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Thursday, 28.03.2024, 16:38
Money earmarked for Skanste tram line project could be used for other infrastructure projects – Linkaits
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.