Transport infrastructure is condition of the development of each country. If it does not operate sufficiently, country loses financial means. International associations are looking for other more passable directions in implementation of the intentions and domestic entrepreneurial subjects loose their competitiveness. Important aspect is also international connection. In an interview with Gabriel Palacka, Slovak Minister of Transport, Post and Telecommunications, we are analysing conditions for construc-tion of traffic lines within the framework of the Slovak Republic.

How we want to link up on international corridors by our transport infrastructure?

Ten agreed corridors in Europe have been accepted by the conference of transport ministers and they are included in developing or prospective projects. Slovakia is a junction of four corridors, one of them is specific, because it is a water route - Danube flows through our territory due to geographic position. Further corridors are the so-called multi-modal, they link up motor and railway transport.

Concretely, it is the north-south section of linking up from Bratislava, respectively from Austrian-Hungarian borders through Zilina and Cadca to Polish border. Further, it is railway section from the Czech Republic through Kuty, Bratislava, Sturovo to Hungarian borders and the main highway-railway line from Bratislava through Zilina, High Tatras, Kosice to Ukrainian border.

Which section is the most completed?

The most completed is the north-south section Bratislava-Zilina-Polish border, where exists railway line, that is being gradually modernised. It is possible that by 2005 the aforementioned section will fulfil requests of fast transport of cargo and, of course, passengers. It is generally known in which state the highway line is. Majority of highways are completed or are being built with certain restrictions. Financial sources have not allowed us to keep originally set tempo of construction and therefore the horizon of overall completion will be shifted. At any rate, in about 2005 the Bratislava-Zilina-Cadca line is expected to be in operation.

Do not you think of financing of highway construction from payments for their utilisation?

Present payments for utilisation of highways cover only costs for their repairs. Regarding financing of highway construction from their utilisation, the payments for concrete sections of highway would be collected. Calculations of transport intensity in 1991 proved that there were some sections with low utilisation and it was impossible to finance them from such sources in keeping of acceptable prices. Since that time, transport intensity increased and probably there are sections that should be financed from private sources. In Hungary, financing the highway from Austrian border to Gyor via private investment failed. Payments for utilisation of highway were such high that drivers utilised other roads. We want to avoid such situation. We will not build the highway, that will not be utilised. It is necessary to deal with the problem, but in limits, which are acceptable for purchasing power of our citizens.

It seems that there will not be constructed many highways.

Financing of the highway construction in 1998 and 1997 was not sufficiently covered from the point of view of sources and in present time we have registered non-paid invoices for done work worth Sk1.5 billion. Primarily, we have to secure their paying. Further, we have to secure continuation of works on tunnel construction in order to avoid damage from interrupting the construction and, of course, completing of built-out sections. Then, we can think about beginning of construction of other new highway sections.

We are interested as to whether intensive construction of highway network had multiplication effect on Slovak mechanical engineering?

I think that, rather the opposite is truth. All more important technologies used for highway construction were from foreign countries. They are specialised technologies in number of several pieces. And this is a reason why serial production of such technologies in Slovakia is impossible. On the other hand, I repeat that despite an extraordinary intensity of highway construction for past two-three years some machine companies are on the edge of collapse. Having evaluated the tempo of highway construction, I think it did not have any positive influence on Slovak mechanical engineering.

Slovak Trade FORUM