Chairman of the Board of Rail Baltica national implementing body in Latvia Eiropas Dzelzceļa līnijas, Ēriks Diļevs, together with Pēteris Celms, Head of Investment Development at the central project coordinator RB Rail AS, and Guntis Āboltiņš-Āboliņš, CEO of Bererix – the contractor for the Rail Baltica Central Hub in Riga – met on 4 April to explore PPP financing possibilities with the Swiss company SSB Holdings Group, which has international experience in financing both large-scale infrastructure and commercial projects worldwide.

Work is ongoing to develop a PPP financing model aimed at attracting additional funding that could accelerate project implementation and, in the long term, reduce the financial burden on the Baltic states’ budgets during the construction of infrastructure. Discussions are currently underway with investors to assess which sections and assets of the Rail Baltica infrastructure would be most suitable for implementation under the PPP model, maximizing the benefits of private sector involvement.

According to the European Commission’s vision, the PPP approach is encouraged and supported, as demonstrated by other international infrastructure projects. Initial talks with potential private investors and financiers have yielded positive signals and indicate a strong interest in participating in the Rail Baltica project. Combined with government support, this highlights the clear potential of a PPP strategy within Rail Baltica.