A recent analysis by the Transport Administration revealed that only half the necessary funding is currently available to maintain Estonia's roads. Speaking on the ETV morning program "Terevisioon" on Wednesday, Minister of Regional Affairs and Infrastructure Kuldar Leis said that road construction is a long-term process and major changes cannot happen overnight.

"The downside is that the current EU funding period runs through 2027 and is already fully allocated, so no additional money will be coming from there. The good news is that starting in 2028, it will be possible to request substantial funding to develop the three main corridors — toward Pärnu, Tartu and Narva," Leis said.

According to the minister, the Tartu corridor will not receive funding in the near future. However, three sections along the Pärnu route are either underway or set to begin soon, which will result in roughly 40 kilometers of new four-lane (2+2) roads. These are projects based on decisions that were made long ago.

Leis acknowledged that the more critical situation lies with gravel and smaller roads, especially near the border areas in South and East Estonia.

"This is also a security issue. The question is whether people will continue to live near the border."

Leis noted that a major mistake in previous years was the lack of ready-made project plans when EU funding became available. For this reason, he is encouraging not only the Transport Administration but also local governments to prepare road projects in advance so that, when funding does become available, construction can begin without delay.

The minister also expressed hope that when discussions begin in August and September to draft next year's state budget, the importance of road construction will be taken into account.

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