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Figel: Works on Missing Sections of D1 Highway to Begin in Spring 2011
Sunday 03 Octtber 2010 Zoom in | Print page
(STV, October 3, 'O 5 Minut 12')
Works on two missing D1 highway sections to complete the road between Dubna Skala and Presov (Presov region) should be launched in spring 2011, Transport Minister Jan Figel announced on STV weekly debate show 'O 5 Minut 12' (5 Minutes to 12) on Sunday.
"We'll kick off the tender by the end of November," said Figel.
However, his opponent on the show, former premier and currently Parliamentary Vice-Chairman Robert Fico, cast doubts over Figel's plans, saying that the ministry is not ready to begin the works in the first months of next year. "Deadlines that you're working with are a complete fiction. You haven't yet procured anything big as a minister," jibed Fico.
The former premier also went on to criticise the current management of the Transport Ministry for recently having scrapped the project involving the construction of D1 sections via a public-private partnership (PPP) scheme. "This will seriously harm Slovakia's economic growth," warned Fico, adding that around 5,000 jobs are at stake.
The first PPP package was scrapped by the new Government in August, with the Transport Ministry arguing that the private consortium was unable to secure financing for the project, and that further postponements would be disadvantageous and risky. "They couldn't meet even the sixth deadline. That's why we decided to re-open the package and procure step by step," explained Figel.
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