Under threats from bankruptcy without a clearly defined source of financing, completed at 138 kilometers and issued 2.3 billion grades. These are parts of the examination report on the work of the Autiengesellschaft AutoCeste Fedaždenija, which have spent more than half a billion markings for four sections from the originally planned contract. While prices are increasing and credit funds are used beyond the plan, the question of when Corridor 5c stops a scandal.
Due to several changes in the contract, the costs for the construction of these four sections have built themselves by a further 255 million euros or 19.5 million points per kilometer.
“Due to the above requirements, we have not obtained a reasonable certainty that the responsible persons, management authorities, each with their responsibility, have taken suitable measures to protect the company from negative economic consequences that were incurred due to the failure to act on concluded contracts and the creation of additional costs based on project changes,” says the audit.
All sections that should be completed, but it was never. The pace is seven years – less than five kilometers. The Poprikuša – Nemila section, the contract was signed five years ago, and the building was last year. Nemila – Vranduk, the final period was exceeded by more than a year. The Vranduk – Ponirak section should have been completed four years ago. It is the subject of investigations that the judicial authorities, in which the former management of tender fraud is accused and the price of this section is inflated, which is up to 154 million points higher than the originally contractual.
“There was a cost explosion here. In order for this to happen, almost everyone has to participate – from the contractors to the motorway managers themselves. At that time, Elmedin Voloder was at the top of the highway and an investigation is in progress,” says journalist Amil Dučić.
The contract was signed six years ago, the construction list was departed four years ago, and half of the work done, a total of five kilometers, spent 76.5 million euros, which was the money for the entire section.
Kvanj – Buna Tunnel. Since 2018 there has been a tug of war about who will get the job. For this reason and three administrations later, two canceled procedures, one due to an examination, the deadline for completion was missed and the construction price rose by up to 110 million points.
“Even the European Anti-Fraud Office Olaf interfered in the work of the Commission and selected the contractor,” emphasizes Dučić.
The current management of AutoCesta FBIH rejects the allegations of the auditors to unscrupulous business practices and the use of public funds and claims that they are unfounded, and their work is in the function of protecting the company from damage.
“It is true that the constructionists have been expanded in the sections, as well as an increase in the contractual value, but for objective and justified reasons that are not specified in the report, and these are changes to the conditions on site, unsolved ownership and legal affairs, inflation, the material price as well as the incredibly defined elements of the project documentation”, and the auto esters.
“The fact is that they inherited major problems and machinations from the previous administration. Among other things, I reported that the Poprikuše -Nemila department is a section when choosing the surveillance that has not yet started building.
While construction prices are increasing, the problem also pays the penalties of several million dollars for taken but not used money from foreign creditors. This is also the practice of current administration, which has applications for new debts of more than one billion markings, whereby the money, as the auditors warn, is taken again and the section is not ready for the construction – which the announced punishments are.
“EIB and EBD are quite concerned about the implementation of funds, which is why they started internal studies. They have partially confirmed this to me. According to my information, an investigation in the EU expenditure for EU funds is also carried out in certain sections,” says Dučić.
This is the framework in which the construction of the corridor 5C takes place, where we have received 138 kilometers for more than two billion grades and for twenty years. Scandals, investigations, missed appointments, invented prices and sections such as street monuments that do not run anywhere, writes FELALNA.