Home » News » MRF asks prime minister why he signed for railway to Serbia without EC approval (Obzor)

MRF asks prime minister why he signed for railway to Serbia without EC approval (Obzor)


Dragoman railway station


According to the Ministry of Transport, there are at least 10 regulations that allow this, so as not to lose European funds and enter the “time horizon of the program”

On what grounds has the government ordered the National Railway Infrastructure Company to sign a contract for financing a project for BGN 166.2 million under the Operational Program “Transport and Transport Infrastructure” 2014-2020, without approval from the European Commission.

This question was asked to Prime Minister Kiril Petkov by MRF deputies. The question was submitted by the party’s chairman Mustafa Karadayi and signed by his colleagues Delyan Peevski, Halil Letifov and Stanislav Anastasov.

The project they are referring to is “Modernization of the railway line Sofia – Dragoman – Serbian border, railway section Volujak – Dragoman – phase 1”.

MEPs want to know whether these actions of the government are in line with the rules for spending European funds, as well as whether the project will be stopped until the relevant permit is received from Brussels. They clarify: “It should be borne in mind that neither the MRF nor its MPs have anything to do with this agreement, and the inadmissible manipulations and lies in some media publications obviously aim to divert public attention from another illegal action of the government, leading to the misuse of European funds. “

“24 Chasa” asked the Ministry of Transport for a comment on the contract without a final “yes” from Brussels.

From there they answered that there are at least 10 regulations that allow it, and in our country this is allowed by Art. 24 of the Law on Management of European Structural and Investment Funds. It allows contracts to be signed before approval by Brussels, when there is a decision of the Council of Ministers indicating the sources of funding if the project is not approved. The ministry added that such a practice has long been established – it was a way to include projects in the time horizon of a program.

The Sofia-Dragoman section is divided into two lots, the first being from Voluyak to Petarch. It was won by a public tender of the Vistra Association, which includes VDH AD (formerly Vodstroy 98) and the Spanish Lantania. The amount for the construction is BGN 92 million.

Probably, the MRF, when asked by the Prime Minister, refers to media publications that connect “Vodstroy 98” with Delyan Peevski, for which the movement categorically denies any connections. VDH was acquired by Hydrostroy in 2016. The second lot from Petarch to Dragoman was won by the Greek company Terna, and the value is BGN 275 million. Terna is ready with the technical project, waiting for building permits. There is also a technical project for the lot from Voluyak to Petarch, which is in the process of being approved and final approval is expected from Brussels.

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