching the debate, I have nothing further to add”-says Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, Deputy speaker of the Parliament, The Civic Platform party.
According to most commentators, the debate between Kidawa-Błońska and Jaśkowiak left a bad impression and the current mayor of Poznań came out on top.
“I can talk about what I want to change, what solutions I want to propose and Mrs. Kidawa-Błońska does the same. It’s for you to decide, who had more compelling arguments”-says Jacek Jaśkowiak, Mayor of Poznań, The Civic Platform party.
Next Saturday, on December 14th, the delegates of the Civic Platform will decide who will be representing their party in the upcoming presidential elections in Poland against the current head of state Andrzej Duda, the leader of the Polish People’s Party Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and most likely Szymon Hołownia, a TV presenter who is to confirm his running tomorrow in Gdańsk.
Woodsmen hang and maintain birdhouses
In the forests of Podkarpacie there lasts hanging new and cleaning old birdhouses. Last year 1636 new ones were hung, and over 10 thousand existing ones were maintained . This fall almost 800 have already been hung and 7.6 thousand have been preserved.
Supporting birds is important especially in areas where the balance of nature is disturbed. Artificial bird houses should be made of raw coniferous wood, without any additions such as sheet metal, plastic or fiberboard. Birds are reluctant to hatch surrounded by synthetic materials. Leaving old trees with hollows also helps protect them, hence the smaller number of nest boxes now hanging deep in the forests. Woodsmen also install nest boxes for larger birds, e.g. owls, and bats living in the forest.