COMPLETION of the financial deal to build selected stretches of the D1 motorway as part of Slovakia’s first package of public-private partnership (PPP) projects has been set back again – this time until May 31 – following an earlier postponement from April 30 to May 18, the TASR newswire reported.
The Transport Ministry said it opted for postponement as there are ongoing talks with the European Commission regarding environmental aspects of the highway building project.
“Repeated talks with the European Commission are common practice when it comes to large ventures, and it’s nothing unusual in this particular case either,” said Transport Minister Ľubomír Vážny. The ministry has been tasked with providing some supplementary information guaranteeing that construction of the motorway will not have any detrimental effects on protected natural areas that the road will cross.
If Slovakia and Brussels reach agreement, the project’s financial details are expected to be wrapped up in a few days and Vážny estimated it could be accomplished by May 28.
