The priority in Rail Baltica now is “cutting down” any work not related to the minimal completion of the project, said Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa in her interview to TV3 on Wednesday, the 4th of December.
The politician stressed that Latvia needs to focus on the minimal completion of Rail Baltica main track. According to the PM, Riga will not be forgotten, as both old and new railway network connections are planned in Salaspils. The government will look for additional funding to afford it.
There is funding from the European Union (EU) for initial work, and now it is necessary to commence construction of the main track, added Siliņa.
She said the topic of cancelling the project has been informally discussed among ministers. However, it was concluded Latvia would not benefit from that,
because it would result in a significant loss of resources invested into the project. On top of that, this project is important to Latvia, because the country’s railway will no longer be as focused on the East as it was in the past. Instead it will turn towards the West, and the new track is necessary to ensure that.
According to her, there is a shortage of financing for Rail Baltica in all Baltic States. This is why efforts are being put into acquiring additional financing from the next EU multi-year budget and other sources.
The PM allowed that Rail Baltica’s financing, in addition to the bank solidarity tax and changes to the second pension pillar, there could be issues that may provoke the wider debate as the Saeima begins to consider next year’s draft budget.
The politician repeated that she is convinced that her coalition will have enough votes to approve the budget.
Also read: “We don’t have money for that!” – Latvian PM clashes with Minister of Transport about Rail Baltica’s Riga connection
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Publish date : 2024-12-03 23:59:00
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