Latvia's Rail Baltica section expected to be 3-5 years behind schedule
Latvia's section of the Rail Baltica project could be delayed by up to five years, the project's chairman has admitted.
The deadline for the first section of the railway spanning Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and ending at the Polish border is 2030.
Last week, a Latvian opposition MP Andris Kulbergs, head of the Saeima's Rail Baltica investigative committee, also told members of the Riigikogu the deadline could be pushed back by several years.
Māris Dzelme, chairman of the board of Eiropas Dzelzceļa līnijas (EDzL), the national implementer of the Rail Baltica project in Latvia, said a delay of three to five years is expected.
"From a practical construction standpoint, with the funding currently available, I do not see any possibility of completing the first phase of Rail Baltica by 2030," Dzelme told Latvian Television (LTV) on Wednesday.
He said it will be possible to give an estimated timeline when the budget has been allocated from the European Union.
"It's not going smoothly, beautifully. How can it go smoothly, beautifully, if there is no money? We can go at the pace that the money available to us allows. This project costs money," Dzelme said.
He said a new redesign is needed to "reduce the scope of railway infrastructure construction", which could cost around €8 million but is expected to save between €100 and €200 million.
Last May, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal (Reform) said Estonia would help Latvia if necessary.
"If we can do anything, share our experience, projects /.../ If it's possible, we can also build in Latvia if needed. No worries," Michal said at a joint press conference with his Latvian and Lithuanian counterparts.
Latvia's Transport Minister Atis Švinka pushed back on Dzelme's comments.
Asked whether he acknowledges that completion by 2030 may indeed be impossible, Švinka said Dzelme's remarks reflected a personal opinion.
He stressed that EDzL's primary responsibility is to build, not to voice opinions or engage in speculation.
"I will continue to rely on official documents. There are Cabinet decisions stating that the project must be implemented by 2030. There is also a joint commitment by all three Baltic states. Looking at these goals, they are challenging, and securing the necessary funding is complicated," the minister told LTV.
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Editor: Helen Wright
