As LETA agency was informed by the prosecutor’s office, criminal proceedings have been initiated because the state officials responsible for the implementation of the “Rail Baltica” project may have caused large losses to the state budget in connection with the construction of “Rail Baltica” infrastructure facilities.
Criminal proceedings have been initiated for a criminal offense provided for in the section of the Criminal Law on criminal offenses in the service of state institutions.
Criminal proceedings have not been initiated against specific officials.
According to the decision of the Prosecutor General on determining the institutional jurisdiction, the criminal process has been transferred to the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) for investigation.
In the interests of the investigation, more detailed information about the initiated criminal proceedings will not be provided at this time.
KNAB told LETA agency that the office is familiar with the criminal process materials received from the prosecutor’s office. KNAB will then decide on further actions, including the creation of an investigative team.
As announced, the General Prosecutor’s Office started the investigation in June.
It was also reported that on December 10, the government conceptually agreed on the implementation scenario of the first round of “Rail Baltica”.
The priority tasks of “Rail Baltica” in the first round will be to establish the cross-border connection of “Rail Baltica” from Lithuania to the Estonian border sequentially and according to the attraction of funding, as well as the completion of construction works at the “Rail Baltica” passenger station at Riga Airport and the southern part of Riga Central Railway Station in the minimum scope, in order to ensure their functionality in the existing railway infrastructure, as well as in Salaspils (Daugavkrasti) by providing the possibility of a transfer between “Rail Baltica” and the existing 1520 millimeter (mm) railway network.
Likewise, the Ministry of Transport (MoT) together with the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and the Ministry of Economy (MoE) must submit to the Cabinet of Ministers by November 1, 2025 a technical-economic analysis and an evaluation of the possibilities of attracting private investment for connecting Riga with the “Rail Baltica” main line by building the European track width (1435 mm) railway infrastructure to one of two international stations – or from Upesleja to Riga Central Station or from Misa to Riga airport.
Among other things, the Cabinet of Ministers determined that by July next year, MoUs, MoUs and MoUs must determine and submit the maximum allowable price ceilings for the project, based on the economic justification of the project, as well as continue working on proposals for attracting additional financial instruments, including 2026-2028. to ensure the continuity of annual funding.
It was also reported that according to the research report on the situation of the “Rail Baltica” project carried out by the highest audit institutions of the Baltic States, there is currently no clarity about the model of operation and management of the “Rail Baltica” railway line.
According to the latest “RB Rail” information, the costs of the first round of “Rail Baltica” in the Baltics could reach 14.3 billion euros, of which 5.5 billion euros in Latvia, however, potential savings of up to 400 million euros are possible from the optimization of technical solutions, and there is other savings are possible.
According to the cost-benefit analysis, the total cost of the project in the Baltics can reach 23.8 billion euros. In the previous cost-benefit analysis in 2017, it was estimated that the project would cost a total of 5.8 billion euros.
The “Rail Baltica” project envisages the creation of a railway line of European standard gauge from Tallinn to the border of Lithuania and Poland, so that it would be possible to connect the Baltic states with other European countries by rail. In the Baltic States, it is planned to build a new, 870-kilometer European railway line with a gauge of 1435 mm, with a maximum train speed of 240 kilometers per hour.
added KNAB’s comment in paragraph 7