PM to meet Estonian leaders, sign Rail Baltica deal in Tallinn

The prime minister is scheduled to meet with his Estonian counterpart, Juri Ratas, and President Kersti Kaljulaid.

On Tuesday, the heads of the three Baltic governments should sign an agreement on Rail Baltica development, which aims to emphasize that the project should be completed by 2025 in order for the new gauge to be available for use in 2026.

The meeting will also be attended by the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk.

Lithuania launching land purchase procedures for Rail Baltica

Lithuania is starting procedures for seizure of land for public needs for Rail Baltica railway stretch between Kaunas and the Lithuanian-Latvian border. The Transport and Communications Ministry has notified owners of 2,031 land sites in the territory.

The ministry said the land parcels can no longer be rearranged, have ownership changed, mortgaged or restrict rights in other ways.

The governmental resolution on the special design of the railway took effect on January 24.

Orlen Lietuva, the Polish-capital oil refinery, has expressed fears that it may have to rebuild its pipelines close to the border with Latvia, if they cross with the route of the railway, which will require additional investments.

About 1,200 privately-owned land parcels and 63 state land sites will have to be seized for public needs, with the price to be finalized after evaluation. Valuers will be chosen by way of competition, while procedures should be completed in the second half of 2019. According to 2014 forecasts, purchase of the land may cost about 753 million euros.