- Published: 20.04.2015.
Milanovic: Ciovo bridge should be finished by October 2016
Asked if the suit might suspend construction of the bridge, which is financed with European Union funds, Hajdas Doncic said he doubted it and that it would set a precedent.
Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Sinisa Hajdas Doncic said on Friday that a suit filed at the Split Administrative Court over the selection of contractor for building a bridge connecting the mainland with the island of Ciovo should not suspend construction.
The Skladgradnja construction company and Austria's Strabag recently filed suit against the state, accusing it of irregularities in the selection of the contractor, the Viadukt company.
The suit was filed against the decision by the State Public Procurement Commission and not against the Hrvatske Ceste road operator, the minister told reporters while visiting the construction site.
Asked if the suit might suspend construction of the bridge, which is financed with European Union funds, Hajdas Doncic said he doubted it and that it would set a precedent.
Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic was also asked to comment, saying the most important thing was that a Croatian company was the contractor.
He said the bridge was being financed with "European money, so they will strictly control everything. There's no messing around and it's a little bit harder to steal, which used to be the custom."
Milanovic and Hajdas Doncic said the bridge should be finished by October 2016, and that they were already optimistic about a bridge that would connect the mainland to the Peljesac peninsula.
"Now I'm convinced more than ever that the Peljesac bridge will be built and I hope a Croatian consortium will apply for the construction," the PM said.
Hajdas Doncic said no one could stop the project now. "The building permit is being checked, the feasibility study, which is a condition for the application, will be finished by the end of May. I believe that this summer not only will the application be submitted but tenders will be invited for the contractor too."
(Hina) ha