Poland Wants to Change Maritime Laws to Prevent Environmental Disaster in the Baltic Sea

Outdated rules governing access to the Baltic Sea must be changed due to Russia’s shadow fleet, urges Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski.

Despite the fact that more and more ships have been added to the EU’s sanctions list due to Russia’s war in Ukraine, there is still great concern about the often substandard vessels being used. In the Black Sea, there have been accidents involving tankers that normally only operate on Russian rivers. Now Sikorski also warns of completely unregistered and uninsured vessels.

We must take legal and appropriate action before we face a huge environmental disaster. We need legal changes to maritime law, said the foreign minister at a meeting with TT and other EU correspondents in Warsaw.

Access to the Baltic Sea is governed by the so-called Öresund Treaty of 1857, when Denmark finally gave up its customs duties in exchange for a one-off payment from its neighbouring countries. However, Sikorski believes that agreements made in peacetime no longer work.

We are no longer in peacetime, we are in a time of crisis. Authoritarian leaders will always find loopholes, but we must not be foolish, said the foreign minister.

Sikorski’s Poland holds the presidency of the EU Council of Ministers until 1 July, when Denmark takes over.

^{Omslagsbild: Polens utrikesminister Radoslaw Sikorski i ett möte med tillresta EU-korrespondenter i Warszawa. Foto: Wiktor Nummelin/TT}