The European Commission (EC) welcomed the decision of the Slovak Construction Ministry to cancel its disputed tender, but expects an official explanation from the Slovak authorities.
Oliver Drewes, the spokesman for the European commissioner for the internal market and services, told the TASR newswire on Tuesday, April 28, that only then can the EC adopt further decisions on the issue.
Brussels sent a written appeal to Slovakia on April 14 for the country to send all information pertaining to the disputed tender, which was worth €120 million and was awarded by an SNS-nominated minister to companies reportedly close to SNS leader Ján Slota. At the same time proceedings were initiated against Slovakia for breaching European legislation. Slovakia has two months to react, the TASR wrote.
The consortium in question, made up of European Consultants Organisation, Avocat, Zamedia, and Consulting&Management, agreed on Tuesday to the cancellation of the contract which resulted from the tender. The contract will be annulled as of April 23 of this year, while the companies say they won't apply any sanctions against the ministry for violating its provisions. TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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