An alternative route of the Rail Baltica railroad will be proposed for Marupe Region, which will bypass the region’s village where population density is higher than elsewhere in the region, Latvia’s Prime Minister, Laimdota Straujuma, said, The Baltic Course reports.
According to results of an opinion poll that Transport Minister Anrijs Matiss presented to the government, 94% of residents of Latvia support the Rail Baltica project, said Straujuma.
“I do not know who carried out the survey, but I can say that public opinion differs between those who express overall support for the construction of the railroad and those who will be personally affected by the project. I believe that the majority supports the construction of the railroad, but we must carefully consider the other part, and ensure fair compensation payments,” said Straujuma.
Straujuma emphasized the positive impact of the public debate about the Rail Baltica project, mentioning Marupe Region as an example. Marupe residents strongly opposed the proposed railroad route, as a result, they will be offered an alternative route.
“I will also have an individual meeting with the head of Madona Region to discuss the issue,” added Straujuma.
Participants in a public debate about the Rail Baltica project at Marupe Culture Center on March 7 – both local residents and representatives from the Marupe Region Council – voiced objections to the project, saying that there were too many things not yet decided.
According to Marupe local government’s development director Peteris Piksa, the municipality had been waiting for information about the Rail Baltica route through Riga for four months. “In the end we received not several volumes we had been expecting, but two pages. They do not even mention the 50% of private homes that will be affected by Rail Baltica, nor other private properties, cycling lanes, other facilities,” said Piksa. He also indicated that the amount of compensation offered to Marupe residents was ridiculous.
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