ZAGREB, May 30, 2019 – The national road operator Hrvatske Ceste (HC) took into account of possible appeals, lawsuits and so on with regard to access roads to the Pelješac Bridge, and now it is necessary to wait for the court’s decision on the appeal that was lodged, but all the works will be completed within the set deadlines, Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport, and Infrastructure Oleg Butković told reporters on Thursday.
Butković said that “we are used to that and nothing we haven’t seen before is occurring,” and that “no one, including the Croatian government, prime minister, ministers or HC’s director can or is allowed to influence the independent decisions of the courts or the State Commission for Supervision of Public Procurement Procedures because they are independent bodies.
“All I can do is appeal on those institutions to make their decision as soon as possible,” Butković said, adding that the court had 30 days to decide on the appeals and then it will be known who the contractor for the access roads will be.
The appeal was lodged on May 15, so the court should deliver its decision by June 15, he said and added that if the appeal is rejected, HC would sign the contract for the road construction, and if the appellant is not satisfied with the decision, it has the opportunity to appeal to the Administrative Court, but that will not halt the works.
The latest hitch emerged after the Greek Avax company lodged an appeal to the High Administrative Court (VUS) in mid-May against a decision by the State Commission for Supervision of Public Procurement Procedures quashing a decision by HC that the access roads to the Pelješac Bridge be built by that company.
On May 16, VUS confirmed that it had received Avax’s appeal. Under the Public Procurement Act, a decision has to be delivered within 30 days.
More Pelješac Bridge news can be found in the Business section.
