Completing the financial deal to build selected stretches of the D1 motorway within the first package of public-private partnership (PPP) projects has been put off again – this time until May 31 – following an earlier postponement from April 30 to May 18, the TASR newswire reported on Tuesday, May 18.
The Slovak Transport, Posts and Telecommunications Ministry said it had opted for postponement due to ongoing talks with the European Commission regarding environmental aspects of the venture.
"Repeated talks at 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 the construction of the motorway won't have any detrimental effects on Slovakia's protected areas.
If Slovakia and Brussels come to an agreement, the project’s financial close is expected to be achieved within a few days: Vážny estimated it would be wrapped up by May 28.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
