The new multiannual budget of the European Union (EU) must secure more solid and long-term funding for the development of transport infrastructure projects of strategic importance to Lithuania and the Baltic region. This is the position of Eugenijus Sabutis, Minister of Transport and Communications of Lithuania, expressed at an international conference on the development of European transport networks in Łódź (Poland) on Thursday, the 13th of February, reports Lithuanian Ministry of Transport and Communications.
“Last week we witnessed a historic event – the Baltic States synchronised their electricity grids with continental Europe, thus consolidating their energy independence. The next step must be to connect us to the European transport networks. To achieve this goal, however, much larger, more precise, and long-term investments are required. Therefore, together with the transport ministers of other countries, we want to put emphasis to the European Commission that the growing importance of this sector must also lead to a different approach to funding. It must be planned decades ahead,” said Sabutis, Lithuanian Minister of Transport and Communications.
According to Sabutis, it is crucial to secure continuous and stable EU funding for the implementation of long-term projects such as Via Baltica and Rail Baltica in the EU budget after 2028. The Minister stated that additional EU investment would increase the overall efficiency of the European transport system and improve transport and logistics links with Poland and other Central European countries.
Lithuania is also committed to developing the north-south transport links of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), linking the Baltic, Black and Aegean Seas with transport corridors of sufficient capacity. Priority is given to improving road and military mobility links to Europe as quickly as possible.
To date, Lithuania has secured just over 125 million euros in EU funding for the development of military mobility links to Europe. These investments are earmarked for the construction of the sections of the Via Baltica route to the Polish border, Kaunas Airport, and other major road and rail infrastructure projects.
A total of 1.69 billion euros has been earmarked for the EU Member States in the period of 2021–2023 to improve military mobility conditions in Europe. Concerning our country’s military mobility needs alone, Lithuania would need an additional 3.5 billion euros.
The new TEN-T network already includes a European railway line to Klaipėda, a shortest route between Lithuania and Ukraine, and new military mobility links from Białystok via Augustów, Lazdijai and Alytus to Vilnius.
During Minister Sabutis’s working visit to Warsaw in January this year, the Lithuanian and Polish Transport Ministers have agreed and jointly applied to the European Commission for European funding to adapt the Augustów–Vilnius route to military mobility needs.
Three of the four sections of the 40 km long Via Baltica section from Marijampolė to Poland have already been completed, with 28.5 km of the trunk road finally modernised. The remaining section will be completed this year. In addition, design works are currently underway on another section from Kaunas to the border with Latvia.
Construction of the 44.8 km of the Rail Baltica main line and engineering structures is currently underway between Kaunas and Panevėžys. It is planned that the construction of the main line will take place in 114 km of the 265 km section by the end of this year, covering 43 percent of the entire railway line’s first phase. The Rail Baltica project completion is scheduled for 2030.