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Slovakia supports plan of water canal link central European rivers

Xinhua, May 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said Wednesday he supported the Czech government's plan to build a canal to link the Elbe, Odra, and Danube rivers.

"It's an important project that is indeed feasible. We should, as soon as possible, make a feasibility study," said Fico.

However, experts questioned whether such a huge project was worthwhile.

According to Slovak Engineering Industry Association vice-chairman Juraj Borgula, the project would create new jobs, but the economies of Slovakia and the Czech Republic are built on small and medium-sized enterprises which don't need a canal to do business.

"These enterprises don't have massive commissions that would require the transport of goods via rivers," Borgula pointed out.

The project would enable ships to carry goods from Hrad Devin on the border between Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic via the Morava River towards the Czech town of Bohumin, and further up the Odra River to the Baltic Sea. The building of the canal is expected to cost billions of euros. Endit