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A set of reproaches
On Tuesday, the ECA released a new report auditing eight multi-million dollar projects, including the Rail Baltica high-speed rail track from Warsaw to Tallinn through Lithuania and Latvia. Conclusion: “Six of the eight multibillion euro infrastructures and their audited access lines are unlikely to be operational by 2030. They will operate at full capacity as originally planned. This will further delay the completion of the central trans-European network (TEN-T ) “.
As early as February this year, Baltic transport ministers agreed that Rail Baltica should be completed by 2026, but the CEPA report does not suggest such optimism: Rail Baltica is likely to be completed by 2030, but implementation in Latvia has already been completed. It has been delayed four years. due to the late start of work and national bureaucratic procedures related to land expropriation, which was pointed out by the Latvian National Audit Office. “
European auditors also note that the cost of the project has increased significantly, by 51%. (2,350 million euros) or 4,648 million euros. EUR (planned for 2011) to 7 billion euros. euros According to the ECA, the price increased due to additional works, such as transport from Kaunas to Vilnius or a tram line in Tallinn, etc.)
Most importantly, CEPA has concerns about whether the Rail Baltica project will be economically sustainable and will not require additional funds. According to auditors, the estimated number of passengers in the Baltic States is only 4.6 million. passengers per year, even if the Poland access line is included, when the line to Warsaw is built and upgraded, the total population living in the 60-minute traction area will increase to 8.3 million, which is less than 9 million indicative. Number of passengers per year.
The overall potential level of cargo and passenger traffic shows that Rail Baltica is not economically sustainable and, even with a full connection to Warsaw, there are risks to economic sustainability.
Oscar herics
Also in 2017. The cost-benefit analysis of Rail Baltica projects predicts that by 2030 the volume of rail freight will be around 15 million. tons and by 2055 – up to 25 million tons. However, there is currently no north-south rail freight between Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The Polish railway infrastructure manager has not taken steps to reconcile the possible increase in demand for rail freight Rail Baltica on the Białystok-Warsaw line with another regional demand for rail and passenger freight, European auditors say.
“The overall potential level of freight and passenger traffic shows that Rail Baltica is not economically sustainable and, even with a full connection to Warsaw, there are risks to economic sustainability.” The total population of the Baltic States in 60 minutes along the line is the lowest of any of our audited rail TPIs, and in the case of freight traffic, there is still no north-south rail freight. “He also mentions that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania June 30 has not made any decision on how the entire infrastructure will be managed.
Offers to drive slower
In a video press conference on Tuesday, European auditors Delfi reaffirmed that Rail Baltica would not be economically sustainable, but did not propose to suspend the project because it is not only a transport corridor, but also an ecological and geopolitical project.
There really is no need for very high speeds anywhere. Conventional speed would be enough to achieve the planned objectives (…) In this way, we can build railways at a significantly lower cost and guarantee sustainable financial management.
Oscar herics
“It just came to our attention then. We have to work with what is and we will do nothing. With regard to freight, we are making it clear that there is no north-south movement, so complex measures must be implemented, but still We are not sure that we will reach the expected 15 million or 25 million tons of cargo transport volume until 2055.
Frankly, you really don’t need very high speeds everywhere. Conventional speed would be sufficient to achieve the established objectives (…) In this way, we can build significantly cheaper railways and guarantee sustainable financial management “, Oher Herics answered Delfi’s question about possible solutions for railway sustainability Baltic.
Will it respond to the distribution of EU funds?
Although the ECA does not have legal powers, its report may reflect the decisions of the European Commission. Lithuania, Latvia and especially Estonia are actively fighting for 2021-2027. The EU budget would provide € 6 billion. for the Rail Baltica project. At the end of last year, Henrik Hololei, head of the Commission’s Transport Directorate, warned Baltic transport ministers that the current management model of the Rail Baltica project was not working and that if measures were not taken, it would affect the amount of funds from the future EU budget.
According to Politico.eu, the proposed EU budget in February was just € 1.4 billion. euros In late May, the European Commission proposed € 750 billion. European Economic Recovery Plan, part of which must also be assigned to infrastructure projects such as Rail Baltica.
“We are not a political institution and we do not decide what the EU should finance and how much money to allocate. We analyzed the efficiency of its use and whether the objectives have been achieved,” the CEPA spokesperson responded to Delfi’s question about how the report could Respond to Rail Baltica funding with another EU budget.
Other central TEN projects worth € 54 billion have reached European auditors. euros For example, in Romania, a new section of the A1 motorway was not used and the two sections were incorrectly connected, at a cost of 16 million euros. euros
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