BRATISLAVA, December 7, (WEBNOVINY) — The program of preparation and construction of first-category roads for the years 2011-2014, which the Cabinet passed on Wednesday, projects reconstruction of 203 kilometers of roads and removal of damages caused by landslides and other defects on 15 kilometers of roads. The program counts on construction of 16.1 kilometers of new bypasses, six kilometers of feeder roads and 13 kilometers of road diversions. The Transport Ministry claims that if the program is granted full financing, 82 bridges will be repaired and 16 crossings will be reconstructed or modified as well. The program also counts on enhancement of safety and improvement of technical conditions of first-category roads.
Based on indicators of the state budget for 2011 – 2014, together EUR 772.43 million should be earmarked for construction of first-category roads during this time, whereof sources of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) including the local co-financing should account for EUR 529.71 million and the state budget sources should represent EUR 258.72 million. Main roads have been allocated EUR 268.11 million this year while EU funds accounted for EUR 183.7 million and state budget sources totaled EUR 84.41 million. Based on the state budget outline for 2012, EUR 264.55 million should be used for construction or first-category roads while the European money should secure EUR 84.21 million.
The Transport Ministry stated that the proposal for financing of construction of first-category roads based on valid binding indicators of the state budget for 2011 – 2014 did not satisfy the real needs of the Slovak Road Administration to secure program’s fulfillment. “The Transport Ministry disagrees with such draft budget for first-category roads. It is necessary to find more money for construction of new fist category roads or reconstruction of already existing first-category road sections,” stated the Ministry.
“Rationalization measures in the area of first-category road construction and within Transport Ministry’s priority expenses for 2013 and 2014 will be implemented to cover the missing financial sources for 2012 – 2014 above the allocated volume in the state budget,” stated Transport Ministry’s spokesman Martin Krajcovic for SITA news agency.
The ministry assumes that transfer of sources in the volume of EUR 200 million within the Operation Program Transport will allow financing of priority road sections projected within the program.
SITA
