Ilić surprised by "anti-highway campaign"

Infrastructure Minister Velimir Ilic says he is surprised by the campaign against the construction of a highway. Experts view Ilic’s conduct in the controversy surrounding the construction of the Horgos - Pozega highway as harmful for Serbia. Ilic surprised by "anti-highway campaign" The minister has also said he is surprised that the campaign, as he put it, has continued, even after, the basic concession contract had been made public. In an interview with Tanjug, he repeated that at tomorrow’s session of the cabinet, he would call for the whole contract to be released, together with all the accompanying annexes. Ilic claims that only the government, and not his ministry, can decide whether or not to release the annexes. "I can’t decide that on my own, because I didn’t write the contract. That was done by financial advisers selected at an international tender. Therefore, as far as I am concerned, I will ask for the contract, along with its annexes, to be made public in its entirety," he said. The minister says that he simply wishes to show the contract to those who, "since day one, have been against the construction" of the highway. He went on to say that a concession model was at stake, just like those used anywhere else in the world. "The concession model is applied in over 5,000 concessions contracts throughout Europe, and I don’t see any justification why such a campaign is being led against something which is being done according to a set pattern." After B92’s Insider team discovered that the bank guarantees for the concession had been drastically reduced, the President of the Vojvodina Assembly, Bojan Kostres declared that the deal could be harmful for the state and citizens. "I will insist that Vojvodina be recompensed for the concession for construction of the Horgos-Pozega highway, in a way that a part of the road toll be earmarked for the construction of the Banatska highway and the Fruska Gora roundabout route," he said in an interview with daily Vecernje Novosti published Wednesday. "But, if it turns out that the concession agreement includes some elements that are damaging to the state, I believe it will have to be annulled," Kostres warned. “I do not feel as a winner, because there has been nothing irregular or unlawful in our request to be granted access into the content of the contract for which we know in advance it will be harmful for Vojvodina." “The concessionaire will collect the road toll for the next 25 years, including the part of the highway between Horgos and Novi Sad whose one lane was constructed earlier,” he remarked. Velimir Ilic (Beta, archive)

Ilić surprised by "anti-highway campaign"

The minister has also said he is surprised that the campaign, as he put it, has continued, even after, the basic concession contract had been made public.

In an interview with Tanjug, he repeated that at tomorrow’s session of the cabinet, he would call for the whole contract to be released, together with all the accompanying annexes.

Ilić claims that only the government, and not his ministry, can decide whether or not to release the annexes.

"I can’t decide that on my own, because I didn’t write the contract. That was done by financial advisers selected at an international tender. Therefore, as far as I am concerned, I will ask for the contract, along with its annexes, to be made public in its entirety," he said.

The minister says that he simply wishes to show the contract to those who, "since day one, have been against the construction" of the highway.

He went on to say that a concession model was at stake, just like those used anywhere else in the world.

"The concession model is applied in over 5,000 concessions contracts throughout Europe, and I don’t see any justification why such a campaign is being led against something which is being done according to a set pattern."

After B92’s Insider team discovered that the bank guarantees for the concession had been drastically reduced, the President of the Vojvodina Assembly, Bojan Kostreš declared that the deal could be harmful for the state and citizens.

"I will insist that Vojvodina be recompensed for the concession for construction of the Horgoš-Požega highway, in a way that a part of the road toll be earmarked for the construction of the Banatska highway and the Fruška Gora roundabout route," he said in an interview with daily Večernje Novosti published Wednesday.

"But, if it turns out that the concession agreement includes some elements that are damaging to the state, I believe it will have to be annulled," Kostreš warned.

“I do not feel as a winner, because there has been nothing irregular or unlawful in our request to be granted access into the content of the contract for which we know in advance it will be harmful for Vojvodina."

“The concessionaire will collect the road toll for the next 25 years, including the part of the highway between Horgoš and Novi Sad whose one lane was constructed earlier,” he remarked.