European route E67

European route E67 is a highway running from Prague in the Czech Republic to Helsinki in Finland by way of Poland, Kaunas (Lithuania), Riga (Latvia), and Tallinn (Estonia).

It is known as the Via Baltica between Warsaw and Tallinn, a distance of convert|670|km. It is the most important road connection between the Baltic states. The final stretch between Tallinn and Helsinki is by ferry (with about 20 departures each direction per day).

The road is mostly ordinary road, but there are plans to convert it into a motorway. The Via Baltica attracted great controversy in 2007, as its planned new motorway route is to take it through several areas in Poland of great natural value. Most controversial is the Augustów bypass, which would take the route through the wetlands of the Rospuda Valley, the last area of its kind remaining in Europe, and an area protected by EU law as part of the European Natura 2000 Network. In July 2007 Polish Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński halted work on the bypass after the European Commission applied for an immediate injunction. [cite news |first= Adam |last= Easton |title= Poland halts wetlands road plan |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6923745.stm |work= BBC News |publisher= BBC |date= 2007-07-31 |accessdate=2008-08-30 ] The Polish environment minister Jan Szyszko had agreed to the route, despite receiving on 2007-02-28 a warning from the European Commission that Poland would be fined for going ahead with the route. Campaigners have proposed an alternative, cheaper route (see link below).

References

External links

* [http://www.viabalticainfo.org/spip.php?rubrique2 Via Baltica – Protest site] en icon
* [http://via-baltica.darz-bor.info/protest/index.php Via Baltica – Protest] en iconpl icon