Žile: Real progress on Rail Baltica needed by 2034
European Parliament Vice-President Roberts Zīle warns that without substantial progress on Rail Baltica by 2034, the project will become politically harder to defend. Baltic states recently agreed to push the first phase deadline back from 2030 to 2034.
European Parliament Vice-President Roberts Zīle (National Alliance) told the LETA news agency that political support for the Rail Baltica railway project could weaken in the future unless substantial progress is made by 2034. That year coincides with the end of the European Union's next multiannual budget period, which Zīle considers a critical milestone.
He suggested notable progress could still emerge by 2030, but stressed that the 2034 deadline carries particular weight. If the project has not advanced as planned by then, member states that favor cutting EU budget spending — such as Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland — could find it easier to oppose further funding in the following budget cycle, running from 2035 to 2041.
At the same time, Zīle noted that failing to complete the project by 2030 would likely not, by itself, trigger repayment of already-allocated EU funding, saying he was not aware of any precedent for such a demand. He added that the project needs to explore additional funding sources, including public-private partnership options.
Baltic states' agreement
Zīle's comments follow a recent agreement among the Baltic states to push back the deadline for Rail Baltica's first phase from 2030 to 2034. Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs acknowledged that the original 2030 target was not realistic. Baltic leaders signed a joint declaration to the European Commission pledging to jointly defend an allocation of at least ten billion euros for the project in the EU's next multiannual financial framework, while maintaining EU co-financing at up to 85%. The countries also aim to ensure uninterrupted construction and reduce costs, tasking their transport ministers with oversight.
The cost of Rail Baltica's first phase across the Baltics could reach 14.3 billion euros, with Latvia's share at around 5.5 billion euros, potentially rising to six billion with indexation. Total project costs could reach 23.8 billion euros — far above the 5.8 billion euros estimated in a 2017 analysis.
