Increasing the depth of the Bystroye Canal by Ukraine, for navigation with a draft of 7 meters, is not allowed by international agreements, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) Marcel Ciolacu stated, according to Agerpres.

„We don’t weigh on the aid that we must provide – both humanitarian and economic, and not only to Ukraine – regarding the situation at the Bystroye Canal. At the EU level, it was decided that the only navigable canal of the Danube Delta is Sulina and, through an exception, the MAE [the Foreign Affairs Ministry], justified, agreed that at a 3.5 draft it is possible to navigate in this exceptional situation in which Ukraine finds itself. It was established, we all saw the announcements made by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of Ukraine, that it is possible to navigate with a 7 meters draft. This means that some works have been done there and it was deepened, which is not allowed by international and environmental agreements,” Ciolacu said at the Palace of Parliament.

The speaker of the Chamber of Deputies announced that on 24 February, he will have a meeting with Ukraine’s Ambassador in Bucharest, occasion on which he will discuss this situation.

He added that the situation shall also be discussed through the MAE, most probably through the Transport Ministry together with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of Ukraine and he firmly believes that after these talks, technical solutions shall be found.

„From my point of view, it must become legal as soon as possible and this can also be done technically. (…) We talked [in the coalition] of the principles and the decision that the transportation with a draft greater than 7 meters cannot continue,” the PSD leader emphasized.

On the other hand, he believes that „we shouldn’t start dividing people into good and bad, into supporters of Russia, when we want to defend our Danube Delta.”

„The Danube Delta is something sacred for Romania. No one can get close to the Danube Delta, to be very clear,” Marcel Ciolacu conveyed.

When asked whether the situation related to the Bystroye Canal does not already affect the Danube Delta, he said: „Let’s hope not in a radical way. It definitely does, because otherwise we would not have had these agreements of depth, if it wouldn’t affected. Those agreements were made as a result of some expertise. (…) The MAE gave its consent to navigate on both the Chilia and the Bystroye Canal. Once an acceptance is given, it can be withdrawn.”

Agerpres