At the European Parliament in Brussels, during the ongoing hearings of candidates for the new European Commission, the Greek candidate for Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Dzidzikostas, responded to questions from MEPs on the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN), Apostolos Dzidzikostas, the Greek candidate for Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, responded to questions from Kosma Złotowski and Maciej Wąsik.
Kosma Złotowski asked about the revision of the TEN-T, under which the Central Transport Hub project in Poland was added to the core network. The PiS MEP emphasized the military significance of this project and asked about the new European Commission’s position on the matter. The Polish politician also addressed the ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union, which declared invalid a provision in the so-called mobility package regarding the mandatory return of trucks to their country of registration. The MEP wanted to know whether the European Commission would take any action in response to this ruling. Finally, Złotowski spoke about the importance of digital services and technologies in the automotive industry, noting that this restricts competition in the market for independent repair shops and maintenance services.
Apostolos Dzidzikostas responded enthusiastically to a question about the CPK and stated that “it is an important airport, not only for civil aviation but also for military aviation due to its geographical location.” “I will be speaking with the Polish authorities, because it is the Polish government that will decide how and when to implement this project,” he emphasized. He said he would make every effort to ensure that this and other sensitive projects in other regions of Europe are included in “this additional network, or new, large-scale network, which we will begin working on shortly.” Regarding the CJEU ruling, the Greek politician stated: “The Commission has never supported this proposal, and I do not plan to adopt any legislation in this direction.” At the same time, he emphasized that he would ensure fair working conditions for employees. Dzidzikostas also stressed that one of the urgent priorities will be the implementation of the directive on intelligent transportation systems so that data from vehicles can be utilized.
Maciej Wąsik, in turn, asked about the Baltic Sea–Black Sea–Aegean Sea transport corridor. “Do you foresee any special financing mechanisms for this project, particularly, of course, for the rail infrastructure?” he asked. He also wanted to know whether there are plans to support the Rail Baltica project—the trans-European rail corridor connecting Warsaw, Kaunas, Riga, Tallinn, and Helsinki. “Both of these projects are of immense importance not only economically but also from a security policy perspective,” Wąsik emphasized, adding: “I think that as a Greek, you should view these north-south routes favorably.” The Polish politician also asked about a possible revision of the Mobility Package. “Could you guarantee that you will review the regulations against which the transport industry is strongly protesting?” the MEP asked.
Dzidzikostas said that the revised TEN-T regulation, which has just entered into force, significantly improves connections with Poland, among other countries. “Currently, we have three corridors that are important for Poland. The first is the Baltic Sea–Adriatic Sea corridor; the second is the Baltic Sea–North Sea corridor; the third is the Baltic Sea–Black Sea–Aegean Sea corridor,” the Greek politician noted, emphasizing the importance of these corridors, particularly the one along the European Union’s eastern border. “This is important not only from the perspective of the functioning of the internal market, but also for military reasons. This corridor facilitates military mobility, and I will continue to cooperate with Poland and other countries to ensure that these extremely important projects are implemented properly and on time,” he emphasized.
