Transport ministers of six countries support Rail Baltica and Via Baltica projects
The Lithuanian, Polish, Czech, Slovakian, Ukrainian and Hungarian ministers of transport signed a Joint Statement regarding the most important international projects of transport infrastructure in the Central and Eastern Europe during the Economic Forum held in Krynica (Poland).
According to the Lithuanian Ministry of Transport and Communications, the signatories agreed to support further dialogue and strengthen the cooperation regarding each of the significant investment projects such as “Via Carpatia”, “Rail Baltica”, “Via Baltica”, and to pay particular attention to the rail and road cross-border sections between the parties of the Joint Statement in the framework of national investment plans. The countries plan to strengthen cross-border cooperation in the field of testing of the new transport technologies, including road transport automatization and digitalization. Besides, it was agreed to consider and – if required – support establishing of administrative and institutional solutions for the common development of projects and services as well as to support efforts to improve traffic safety which is both, the right of citizens to safe travelling and the condition of reliable and efficient transport.
Mr. Rokas Masiulis, Minister of Transport and Communications, welcomed ambitious plans of Poland in the forum’s session to develop the Central Transport Hub close to Warsaw as this vision is significant not only to Poland, but also to the entire region. According to the minister, an important detail of this vision is to make this hub accessible from any part of Poland in 2 hours, so it allows expecting higher speed on the railway line “Rail Baltica” on the Polish territory. After implementing the vision the journey by train from Vilnius to Warsaw would take 3 hours approximately.
The Economic Forum in Krynica (Poland), held on September 5– 6, is the largest conference in Central and Eastern Europe, bringing together politicians, scientists, experts, analysts and governmental representatives. Transport topic is one of the main themes in the Forum.
