"The Neris has a wide range of habitats and is on the Natura 2000 list of protected areas. If we change it significantly, and this type of project would need very significant changes, we will not only destroy entire ecosystems, but will also be subject to possible sanctions from the European Union," the minister told the public broadcaster’s LRT news website.
Shipping can be increased by focusing on the so-called Žirmūnai winter port facility, according to Poderskis.
"Kayaks and smaller boats are already sailing on the Neris in the city of Vilnius, and we also have a winter port. If we want to encourage shipping, perhaps we should start with such projects – the winter port, looking at how the current infrastructure can be adapted there and how we could integrate into the in a sustainable way," the environment minister suggested.
A few weeks ago, Vladimiras Vinokurovas, head of the Inland Waterways Authority, told politics.lt podcast that having a waterway on the River Neris connecting Vilnius and Kaunas is realistic and easy to do.
Vinokurovas said there are also discussions held about extending the waterways to other towns, such as Pabradė or Rukla,which house military training areas. He said that such prospects had been discussed with the Lithuanian military. The idea drew greater attention when Germany committed to send a brigade-sized military unit to Lithuania, according to the official.