Lithuania: Use of the Neris River as a Logistical and Strategic Military Corridor
Lithuania’s plans to use the Neris River as infrastructure raise environmental and policy concerns
Country: Lithuania
Problem formulation
In Lithuania, the Neris River is considered not only as a natural ecosystem but also as a potential logistical, transport, and, in a broader context, strategic military corridor. This perspective is reflected in projects and public discussions, including statements by Lithuanian policymakers concerning the development of navigation, infrastructure, and the functional use of the river.
In particular, state initiatives and plans envisage the adaptation of the river for navigation between Vilnius and Kaunas, including riverbed dredging, deepening, development of port infrastructure, and expansion of the river’s transport function. It is explicitly noted that the river may be used not only for passenger and cargo transport but also in the context of military mobility.
At the same time, at the level of municipal and infrastructure planning, the river is framed as an economic and transport resource, with emphasis on its potential for business development, tourism, and urban infrastructure.
However, the scientific community and environmental experts warn that the implementation of such projects would require significant alteration of the natural riverbed, including dredging, removal of sediments, and changes to hydromorphology. According to these assessments, such interventions may lead to ecosystem degradation, loss of natural processes, and damage to habitats.
Certain projects involving dredging and riverbed modification within Vilnius have already attracted criticism from environmental organisations, which emphasise that such works are carried out, including in Natura 2000 areas, and may affect fish spawning grounds and other sensitive ecosystem components.
Moreover, in public discourse and analytical materials, the river is also considered as a potential element of strategic military infrastructure, including scenarios of its use as a transport or evacuation corridor in the context of crises or military threats.
Risk for Lithuania and WFD implementation
This approach creates a risk for the implementation of the WFD, as decisions related to river deepening, regulation, and modification of the riverbed may be driven by functional use considerations rather than by the objective of preserving or restoring ecological status.
Hydromorphological interventions, including dredging, straightening, and alteration of natural river processes, may lead to deterioration of ecological status, which is contrary to the objectives of the WFD, including the achievement of good ecological status.
Additional pressure may arise where such decisions are justified by broader infrastructure, military, or strategic priorities (including transport and security), potentially lowering the priority of environmental requirements.
Why this is a systemic problem
The problem is systemic in nature, as it is not limited to individual projects but is linked to the emergence of a broader policy and governance logic in which the river is treated as an infrastructural and potentially military resource.
This is reflected in:
initiatives to develop navigation and transport use of the river
integration of the river into broader infrastructure and strategic policy frameworks (including military mobility)
projects involving dredging and riverbed modification
tensions between environmental requirements and infrastructure or defence-related interests
consistent critique from the scientific community and environmental organisations
Thus, the issue is not a single project but a broader policy framing in which the river is increasingly conceptualised as a functional corridor, creating long-term pressure on compliance with WFD requirements.
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