A new survey shows that there is strong public support in Latvia for accelerating the development of better transport connections. At the same time, delays to Rail Baltica and the country's main highway projects are putting the timely completion of modern transport corridors across the Baltic region at risk.
According to a survey conducted by Norstat in Latvia at the end of May on behalf of the Estonian Infrastructure Construction Association (ESTEL), 51% of respondents said that the development of main highways should be accelerated from the perspective of Latvia and Estonia, while 38% said that Rail Baltica should be prioritised.
According to Tarmo Trei, CEO of the Estonian Infrastructure Construction Association, the results show that Latvian society supports the rapid development of transport links connecting the Baltic States with Estonia and the rest of Europe, both through main highways and Rail Baltica.
"For Estonia, it is essential that Latvia moves forward with these projects as quickly as possible. Without Latvia's contribution, Estonia cannot achieve the level of connectivity with Europe that it needs. If one country falls behind in delivering key infrastructure projects, it directly affects all the others. Latvia therefore needs to make the necessary funding and construction decisions without delay and find solutions that will allow these transport connections to be completed much faster than today," said Trei.
Trei added that while Rail Baltica has received significant attention in recent months, the development of the main highway network must not be overlooked. Construction work is progressing actively on the Tallinn–Pärnu highway in Estonia, but conditions deteriorate significantly on the Latvian side towards Riga.
"Estonia's connectivity with Europe, the movement of people and goods, and regional security all depend to a large extent on whether and how quickly Latvia advances its key transport infrastructure projects," Trei emphasised.
Support for accelerating Rail Baltica is particularly strong among younger people in Latvia. A total of 57% of respondents aged 18–29 and 45% of those aged 30–39 believe the project should be completed more quickly. Modernising the main highway network is considered more important among older age groups. While 43% of respondents aged 18–29 supported faster highway development, the figure rises to 50% among those aged 30–39, 52% among both the 40–49 and 50–59 age groups, and 54% among respondents aged 60–74.
In early June, Estonia's Auditor General, Janar Holm, stated that Latvia can no longer realistically complete its section of Rail Baltica by 2030 and that further delays will also increase costs for Estonia. Latvia is estimated to face a funding gap of approximately €3.7 billion to complete the project, while several key financing decisions have been delayed.
According to Trei, the challenges of meeting the 2030 deadline must not become an excuse for postponing decisions even further.
"The longer funding and construction decisions are delayed, the more expensive the Rail Baltica project is likely to become. The priority in Latvia now should be ensuring that construction continues," said Trei.
One potential source of funding for both Rail Baltica and the main highway network is the expected increase in the European Union's military mobility budget. According to Trei, the EU should place greater emphasis on the role of modern transport corridors in strengthening military mobility.
"These are strategic transport links that improve military mobility, strengthen the European Union's eastern flank and connect the Baltic States more effectively with the rest of Europe. Their importance has increased significantly in recent years due to the changing security environment, and funding levels should reflect that," Trei said.
The survey was conducted by Norstat at the end of May. A total of 1,000 people aged 18–74 were surveyed in both Estonia and Latvia.
