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Thursday, 28.03.2024, 13:32
Lithuanian Railways offers to rebuild dismantled track to Latvia by late 2019
"At the
end of last week, we submitted the plan to the European Commission for
approval. It calls for rebuilding the railway section by the end of 2019,"
Mantas Dubauskas, spokesman for the
state railway company, told BNS.
He said that the EU's executive body was expected to
approve the plan by Mar. 1.
The spokesman added that the company would not give
further details, including estimated costs, for the time being.
Earlier estimates put the cost of rebuilding the Renge
track, removed back in 2008, at around 20 million euros, but Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai CEO Mantas Bartuska has told BNS that he expects it to be lower.
Ricardo Cardoso, spokesman for competition at the European Commission, confirmed to BNS
that Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai had submitted a proposal for remedying the competition infringement
for which it was last October slapped with a fine of almost 28 million euros.
"We are monitoring Lithuanian Railways' remedy
design and implementation," he said.
Maris Ozols, spokesman for Latvian Railways, told BNS that Latvia had not been
provided with the plan.
"Lithuanian Railways have not yet presented the
plan you describe, therefore, we cannot comment on our actions regarding
that," Ozols said.
"However, position of the Latvian Railway has not
changed -- we are still looking forward to Lithuanian Railways to keep its
promise and restore the railway infrastructure and railway connection on
Lithuanian side as soon as possible so the line can be operated," he added.
Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai last December filed an appeal to the EU's General Court in
Luxembourg over the 27.87-million-euro fine imposed by the European Commission
for hindering competition and in early January paid the fine from its
accumulated reserve.