EU – Baltic States, Latvia, Legislation, Lithuania, Railways, Transport
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Friday, 29.03.2024, 02:22
Lithuanian Transport Ministry to propose rebuilding tracks to Latvia
"Our
proposal to the government will be to rebuild Renge. We have to give an answer
to the (European) Commission by December 18 on the steps we plan to take in
case of the fine. Rebuilding Renge will be part of the decision,"
Transport and Communications Minister Rokas
Masiulis said at a news conference in Vilnius dedicated to the meeting of
his three Baltic colleagues.
Latvia's Transport Minister Uldis Augulis expressed belief that Lithuania would rebuild the tracks dismantled
in 2008, however, did not specify whether Latvian companies would file claims
against Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai for compensation of damages.
"I truly hope that the Lithuanian side would take
into consideration the European Union proposals and rebuild the missing part of
the railway (…). Latvian businessmen will look at their losses and decide on
further steps. We cannot guarantee anything," the Latvian minister told
the Vilnius news conference.
Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai, the Lithuanian state-run company, has announced plans to rebuild the
19-km tracks from Orlen Lietuva's factory to Renge and thus eliminate the violation
that was slammed with the EC fine. At the same time, the company pledged to
file a claim against the EC fine in an effort to reduce it and defend corporate
reputation.
The government should decide on correction of the
violation by Dec. 18, the deadline for the appeal against the EC fine.