Estonian foreign minister backs Helsinki-Tallinn tunnel plans
The foreign minister says work on a fixed link between Helsinki and Tallinn should move forward alongside Rail Baltica.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna has advocated for Estonia to move forward with plans for a tunnel linking Helsinki and Tallinn. In an op-ed for Helsingin Sanomat, Tsahkna emphasized that while the country's largest infrastructure project, Rail Baltica, remains a priority, attention should now shift northwards. Rail Baltica, a 1,000-kilometre railway connecting Tallinn with the rest of Europe, is set to open a new rail link between the Baltic nations and Central Europe.
Tsahkna noted that no significant environmental or geological hurdles have been identified that would preclude the construction of a fixed link between Estonia and Finland. He urged Estonia to commence preparations for a dedicated state plan for the project. Tsahkna stressed that enhanced transport connections are essential to deepen economic, security, and cultural ties between the Nordic and Baltic countries within the NB8 cooperation framework.
The proposed Helsinki-Tallinn tunnel could serve as the first step towards intensified Nordic-Baltic infrastructure cooperation, potentially speeding up other strategic projects in the region. Although the idea of a Helsinki-Tallinn tunnel has been under discussion for years, it has been met with queries regarding its cost, financing, and feasibility.
Written by urgent.news from Yle News Finland's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
