EU – Baltic States, Lithuania, Railways, Transport

International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics Thursday, 28.03.2024, 11:18

Lithuania: Rail Baltica project to be implemented by end-2013

Danuta Pavilenene, BC, Vilnius, 16.05.2011.Print version
Protests of some Marijampole residents and city politicians against the European railway line via Marijampole have not affected the Government's projected deadline – to complete the European railway Rail Baltica by the end of 2013.

After the meeting with the prime minister's chancellor, the representatives of the Marijampole city municipality agreed with the terms and conditions for the project's implementation. It was also agreed on additional measures to neutralise negative consequences brought by a significant increase in the flow of rail freight via Marijamole. A feasibility study will be launched on the matter to see if a bypass is necessary for the transportation of freight, reports LETA/ELTA.

 

The Rail Baltica project was given the status of an economic project of national importance. According to the Government's action plan, the European rail is to start operate fully in the railway line the Polish-Lithuanian state border-Marijampole-Kaunas by end-2013. As reported, the project will be largely financed by the TEN-T Fund and the Cohesion Fund of the European Union; 770 million litas (222.93 million euros) will be allocated from Lithuania's state budget. Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai will also contribute to the project.

 

European transport commissioner Siim Kallas pointed out that the railway project Rail Baltica connecting Tallinn and Warsaw should be more arrogant, so that the rail line would become an alternative to air travel, reports LETA/BBN referring to Äripäev.

 

The views of Kallas found little support from the prime ministers of Latvia and Lithuania who said that work with the project was ongoing.

 

Valdis Dombrovskis, PM of Latvia, said, for instance, that Latvia recently allocated 43 million euros to modernize the rail infrastructure so that it is suitable for faster passenger trains.






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