NKU: New Toll System Won't Be Operational until Early 2027

Bratislava, 18 April (TASR) - Part of the toll system remains in the hands of a private operator, and the new toll system won't be operational until early 2027, the Supreme Audit Office reported (NKU), adding that the state paid for the construction of the toll system, and the National Highway Company (NDS) has commissioned numerous legal analyses and expert opinions in recent years. The Supreme Audit Office reached these conclusions based on a follow-up audit, in which it took into account not only its own risk analyses but also some of the repeated complaints from the Let's Stop Corruption Foundation. According to the auditors, the project for the new electronic toll system has long been an example of wasteful and inefficient use of public funds. A subsequent audit covering the years 2022-2025 confirmed that, as of 2020, NDS hadn't successfully resolved the issue of ownership of the toll system, even though its construction was financed from public funds. "Even years later, we must conclude that the state paid more than €250 million to build and launch a toll system that it still doesn't own, and there is still a risk that it will have to pay for part of it again. This represents a repeated failure of management, planning, and the protection of the public interest, as well as an unprecedented waste of public funds," noted NKU head Lubomir Andrassy. am