BRATISLAVA, December 6, (WEBNOVINY) — Slovakia will send its reply to the European Commission’s reasoned opinion to the selection of the supplier of the electronic toll collection system before the beginning of 2011. Initially, Slovakia should have replied within a two-month deadline by the end of November, but the Slovak Republic asked the EC to prolong the deadline to deliver its response. The EU executive body agreed to extend the deadline until January 1, 2011, according to Lukas Lucenic of the PR department at the Transport Ministry of the Slovak Republic. Technical talks involving the EC, representatives of the Transport Ministry and the National Highway Company are underway, added the department.
Transport Minister Jan Figel will defend Slovakia’s interests regarding the awarded contract for e-toll system. “I intend to fend for the interests of the Slovak Republic consistently. The Cabinet of the Slovak Republic as well as the ministry are ready for an open, pragmatic, and intensive dialogue about this matter so that we not only manage to defend our arguments but also the interests of the Slovak Republic,” the minister declared following the meeting with the EC Member for Internal Market and Services Michel Barnier in late September.
The EC still has certain reservation regarding the awarded contract for e-toll system, according to the commissioner. “The Commission has concluded that violations of rules occurred during the awarding of the state order for the toll collection,” Barnier said after he met with Economy Minister Juraj Miskov.
SITA