State-owned and municipal companies in Latvia involved in building or maintaining critical infrastructure have begun dismissing Russian and Belarusian citizens, LETA reports. Under amendments to the law on national security, Russian and Belarusian citizens may not be employed in jobs with access to critical infrastructure. Latvian capital Riga’s municipal water utility, Rigas Udens, has terminated…
Latvia’s Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) has questioned more than 60 people as part of a criminal investigation into the implementation of the Rail Baltica railway project, LETA reports. The Prosecutor General’s Office initiated criminal proceedings over possible unlawful actions by officials responsible for the project back in December 2024. The officials, including politicians,…
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal urged Latvia to complete its part of the Rail Baltica railway by 2030 as agreed, ERR reported. Michal said that Estonia would “kindly pressure” Latvia with the help of EU funding. Earlier, Maris Dzelme, board chairman of Eiropas Dzelzcela Linijas (EDZL), which manages the construction project in Latvia, said that…
The prime ministers of the Baltic States assured that the Rail Baltica railway from Tallinn to the Polish border would be completed on schedule, BNS reported. Speaking after a joint meeting in Riga, the three prime ministers pledged to secure maximum EU funding for the project. Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal stressed that the railway…
Latvia must be fully ready to dismantle railway tracks going to Russia if necessary, Foreign Minister Baiba Braze stated, LSM reports. However, she said that it would make no sense for Latvia to do so unilaterally. Latvia will coordinate the issue with Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, and Finland. Earlier, the presidents of the three Baltic States…
Latvia’s Riga Regional Court has overturned a lower court ruling in a bribery case involving the state-owned railway company, Latvijas Dzelzcels (LDz), BNS reports. The court found LDz’s former CEO, Ugis Magonis, and Estonian businessman Oleg Ossinovski guilty of bribery, sentencing Magonis to 2.5 years in prison and Ossinovski to a fine of EUR 151,700….
Estonia’s and Latvia’s state-owned passenger train operators, Elron and Pasazieru Vilciens (Vivi), will open a regular train service from Tallinn via Tartu to the Latvian capital, Riga, on 12 January 2026, ERR reports. Elron received permission from the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) to use three new Stadler FLIRT diesel trains on Latvian railway…
The chairman of the supervisory council of Latvia’s state-owned railway operator, Latvijas Dzelzcels (LDz), Andris Liepins, and council member Reinis Ceplis have resigned, LETA reports. They highlighted the strategic transformation at LDz during their tenure. Liepins and Ceplis were appointed to LDz’s council in 2019. They will serve in their positions until the end of…
Latvia’s Road Transport Administration (ATD) has signed an agreement with Czechia’s Skoda Group for the purchase of nine battery-powered electric trains, LSM reports. Skoda was the only eligible bidder for the contract, LETA reported. Under the deal, worth EUR 89.409mn, Skoda is due to deliver the BEMU trains in 2029. ATD has an option to…