Transport Minister Ján Počiatek on Tuesday, October 30, approved a non-refundable financial contribution to the National Highway Company (NDS) for construction of the D1 Turany-Dubná Skala highway section near Martin in Žilina Region, releasing more than €78 million from the Operational Programme Transport.
"Signing the contract on providing a non-refundable financial contribution means that financial means for the project can now be drawn," Transport Ministry spokesman Martin Kóňa said, as quoted by the TASR newswire. According to Kóňa, the highway section in question is among the large projects that enjoy an exemption granted by the European Commission. Within a package set aside in 2009 directed at tackling the financial crisis, the commission okayed the drawing of financial means even before an application for a large project is approved by Brussels.
"In practice, this means that the Transport Ministry as the operational programme's managing body can conclude an agreement on providing a non-refundable financial contribution with the applicant, the National Highway Company (NDS) in this case, even before obtaining the commission's approval confirming financial assistance and the resulting reimbursement of justifiable expenditures," Počiatek said.
Construction work on the highway section was launched by the winning bidder Váhostav-SK last November and should cost €137.7 million in total. "The construction work, which among other things includes four flyovers, 27 bridges and a feeder in Martin, is proceeding in line with the schedule," added Kóňa.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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