Estonian Prime Minister Jüri Ratas, Latvian Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis, and Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis in Tallinn, 31 January 2017, signed the Rail Baltica agreement, which sets out the deadlines, the route and several technical details of the new railway interconnection.
“I would like to emphasise the importance of Baltic cooperation: while all countries benefit from it, it is also sending a strong message of our unity and cooperation to the rest of the world. Together we are stronger, and in these turbulent times that is a value in itself,” said Prime Minister Jüri Ratas.
Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis said after the signing of the agreement that a successful and timely completion of the Rail Baltica project is a common strategic interest of all three Baltic states and the broader region. “I am pleased to note that substantial progress has been made recently to develop this project – agreements on the framework for organizing and supervising procurements of the project have been reached and put into practice, as well as there is an agreement at national level on tracking and border crossing points. They have to be put into practice immediately,” Kucinskis said.
“The agreement sends a very important message to European Union partners: the Baltic countries have come together to make a clear commitment as regards this strategically important project”, said the Head of Lithuanian Government Saulius Skvernelis.
The Rail Baltic Agreement, signed today by three Baltic Prime Ministers in Tallinn, lays down the principles of the development of the railway: the route, deadlines, technical issues, funding conditions and ownership issues. The ratification of the agreement by the parliaments of the Baltic countries will ensure the sustainability of this long-term project and create legal and economic certainty for the developers and their partners and investors.