EIB Wants Loan for Trakia Highway to Be Repaid

The European Investment Bank will want the concessionaire to repay the loan granted for the construction of Trakia Highway. The Bank financed the building of sectors between Orizovo - Stara Zagora and Karnobat - Bourgas providing to the government a 100-million loan. The concessionaire will have to repay the loan if these two sectors remain a part of the construction contract. For this reason the concession agreement should be changed, but to us it won't be a problem, EIB president Philipppe Maystadt said. The Council of Ministers will decide the fate of Trakia highway by end-October, Assen Gagauzov, Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, said before the yesterday's cabinet sitting. We'll either negotiate much better terms with the Portuguese company or reach no agreement at all, he stressed.

 In 2007-20013, EIB will provide to Bulgaria EUR 500-700 mln a year, explained Finance Minister Plamen Oresharski after signing a memorandum with the Bank. The money will be spent on co-financing the projects funded by the EU. The Bank will also finance private companies that implement major infrastructure projects in Bulgaria.

Source: Standart News