Dombrovskis: Latvia Supports Rail Baltic If EU Raises Co-Financing
Latvia will support Rail Baltica, the high-speed railway project, on the condition that the European Union raises its co-financing contribution from the currently proposed 60 to 85 percent, said Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis.
The task of convincing EU officials is left to European Commissioner for Transport Siim Kallas, who has supported the idea and might be able to reach an agreement, reported Päevaleht.
As the project is very large and expensive, less financing from the EU would make it unaffordable for Latvia, said Dombrovskis, who plans to meet with Kallas in January to discuss the details.
The rail project that would link Estonia to Poland has been under negotiation since 2004, and will take around 3.7 billion euros to build. Construction is estimated to be completed by 2025.
Ingrid Teesalu