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85% EU co-funding must be achieved to implement "Rail Baltica"

Anton
2012.01.16 12:42

RIGA, Jan 13 (NOZARE.LV) - For successful implementation of the high-speed railroad project "Rail Baltica," it is of utmost importance that an 85 percent co-funding be secured from the European Union, and this is entirely feasible, Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis (Unity) and European Commission Deputy Chairman and Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas announced during a joint press conference today. Dombrovskis explained that the co-funding is an important precondition for implementation of "Rail Baltica". The prime minister also emphasized that it is necessary to improve "Rail Baltica's" provisional offer by connecting the Riga Airport with the city's port.

Kallas explained that this amount of co-funding is already included in the current proposals, however, several financial programs have still not been confirmed.

Dombrovskis also pointed out that Riga-Moscow high-speed railroad project is currently being analyzed and its economic justification assessed, but none of the documents of the project envisages use of EU funds.

The officials emphasized that it is important to establish the projects that will be carried out within the framework of "Connecting Europe" program. It is planned that the program's projects will be evaluated during Denmark's EU presidency. The program will receive EUR 50 billion (LVL 35.14 billion) altogether.

The prime minister emphasized that the previously confirmed Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) projects must not disappear from the agenda, especially the East-West projects in the direction toward Russia and Belarus.

Dombrovskis and Kallas also discussed the EU's common agricultural policy, aviation and railroad policies.

As reported, today, Kallas is on a two-day visit to Latvia.

Ingūna Vitenburga Nozare.lv

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