Transport Minister Raz: We Plan to Finance R4 Expressway via PPP Project

Bratislava, 8 May (TASR) - The construction of the remaining sections of the R4 expressway from Presov to the Polish border could be financed via a public-private partnership (PPP) project, stated Transport Minister Jozef Raz (a Smer-SD nominee) on Friday, noting that a consultant has been tasked with assessing the feasibility of this project. "These sections are divided in terms of construction, but we aim to finance this road via a PPP project. The public procurement process for a consultant to assess this PPP project is coming to an end," stated the minister in a video posted on social media. "I believe that this will happen soon and that, based on the data we have available, the sustainability and feasibility of the PPP project will begin to be assessed," he stated. The minister added that the Strategic Investments Act also helped the R4 during the public procurement process for the project documentation. The National Highway Company (NDS) recently signed contracts to develop a construction plan for sections of the R4, which he described as an extremely crucial step without which it is impossible to proceed further. "Preparations are at a very advanced stage. Surveyors are already working on identifying plots of land for purchase and property rights settlement along this route," stated Raz, adding that the remaining 60-kilometre sections of the R4 have become absolutely essential, especially given that the Poles are already completing their expressway to the border. At the end of April, NDS signed four contracts for preparing a construction plan and a notice of change to the proposed activity following the preparation of the construction plan for four R4 sections. The total value of these contracts is €9.3 million excluding value-added tax, according to the contracts in the central registry. Contracts for the aforementioned project services for the first three sections, worth approximately €2.4 million, €2.7 million, and €889,000, were awarded to the R4 Sever Consortium. Its lead member is Dopravoprojekt, with Amberg Engineering Slovakia and Valbek SK as the other members. The contract for the final, border section, worth €3.35 million, was awarded to Basler & Hofmann Slovakia. am/df