Romanian and Ukrainian experts started on March 25 the measurements along the Bystroye canal requested by Romania, Ionel Scrioșteanu, state secretary in the Ministry of Transport, told G4Media.ro.

The measurements are expected to reveal whether the dredging works carried out by Ukraine on the canal (on its territory) resulted in a depth that exceeds the international agreements and thus might hurt the Danube Delta's ecosystem.

The Ukrainian authorities approved the action plan on March 25, and on the same day, they started the first measurements in the Bystroye area, Scrioșteanu said.

"On the first day, 3 km of a secondary arm parallel to the Chilia arm were measured, and [measurement on] Bystroye follows, we estimate that the operation is completed in 10-12 days," the secretary of state said.

Scrioşteanu also told G4Media that the measurements are made "by a joint team of specialists on the vessel allocated by the Ukrainian authorities. On the ship, there are three specialists: two Romanian and one Ukrainian, he said.

Once the measurements are finished, the analysis phase will begin, of about ten days, at the end of which the conclusions will be made public.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/George Calin)