Baltic transport ministers called for increased EU funding for strategic transport infrastructure projects, The Baltic Times reports. The ministers insisted that the Connecting Europe Facility has to remain one of the key instruments in the EU’s next multiannual financial framwork as of 2028, with sufficient funding for cross-border transport, energy, and electronic communications projects. They…
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics criticised Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens for his communication on the development of the country’s national air carrier, airBaltic, and the Rail Baltica railway project, LSM reports. Rinkevics said that the minister’s communication had been a “complete failure.” Speaking after her meeting with the President, Prime Minister Evika Silina said that she…
The Latvian government will have to relinquish its controlling stake in the national air carrier, airBaltic, “sooner or later,” Prime Minister Evika Silina said, LETA reports. The government wants airBaltic to operate more on market principles, she stated. If airBaltic’s planned IPO fails, the government will make a “separate decision” on the company’s future, Silina…
The Latvian government has decided to launch an initial public offering (IPO) of shares in the state-owned national air carrier, airBaltic, by the end of 2024, ERR reports. Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens said that the IPO would proceed concurrently with talks with a new strategic investor, LSM reported. He said that the state only planned…
A strategic investor has shown interest in Latvia’s national air carrier, airBaltic, Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens revealed, LETA reports. He suggested that the investor could acquire a minority stake in airBaltic before the company’s possible IPO. Briskens refused to disclose the name of the potential investor. No talks are currently under way with Estonia or…
Lithuanian Transport Minister Marius Skuodis says EUR 1.3bn is needed to significantly improve the country’s road infrastructure, BNS reports. The current budget for road maintenance is EUR 872mn, which falls short of the necessary amount to address the deteriorating conditions, Skuodis says. The Ministry of Transport is exploring ways to provide direct funding to the…
Latvia will triple the number of average speed cameras on roads, Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens announced, LSM reports. Currently, there are average speed cameras on 16 road sections. Briskens said that the situation on Latvian roads was critical. He said that the ministry would increase focus on improving road infrastructure and enforcement of speed limits….
Most drivers in Latvia routinely exceed the speed limit, creating what Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens calls a “speed pandemic,” BNS reports. A study by Riga Technical University reveals that only 29% of drivers adhere to speed limits. Reducing the average speed by 2 kmph could save 20 lives. Briskens said he would push for increasing…
Members of the supervisory council of Latvia’s state-owned passenger train operator, Pasazieru Vilciens (Vivi), have resigned, LSM reports. The company has come under heavy criticism because of recurring problems with new electric trains delivered by the Czech manufacturer, Skoda Vagonka. Vivi’s council chairman, Sandis Steins, insisted that responsibility for the problems was beyond the council’s…
