Estonian Minister of Economy and Industry Erkki Keldo signed an order approving the new Rail Baltica route in Pärnu County. This paves the way for construction to begin on a section where the plan was previously partially annulled by the Supreme Court in 2020 due to insufficient impact assessment on the Luitemaa Nature Reserve.
The Rail Baltica project is seen as a strategic highway for Estonia and the entire Baltic region. It will connect the countries to the European railway network, reduce the load on roads and become a support for NATO military mobility. The new plan includes two stops – in Surju and Urissaare – as well as access roads to populated areas, farmland and forests. In addition, overpasses will be built for the movement of wild animals, noise barriers will be installed and compensatory measures will be taken to protect the habitat of wood grouse in the Luitemaa area.
According to Anvar Salomets, Chairman of the Board of Rail Baltic Estonia, construction work on the main route in Estonia will begin in May. Negotiations are underway with international consortiums to conclude alliance contracts, and the launch of the Tallinn-Warsaw high-speed connection is planned for 2030.