The priority is to connect the three Baltic States with the European railway network until 2030 – this is a strategic necessity, and therefore the focus should be on the construction of the baseline, stresses Catherine Trautmann, coordinator of the North Sea Baltic Transport Corridor of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport.
The goal of her visit is discussing Rail Baltica project’s implementation scenario in Latvia, including the cross-border connection in the first stage of the project.
During her meeting with Latvian government representatives, Trautmann said Rail Baltica had so far been very successful in attracting financing from the European Union. In the last project application call of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) of 2023, an additional approximately EUR 1.43 billion has been raised for the implementation and construction of the Rail Baltica project, of which approximately EUR 1.16 billion is CEF funding and EUR 261 million co-financing from the Baltic States.
Rail Baltica project has received more funding so far than any other European infrastructure project and this decision affirms EC’s unwavering support of this project, says Trautmann.
At the same time, the European coordinator emphasized the importance of the Rail Baltica cross-border connection, which aimed to integrate Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland into the single European railway network. Neighbouring countries Estonia, Lithuania and Poland have reaffirmed their commitment to this project and are closely following the ongoing discussions in Latvia on the scenario for the implementation of the Latvian phase of the project.
Trautmann explained that the project would be considered completed when the Baltic capitals, including Riga, would also be fully connected to the European railway network. In order to accomplish this task, progress in the construction of the baseline should be demonstrated at this stage, stressed Trautmann, pointing out that progress in large-scale works will also allow to better attract alternative funding, thus providing an opportunity to expand the scope of work to be carried out in the first round.
Also, Trautmann emphasized that “Rail Baltica” was a project of national importance, and all ministers must work together to ensure its implementation.
“It is a shared responsibility – both the government of Latvia as a whole and Latvia’s responsibility to its partners. I will be pleased with the government’s decision expected in the coming weeks, as well as the agreement between the Baltic States until the end of this year,” added Trautmann.
In turn, the Minister of Transport Kaspars Briskens points out that “in order to ensure compliance with Latvia’s national economic and security interests and fulfillment of international obligations, the highest priority in the first round of the project is the establishment of a cross-border connection”.
Latvian Minister of Transport Kaspars Briskens also emphasizes the need to establish a European gauge connection with at least one of Riga’s two international Rail Baltica stations, which is critical to ensure greater passenger flow and economic benefits already in the initial operational phase of the project.
Briskens points out that the upcoming multi-annual budget negotiations of the European Union (EU) will be decisive and will determine how much EU funding will be available for the Rail Baltica project and in what period of time the first round of the project will be able to be implemented.
Trautmann, the European coordinator, works on behalf of the EC to help Member States achieve the key set-ups of the North Sea Baltic transport corridor, with a particular focus on cross-border transport infrastructure projects. In this context, the Rail Baltica project is particularly important, as five EU countries participate in it – the Baltic States, Poland and Finland, and as of July this year, in accordance with the new TEN-T regulation, Rail Baltica also forms part of the Baltic Sea Black Sea Aegean Sea transport corridor. (BNN)