LFMI observations regarding the governmental project “RAIL BALTICA”

LFMI submitted to competent authorities its opinion regarding the Feasibility Study on Rail Baltica Railways carried out at the request of the European Commission Directorate General for Regional Policy and regarding the resolution tabled to the Lithuanian Government on the draft plan of measures for the extention of Rail Baltica from the Polish–Lithuanian state border to the  Lithuanian–Latvian state border. In the opinion of LFMI, the feasibility of the Project that is being implemented with the taxpayers‘ money raises serious doubts. Implementation of the Rail Baltica Project will violate the conditions of fair competition among participants of the transport market. Notwithstanding the support from the European Union, implementation of the project will require significant allocations from Lithuania‘s state budget while the benefit it will bring is questionable. Currently, Poland and Lithuania are joined by the European standard gauge (of 1,435 mm), private companies provide transloading services and their capacities are still being underused.