On 27 May, the Ministers of Transport of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – Kuldar Leis, Atis Švinka and Eugenijus Sabutis – held a meeting in Vilnius before the meeting with their colleagues from the Nordic countries and the B9. The main topic of discussion was the confirmation of their common commitment to the Rail Baltica project, the first phase of which the countries intend to complete by the end of 2030.
In a joint statement, the ministers stressed the strategic importance of Rail Baltica for regional security, military mobility and economic development. They expressed concern about the current funding model, which depends on annual applications, and called on the European Commission to find more sustainable mechanisms to support cross-border infrastructure projects.
According to Latvian Minister of Transport Atis Švinka, Rail Baltica should be seen as part of Europe’s strategic framework, especially in the context of growing geopolitical threats. The ministers recalled that without stable co-financing from the EU, it will not be possible to implement such a large-scale project within the stated timeframe.