Slovakia Managed to Completely Draw European Funds for Transport

Slovakia has made use of 100 percent of European Funds designated for transport from Operational Programme Transport, with over €3.7 billion thus invested in the transport sector since 2007, the Transport, Construction and Regional Development Ministry has stated.

“The ministry set the complete use of European Funds as its top priority, and I have the pleasure to state that we have successfully accomplished this task,” said Transport Minister Jan Pociatek.
Operational Programme Transport steered by the ministry was the biggest operational programme in the 2007-2013 programme period. “Over 140 road, rail and public passenger projects have been implemented within it,” said ministry spokesman Martin Kona.
The D1 motorway between Bratislava and Kosice has been extended by 60 kilometres thanks to the programme, noted the ministry. “We managed to get moving the most demanding section of the D1 motorway near Strecno, including the longest motorway tunnel, the Visnove tunnel, via the programme,” said Pociatek. Construction of the D3 motorway from Zilina up to the Czech-Polish border has been launched, and the European Commission has just approved money for the Svrcinovec-Skalite stretch following several months of talks, added the minister.
Concerning rail and city transport projects, the largest Slovak cities have renewed their tram and trolleybus fleets, and tram lines have been modernised, including a tram line to Bratislava’s borough of Petrzalka, said Pociatek.
A total of 130 km of motorways and expressways have been financed from Operational Programme Transport. Over 600 km of first-category roads have been built or modernised, along with 80 km of rail track. Moreover, 100 regional trains have been modernised and 78 new trams have been purchased for Bratislava and Kosice and 120 trolleybuses for Bratislava. Tram lines in Bratislava and Kosice have been modernised and a tram track via Bratislava’s Old Bridge to Petrzalka is being built.