Estonia weighs delaying Rail Baltica completion to 2034

The Estonian government is considering delaying completion of the Rail Baltica rail project by four years to make greater use of European Union funding, ERR reported.

Estonia could complete its section of the route by 2030, but doing so would require a significantly larger national contribution. Delaying completion until 2034 would allow the country to use more EU support.

Prime Minister Kristen Michal said the government was discussing the options as part of budget negotiations. He said Estonia was technically capable of completing the entire route by 2030, but doing so might not be economically sensible.

“From Estonia’s perspective, Rail Baltica could be technically completed by 2030, but that could mean spending more of our taxpayers’ money,” Michal said. Building some sections more slowly during the EU’s current financial period would allow Estonia to use substantially more European funding, he added.

Michal said the government would present its position next Thursday. He said it would be a joint position agreed by the Baltic states.

He added that the entire route must be completed before 2034. Construction sections could be shifted within that period, with Rail Baltica deciding on the timing, he said.

Kristina Kallas, leader of the Estonian 200 party, said planning the next stages of Rail Baltica was an important issue in the budget talks. She said all three Baltic states needed to remain on a coordinated construction schedule.

Kallas said the countries had to synchronise their schedules and determine when EU funding would arrive, when it could be used and how quickly it could be spent. The deadline for using EU funding from the next financial period is 2034, she said.

Michal said Estonia had made the most progress among the Baltic states in building Rail Baltica. He said the choice was between completing the route faster with more national funding or building it somewhat more slowly while using substantially more European money.