The Estonian Prime Minister, Kristen Michal has called for the speedy completion of the Rail Baltic project before 2030.
The head of the Estonian government made the call on Friday during a walking visit to the Latvian capital, Riga, where he met with the Latvian Prime Minister, Evika Silina.
The two leaders discussed their countries shared priorities in the European Union, NATO, support for Ukraine and progress made so far in Baltic energy and Rail projects in furtherance of expanding their existing bilateral cooperation.
According to a statement released today by the office of the Estonian Prime Minister, Kristen Michal described Estonia and Latvia as good neighbors, friends and allies.
“Working together makes us stronger and our voices better heard,” he remarked. “Next February, we will be synchronizing our electricity systems with continental Europe. This is a textbook example of how close coordination between the three Baltic States allows us to achieve our goals.”
During their meeting, the prime ministers agreed on further cooperation in negotiations for the next long-term EU budget. Estonia and Latvia have many priorities in common, including infrastructure, support for regions bordering aggressor countries, aid for Ukraine, additional defence funding and the harmonization of direct agricultural payments, which are currently the lowest in the EU.
“Among other things, our shared goal is to ensure continued support for common infrastructure projects in the Baltic States,” Prime Minister Michal explained.
“For the construction of Rail Baltic to continue successfully and for us to secure as much funding as possible, we will all have to make extra effort. Clarity on how to ensure that the main line is operational by 2030 is essential to allow for further funding from the next round of the Connecting Europe Facility, as well as from other financial sources.”
Prime Minister Michal says he is pleased that Estonian investments in Latvia are increasing, and that his government is ready to contribute to the growth of Latvian investments in Estonia.
“In spring, a business centre will be opening in our new embassy building in Riga which will provide information on opportunities in the Estonian business environment and support the establishment of business contacts,” he explained.
“Hopefully the Tartu-Riga rail link will contribute to the strengthening of ties as well.” The head of government says there are good prospects for cooperation in the fields of renewable energy and other green technologies.
“Today, the company Utilitas opened a 10mW battery park in Latvia, which contributes to the general development of the energy system based on renewable energy. IT also offers good opportunities for cooperation, as well as, for example, the defence industry sector,” he said.
Prime Minister Michal’s visit to Latvia began at the 5G training ground at the Ādaži military base, where he and his Latvian counterpart attended the ‘2024 NATO DiBaX – Digital Backbone Experimentation’ event, which tests the use of new technologies for military purposes.
Kristen Michal stressed the importance of adequate defence investment and support for the defence industry.
“Ukraine is shaping the future of modern war,” he stated.
“Maintaining technological superiority is essential in dealing with the threat posed by Russia. Developing the defence industry is one of my government’s top priorities. We are in the process of building a defence industrial park, and early next year we will be launching a defence investment fund valued at 100 million euros. Our companies are ready to work with NATO and allies to develop innovative solutions.”
Estonian Prime Minister Michal thanked his counterpart for Latvia assuming responsibility for the Baltic air-policing mission at a time when the Ämari air base in Estonia was undergoing repairs.
Editor: Gabriel Ani
