Negotiating groups of the Baltic States clinched a deal on provisions of the joint Rail Baltica company shareholders’ agreement, informs LETA/ELTA.
It was mutually agreed to include Vilnius connection in the route. The parties also decided to seek European Union funding for the Vilnius connection. The deal was struck during trilateral negotiations in Estonia’s capital Tallinn yesterday.
The draft project of the joint Rail Baltica company shareholders’ agreement will be presented to the governments of the Baltic countries.
The enterprise managed jointly by Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will undertake actions needed to ensure funding for the Rail Baltica project. The company will employ highly qualified professionals experienced in implementing projects of similar size.
The standard gauge railway track will connect Helsinki, Tallinn, Riga, Kaunas, Vilnius and Warsaw, and will extend to Berlin. It is expected that 85% of the cost will be covered by the European Union funding.
Lithuania’s Minister of Transport and Communications Rimantas Sinkevicius was pleased that a solution was reached and signed between Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia regarding crucial issues related to establishment of a joint Rail Baltica enterprise. The minister said it is a significant moment which will pave the way for actual implementation of the project.
Source: The Baltic Course
http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/transport/?doc=93078