In light of a report from an investigatory committee in Latvia’s parliament (Saeima), the Estonian non-governmental organisation Avalikult Rail Balticust (ARB) has declared that Estonia is facing similar problems in terms of major infrastructure development as those that have been experienced by its southern neighbours.
“The parliamentary inquiry on the Rail Baltica project presented an interim report of its work to the Saeima on November 14,” the NGO said. “The committee was established in June, has held 16 meetings, and has discovered overwhelming incompetence and concealment of problems. It is no different in Estonia, but here, 48 coalition MPs rejected the idea of forming a committee of inquiry.”
The NGO says that the real price of the project in Estonia is far higher than the EUR 3.1 billion that have been presented to the public so far. It says that this is misleading, and that the project’s subsidy needs exceed those that apply to Estonia’s public transportation system. The NGO argues that the country’s governing coalition is afraid to form an investigatory committee similar to the one that has existed in Latvia.
“Messages from our prime minister and the Rail Baltica team have created the false impression that our situation is better and that a large part of the Rail Baltica corridor has already been covered by construction contracts and procurements,” the NGO said. “The announcements do not disclose the fact that these procurements are meant only for the track bed. Unlike Latvia and Lithuania, Estonia has not even launched bids for tender on the railway superstructure which, according to a rule of thumb, will be the same as the construction of the track bed.”
“On average, construction procurements for track beds, viaducts and terminals have been four times more expensive than was thought when the budget was drawn up in 2018,” the NGO added. “Back then the Rail Baltica team claimed that the project would cost EUR 1.6 billion. According to the authors of a cost-effectiveness analysis, if inflation is taken into account, then it is clear that Estonia’s part will cost at least EUR 5 billion.”
Source: BNS
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