Representatives of Estonia, Latvia discuss possibilities for developing transport

TALLINN - Representatives of the Tartu city government, led by Mayor Urmas Klaas, as well as Estonian ambassador to Latvia Arti Hilpus, representatives of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications and chairman of the management board of Estonian Railways Kaido Zimmermann met with Latvian transport leaders in Riga to discuss cooperation opportunities for developing transport connections.

"Our goal is to ensure convenient transport connections for Tartu both on land and in the air by 2024 as the year of the European Capital of Culture," Tartu Mayor Urmas Klaas said in a press release.

"By now, we have met with the railway companies of all three Baltic states and it can currently be said that the Latvian operator AS 'Pasazieru vilciens' is prepared to create the Tartu-Riga train connection the fastest," the mayor said, adding that cooperation talks with Air Baltic about reopening the route is also ongoing.

A meeting with representatives of the Latvian Ministry of Transport and Latvian Railway carrier AS "Pasazieru vilciens" took place on Wednesday. The Estonian delegation was met by Dins Merirands, deputy state secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Rodzers Janis Grigulis, chairman of the management board of the railway company, Aldis Daugavvanags and Raitis Nespors, members of the management board of the company, Ivars Zaļais, commercial director of the company, and Fjodors Mihailovs, head of the technology department. In addition, Martin Gauss and Wolfgang Reuss, managers of the Latvian airline Air Baltic Corporation AS, met with the Estonian representatives.

The Estonian delegation included Tartu Mayor Urmas Klaas, the city's marketing manager Helen Kalberg, the city's entrepreneurship development department manager Kaili Ojamets, smart city and foreign investment sector manager Roomer Tarajev, Estonian ambassador to Latvia Arti Hilpus, chairman of the management board of Estonian Railways Kaido Zimmermann, head of the department for transport development and investments at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications Indrek Gailan, head of the railway service at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications Indrek Laineveer and adviser at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications Taavi Audo.