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Money earmarked for Skanste tram line project could be used for other infrastructure projects – Linkaits

BC, Riga, 20.02.2019.Print version
The money earmarked for Skanste tram line could be used for other infrastructure projects, said Transport Minister Talis Linkaits (New Conservative Party, JKP) said at the Cabinet of Ministers meeting referred LETA.

The government on Tuesday heard the Finance Ministry’s report on implementation of the EU funds projects. The Finance Ministry said that in respect to risk management, further implementation of Rigas Satiksme’s municipal public transport company’s large project on development of Riga tramline infrastructure is on the agenda, considering the suspicions about the company’s possible involvement in corruption cases.


The Central Finance and Contracting Agency (CFCA) in December 2018 suspended the release of the European Union’s co-funding to the Skanste Tramline project implemented by Rigas Satiksme. To prevent possible misuse of EU funds, CFCA has decided to suspend disbursements to this project which features in corruption probes conducted by the Corruption Prevention Bureau.


Also, Rigas Satiksme's procurement committee in January 2019 decided to halt procurement procedure for construction of the Skanste tram track, as well as the procurement of twelve low-floor trams.


On January 25, Rigas Satiksme submitted to CFLA, the Transport Ministry and other responsible institutions a revise action plan and risk assessment. The institutions will have to assess whether it is possible to continue the project and ensure EU co-funding in the present situation.


Linkaits said that the ministry and the Riga City Council are regularly exchanging information and discussing a possibility to suspend the project, transferring funds to other transport infrastructure project instead.


“Transport Ministry’s specialists say that it is possible to use these funds for another project, still the decision should be made by the Riga local council,” said Linkaits.






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