The contractor of highway Comarnic-Brasov will be appointed in December and construction work estimated at EUR 1.2 to EUR 1.3 billion, which EIB, EBRD, and WB have shown interest in financing, could start in April, Dan Sova, Minister Delegate for Infrastructure Projects, stated on a TV show broadcast by PRO TV.
“In the two previous attempts, a very grave error was committed by negotiating the contract with the contractors – this is called competitive negotiation, when the contract is negotiated with the contractors – and allocating risks without calling potential financers at the table,” Sova said on the TV show ‘Dupa 20 de ani,’ (Twenty Years Later) broadcast Sunday. When asked about other banks, he replied only these are in the European Union, Mediafax notes.
Pre-selection offers for competitive dialog with regard to the Comarnic-Brasov highway section were submitted in February, and the list includes China Communications Construction and the associations Sepdition UMB-Tehnostrade, Vinci – Strabag – Aktor, and Impregilo – Salini. In May-June, at the start of the competitive dialog phase, China Communications Construction announced its withdrawal.
The highway contractors will be appointed on December 9 and the decision will be subject to appeal, Sova stated. On the other hand, the minister mentioned construction of highway Sibiu-Brasov could start in late 2014, while work on the Sibiu-Pitesti highway may start one year after, as project studies and indicators need to be updated. The construction could take between three and three and a half years for the former highway, and two and a half years for the latter.
Related to Craiova-Pitesti highway, Sova said the procedure has been extended and results could be out in February or March. He commented that he has never sought the contract with Bechtel, but he has requested it from the Ministry of Transport, adding he is not aware of the document having been found, although the American contractor promised to send a legalized copy. “There is a file at the Prosecutor’s Office, and a request was filed by the Prime Minister’s Control Body to Bechtel, who promised to send us a legalized copy of the contract. I expect it will be released sometime between February and March next year,” the minister explained.
Romanian highways could be subject to taxes after work on the south beltway in Bucharest, scheduled to be performed between 2014 and 2017, is finalized, Dan Sova, Minister Delegate for Infrastructure Projects, mentioned. The EUR 3 per hundred kilometers tax will apply to the Pitesti-Constanta stretch of road, he said further.
The same tax level was estimated for Comarnic-Brasov highway that may be finalized in 2016 or 2017. “The tax was calculated only for Comarnic-Brasov. Beyond that, on the south beltway, the project is considered to be under concession from Pitesti to Constanta, which means the concessionaire must build the 48 kilometers long south beltway and undertake the stretch of road between Pitesti and Constanta,” Sova said. On a change of topic, the minister said he does not know how much money the 7 eurocents per liter of fuel would bring, but he would like for the money collected to be allocated to highways alone, excluding national roads. (source: nineoclock.ro)
