In conclusion of its investigation, the Prosecutor General’s Office has commenced criminal proceedings over the possible illegalities committed by officials responsible for Rail Baltica project.
As LETA was told by the prosecutor’s office, the criminal proceedings were commenced over the possible losses to the state budget caused by decisions of officials responsible for the construction of Rail Baltica infrastructure.
Criminal proceedings have been initiated for a criminal offence provided for in the Chapter of the Criminal Law on Criminal Offences in the Service of State Institutions.
Proceedings were not initiated against any specific officials.
In accordance with the prosecutor general’s decision on the determination of institutional jurisdiction, criminal proceedings have been handed over to the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) for investigation.
In the interest of the investigation, no detailed information about criminal proceedings are provided at this time.
KNAB told LETA that the office is familiar with the criminal proceedings materials received from the prosecutor’s office. KNAB will decide on the next steps, including the establishment of an investigation team.
The Prosecutor General’s Office commenced its investigation earlier this June.
On the 10th of December, the Latvian government conceptually agreed on the scenario for the first stage of Rail Baltica.
Priority tasks for Rail Baltica in the first round will be to establish the Rail Baltica cross-border connection from Lithuania to the Estonian border sequentially and according to the attraction of funding, as well as the completion of construction works at Rail Baltica passenger station at Riga Airport and the southern part of Riga Central Railway Station in the minimum scope to ensure their functionality in the existing railway infrastructure, as well as in Salaspils (Daugavkrasti), providing a connection between Rail Baltica and the existing 1 520 mm railway network.
The Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Economics have until the 1st of November 2025 to submit to the Cabinet of Ministers a report and options for attraction of private investments for Riga connection with Rail Baltica track by constructing a European gauge (1 435 mm) railway infrastructure to one of the two international stations – whether from Upesleja to Riga Central Station or from Misa to Riga Airport.
The government has also ordered the three ministries to establish and submit the project’s maximum price cap by July 2025, as well as continue working on proposals for attraction of additional finances to ensure uninterrupted financing of the project in 2026-2028.
According to the latest information from RB Rail, the costs of the first round of Rail Baltica in the Baltic States could reach EUR 14.3 billion, of which in Latvia – EUR 5.5 billion, however, potential savings of up to EUR 400 million from the optimization of technical solutions are possible, as well as other savings are possible.
The total cost of the project according to the cost-benefit analysis in the Baltics can reach EUR 23.8 billion. In the previous cost-benefit analysis in 2017, it was estimated that the project will cost a total of EUR 5.8 billion.