Rail investments
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 5th session, information briefing
Date: 2025-01-15 15:46
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 9
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 8m
AI Summaries: 9/9 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
Nine’s prepared question concerned the railway investment topic represented by Infrastructure Minister Vladimir Svet. The central discussion revolved primarily around the mobility reform and the 2025 budget context of its implementation. Karilaid raised the attention to the central 20 million euro sum, which in his opinion would likely be a small, but important stop in the next stage of the Tallinn–Haapsalu–Rohuküla railway development. He questioned how far away the utilization of the 20 million is and when the works will actually move forward, referring to the need to eventually reach Risti and onward to Rohuküla. Minister Svet set broader frameworks: 20 million is not within the Climate Ministry’s budget and the funding is planned under the Regional and Agricultural Ministry’s resources as part of the mobility reform. He emphasized that the project does not limit itself to Haapsalu, but encompasses the Rohuküla connection and ferry transfer possibilities, and stressed the importance of the state budget and budget strategy in the context of quick and decisive actions. How far and with what steps the next stage will reach depends on the state budget procedure and long-term plans and occasionally growing investment interest rates for the entire railway. Ultimately, it emerged that a large investment in Estonian Railways, including electrification and acceleration, is planned for the coming years (approximately 500 million euros), which will create a foundation for improving connections and speeds, and in turn also for the development of Haapsalu–Hiiumaa connections in the future.
Decisions Made 1
No final decisions were made during this discussion; defining future steps depends on the state budget procedure and the confirmation of the state budget strategy. Clarifying requirements and funding will require the next budget round and coordination with various ministries.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was Infrastructure Minister Vladimir Svet (pid M_I0ti5l7pQ). His presentations focused on the context of the 2025 budget, funding for the mobility reform, and long-term railway investments, including cooperation on funding and legal preparations between the two ministries. His position: other (this is a ministerial role, but when describing the political side, it is classified as "other," meaning neither left nor right).
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Riigikogu member Jaanus Karilaid asks Infrastructure Minister Vladimir Svet a question about railway investments.
Jaanus Karilaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Jaanus Karilaid said that the 2025 budget allocates only 20 million euros for the mobility reform — although all six parliamentary parties have promised the Tallinn–Haapsalu–Rohuküla railway, 45 million is needed to complete it, and he clearly asked the question how far along are we in spending the 20 million euros and in the implementation of the works.
Taristuminister Vladimir Svet
AI Summary
Infrastructure Minister Vladimir Svet confirmed that the Haapsalu railway line and the Rohuküla–Hiiumaa connection are in the state's long-term plans, and the next steps depend on the cooperation of the two ministries regarding funding, but although investments will become more expensive, he believes that a railway to Hiiumaa will eventually be built.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair, Lauri Hussar, thanked and asked that Jaanus Karilaid submit a clarifying question.
Jaanus Karilaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Jaanus Karilaid accuses the government of mere rhetoric and demands concrete steps for the Rohuküla railway project, referring to the allocated funds for the completed construction project of the Riisiperest–Turbani section, to the construction permit issued by Estonian Railways that is valid until 2028, and asks whether in the last month there have been discussions with the Prime Minister and with Kristen Michal about 20 million and about functioning as Estonian Railways’ implementing unit, so that things would actually come to fruition.
Taristuminister Vladimir Svet
AI Summary
Infrastructure Minister Vladimir Svet said that the funding for the next period's railway solution will become clear only in the course of the state budget and the state's budget strategy process, and although the project is economically viable and work has already been done for it, its funding depends on this process, and in the coming years approximately 500 million euros are planned for investments in Eesti Raudtee for electrification and reconstruction, so that by 2027 trains would run at 160 kilometers per hour to Tartu and Narva.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The speech simply says that your time has come and you must act immediately.
Taristuminister Vladimir Svet
AI Summary
In the future, an electrified railway can be one system that connects Haapsalu and Hiiumaa, and we will certainly get there.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the minister and colleagues for their active participation at today's information session, informed that two minutes are allocated for questions and three for answers, and that no more questions can be taken today, and said that the Riigikogu plenary session, which begins at 14:00, will continue.