On Tuesday, August 19, Kristīne Malnača, Deputy State Secretary for Rail Baltica project at the Ministry of Transport (MoT) will step down from the position she has held since June 2024.
“I would like to express my gratitude to Kristīne Malnača for her significant and extensive contribution, which has strengthened the Ministry of Transport’s strategic role in managing the Rail Baltica project. Mrs. Malnača’s extensive experience and deep expertise in the transport sector have made an important contribution towards our shared goal – creating a fast and environmentally friendly connection to the European railway network. I wish her continued success and accomplishment in her future professional endeavors,” emphasized Mr. Andulis Židkovs, State Secretary of the Ministry of Transport.
Under Mrs. Malnača’s leadership, notable progress was made in advancing the Rail Baltica project enhancing cooperation with all relevant stakeholders and ensuring effective support on cross-sectoral matters. A project implementation scenario best aligned with Latvia’s financial capacity has been developed, and the government has approved the Phase 1 project activities.
At the same time, funding from the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RFF) has been secured to resume construction on the southern section of Riga Central Station, and a viable solution has been identified to develop a railway connection to RIX Riga Airport. In close cooperation with project implementers, cost-effective technical solutions have been devised that will substantially reduce mainline construction costs.
Under Mrs. Malnača’s supervision, amendments to the Rail Baltica Law have been prepared, providing for a clear division of responsibilities within the institutional framework of the project and introducing special provisions to facilitate successful and accelerated implementation of the project. Mrs. Malnača has also actively represented the Ministry of Transport at international conferences, seminars, and working groups, enhancing the visibility of the Rail Baltica project and securing ongoing support from the European Commission.
An open competition will be held to appoint a new Deputy State Secretary for Rail Baltica Project Issues. In the interim, Director of Rail Baltica project department, Mr. Gatis Silovs will assume the responsibilities of the position.