Transport minister calls for review of environmental agency’s role in Nemunas dredging case

The Lithuanian transport minister has said an ongoing pre-trial investigation into alleged environmental damage caused by dredging the Nemunas River must examine whether environmental authorities failed in their oversight, public broadcaster LRT reports.

Juras Taminskas, speaking at a maritime conference on Friday, questioned why the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) took no action during two years of dredging work but later identified violations. “For two years, while the work was underway, the EPD saw nothing—no dredging, no equipment in the Nemunas,” he said. “Now, two years later, suddenly everyone’s eyes are open. There are unanswered questions here.”

The minister also criticised agencies under his ministry for excessive caution, saying fear of protests—such as activists chaining themselves to trees—was hindering necessary infrastructure projects. “We need to overcome these fears and educate the public instead of giving in to intimidation,” he stated.

Prosecutors launched a pre-trial investigation in late November after the EPD reported that the Inland Waterways Directorate (IWD), a transport ministry agency, had deepened the Nemunas bed without proper impact assessments, allegedly causing €8 million in environmental harm. The work, conducted in 2023–2024 near Alytus and Druskininkai, reportedly reduced fish, mollusc, and invertebrate populations. The IWD disputes the findings and has vowed to challenge them in court.

The agency’s former director general was dismissed in November over the case. The transport ministry holds full ownership of the IWD.