EU condemns Danube ship canal

Brussels has voiced its "deep regret" that Ukraine opened a ship canal in the Danube delta nature reserve, defying EU calls to halt construction until an environmental assessment has been carried out.

The European Commission has repeatedly called on Kiev to stop work on the 3 km Bystroye canal, which links the River Danube and the Black Sea, over fears that it could harm the delicate ecosystem. 

The issue was also raised at the EU-Ukraine summit in July where Brussels urged Ukrainian authorities not to go ahead with the project until an environmental impact assessment had been carried out.

"The European Commission deeply regrets the reported opening to navigation of the initial part of the Bystroye canal," Brussels said in a statement on Wednesday.

"The canal route goes through a specially protected UNESCO World Heritage area in the Danube Delta which is also subject to the International Ramsar Convention on the protection of wetlands."

"The Commission...would welcome receiving reassurances from the Ukrainian government confirming its intention not to proceed further with this project pending preparation of a proper Environmental Impact Assessment to international standards."

The Danube delta is a wetland with a fragile ecosystem, home to around 90 species of fish and 300 bird varieties including 70 percent of the world's white pelicans and 50 per cent of pygmy cormorants, according to the Worldwide Fund for Nature.

Neighbouring Romania has also expressed its concern over the project which straddles its boarder, and on Tuesday hundreds of Romanians marched through Bucharest demanding a halt to construction work.

The first section of the canal is due to opened on Thursday at a special ceremony attended by Ukranian president Leonid Kuchma, AFP reports.

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