Funding doubts over major highway project

Slovakia’s troubled D1 highway project continues to be a topic of controversy in the country, with doubts over whether there are sufficient funds to pay for the completion of the route. A political debate focuses on whether the Transport Ministry should have extended the deadline for the agreement of the financial package for the first tranche of contracts for the highway. The Slovenske Dialnice consortium recently met with the Transport Ministry over the decision not to continue with the PPP project to c
May 15, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Slovakia’s troubled D1 highway project continues to be a topic of controversy in the country, with doubts over whether there are sufficient funds to pay for the completion of the route.

A political debate focuses on whether the Transport Ministry should have extended the deadline for the agreement of the financial package for the first tranche of contracts for the
highway.

The Slovenske Dialnice consortium recently met with the Transport Ministry over the decision not to continue with the PPP project to construct five stages totalling 75km of the highway. The consortium has put in €32 million worth of preliminary work into the highway so far.

The consortium says that the documentation for the highway stages worked on so far will be handed over to Slovakia’s government once the contract is revoked and compensation has been paid for costs associated with the project.

Meanwhile, a 5km section of the D1 highway near Levoca, which cost €72 million to build, and was only opened in June this year, is already said to need repairs. Speed restrictions have been imposed and repairs are planned to start later
this year.

Construction of other sections near Ruzomberok and Levoca is expected to start in summer 2011.

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