BRATISLAVA, October 29, (WEBNOVINY) – Next week, the largest opposition party the SMER-SD will initiate an extraordinary parliamentary session, which should deal with highway construction. SMER-SD leader Robert Fico told Friday’s news conference that they would ask Transport Minister Jan Figel to explain in detail when and for how much concrete highway stretches and dual carriageways will be built. According to the former prime minister, the incumbent government has no concept of highway construction, the government’s program statement talks about the area only vaguely, while no change has yet been adopted to the road infrastructure strategy approved by the previous government.
Fico is convinced that the transport minister canceled the PPP project for the construction of a 75-km highway stretch between Dubna Skala and Svinia due to political reasons, namely because companies about which the current ruling coalition claims that they are close to the former government were to participate in the project. Fico insists that the project was not overpriced and the evidence of it is that Figel did not stop the PPP project on the stretch between Hricovske Podhradie and Dubna Skala, even though its price (EUR 80 million/km) was higher than the price of the stretch Dubna Skala – Svinia (EUR 29 million/km).
The former prime minister does not believe that the government will remain in power for four years. He told the press that as soon as it collapses and he assumes power, he is ready to re-start the construction of D1 highway stretches.
SITA