Ukraine will continue building a canal in the Danube River delta, a senior Foreign Ministry official said on Monday, despite a European Union call to halt work amid fears the waterway could harm the environment

Ukraine will continue building a canal in the Danube River delta, a senior Foreign Ministry official said on Monday, despite a European Union call to halt work amid fears the waterway could harm the environment. Romania has protested to international organizations over the Bastroe canal project, saying it could damage the unique ecosystem in the delta, home to more than 280 bird species. The EU asked Ukraine last week to halt the work. Deputy Foreign Minister Oleksander Motsik said the canal was an important access point to the Black Sea from the Ukrainian section of the Danube.