Slovak News Back to the news
Figel: Existing Infrastructure Could Be Used for Broad-Gauge Rail
Monday 18 Octtber 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, October 18 (TASR) - The decision on the construction of broad-gauge railroad track across Slovakia will be postponed to December 15, Transport Minister Jan Figel (Christian Democrats/KDH) said at a press conference on Monday.
According to Figel, this is because the study on the feasibility of broad-gauge track needs to be augmented by an evaluation of using the existing infrastructure for the project.
"The study needs to determine an alternative solution that would use the existing railroad route across southern Slovakia," he said. After the study is submitted, the ministry will make a decision whether or not the broad-gauge track project will proceed.
President of the state-run Russian Railways company Vladimir Yakunin, who held talks with Figel in September, said that every minister should base his decisions on the interests of his country. If the broad-gauge track is built, Yakunin said, the number of containers transported across Slovakia will rise to 20,000 per year, adding that it will "create jobs and generate income that stays in Slovakia."
Yakunin also stressed that the Russian side hasn't held negotiations with any other potential partners yet. However, he mentioned that he has letters from representatives from the railways of Poland and Hungary on the table.
All rights reserved. Any publishing or further dissemination of press releases and photographs from TASR's resources without TASR's prior written approval constitutes a violation of the Copyrights Act.
