First Ukrainian grain cargo reloaded in Riga a good start to logistics cooperation with Ukraine - Rinkevics

RIGA - The first grain cargo that was reloaded at the port of Riga earlier this month is a good start to cooperation with Ukraine in logistics, President Edgars Rinkevics said during a meeting with Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens (Progressives) on Monday. 

Elina Kresa, a representative of the president's office, told LETA that the transport minister and the president met in order to discuss current developments in relation to the Rail Baltica project, procurement of electric trains and transshipment of Ukrainian grain.

Rinkevics noted that the Rail Baltica project is important not only to the Baltic states, but also to the wider region, including Ukraine, from an economic, security and logistics standpoint. Therefore, the president said, it is essential to remove all possible obstacles to the project's successful implementation, including financial ones, and to complete the construction works as scheduled. In Rinkevics' view, cost saving and efficient project management are the tasks for all parties concerned.

During the meeting, the president was briefed on the delivery and certification of the new electric trains. Rinkevics welcomed the decision not to reduce the number of train stations until a well-planned alternative solution has been developed.

The president voiced to the transport minister concerns highlighted during his regional visits about the quality of roads and the mobility of the population, which are aspects important for the quality of life and development of regions. Rinkevics also brought to the minister's attention the need to find solutions for people's access to high-quality and independent media in the regions.