A STRETCH of highway 30 kilometres long would cost Sk85 billion (€2.21 billion) if built privately. This is from Sk45 billion (€1.17 billion) to Sk53 billion (€1.38 billion) more than if a highway were built by the state, the daily Pravda reported.
However, a highway would be ready much sooner if built privately and the state could recoup some of the money through road charging.
It means that in the years 2010 to 2013 Slovakia would be able to build a highway from Bratislava to Košice, though at more than double the price it would cost for the state to build it.
These results stem from an analysis by Mott MacDonald, a consultancy firm that has been advising the government on highway construction.
"We will see how much we would really pay after we know the winner of a tender and its bid," said Peter Barek, head of the transport infrastructure department at the Ministry of Transportation, Post Office and Telecommunications.
Experts say that the bids would be probably be close to the consultant's estimations.
Marián Miškovič from the Transportation Ministry told the daily that highways constructed by private investors are always more expensive than if built by the state.
Compiled by Marta Ďurianová from press reports
TheSlovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the informationpresented in its Flash News postings.
