Latvian gov't largely approves Rail Baltica route through country

Latvian ministers at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday approved largely the planned route of the Rail Baltica European-gauge railroad in the country's territory, except for one disputed section running through a seaside municipality.

The new railway line, which will stretch across 263 km from Latvia's border with Estonia to its border with Lithuania, will allow for the creation of new industrial zones, business daily Dienas Bizness reported.

After holding a public debate on the proposed Rail Baltica route, the government decided to take into consideration the objections raised by local residents of the seaside municipality of Salacgriva who do not want the rail tracks to cross vast areas of farmland in their municipality.

Instead, they have proposed laying the tracks along a different route that would cross a protected nature reserve in Salacgriva, which would need the European Commission's approval.

The government ordered the Environmental Protection and Regional Development Ministry to consult the European Commission about possibilities to adjust the route. The ministry's representative Rinalds Mucins said consultations may start in September and likely take two months.

The Rail Baltica II project is intended to link Finland, Baltic states and Poland and also improve the connection between Central and Northern Europe.

The project is expected to facilitate regional integration by means of a railway link from Helsinki that would connect Tallinn, Riga, Kaunas, Warsaw and Berlin and might potentially be extended to Venice. It is planned that 85 percent of the project costs will be financed by EU funds. Endit