Zīle: Latvia should seek more Rail Baltica funding from other EU funds

MEP Roberts Zīle argues that Latvia has not adequately sought funding from various EU funds for the implementation of the Rail Baltica project. So far, the country has primarily obtained money from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and, to a lesser extent, from the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism (RRM) for the connection to Riga Central Station. Neighboring countries, meanwhile, have found additional resources in other funds.

In the new EU multiannual budget, the main fund used for Rail Baltica is set at €50 billion, while the Baltic states collectively need €10 billion. Zīle considers it unrealistic to expect a fifth of that fund, meaning alternative sources must be found.

He notes that Latvia has not fully utilized available cohesion funds from the current budget – approximately €2 billion. If contracts are not signed by August, this money could be lost.

Zīle believes that major sanctions are unlikely if the project is not completed by the 2030 deadline, but the country must show progress. The main consequence could be difficulties in obtaining EU funding for other large-scale projects.