A controversial bypass around the north-eastern town of Augustow won’t cut across the environmentally precious Rospuda valley, the Polish government is to announce today.

The news comes after a lengthy struggle between green campaigners and citizens of Augustow.

Today Deputy PM Grzegorz Schetyna and Minister of Infrastructure Cezary Grabarczyk are to inform about the new route of the bypass.

According to the new plan the expressway won’t cut into the unique ecosystem of Rospuda Valley, protected within the framework of Nature 2000 Protection Area but will be constructed near the village of Raczki, and across the fields.

The solution has been approved by Minister of Environment Maciej Nowicki.

The initial route of the Augustow bypass, cutting across the protected wilderness area, has been the focus of an intense campaign of protests in Poland and abroad and also counter-protests by the local community, who demand the construction of a highway that would decrease the heavy traffic going through their town.

The issue brought the previous Law and Justice led government into conflict with the European Union, which threatened Poland will penalties of it went ahead with the bypass through Rospuda.

So far the construction of the bypass cost some 100 million zlotys (some 22 million euros). The sections of the already constructed bypass can still be used in the new project. (jm)

Source: PAP