Government aborts motorway negotiations with Aktor-HCH, invites Chinese companies

The Government’s Motorway Construction Council decided Monday to terminate the tender procedure for the construction of the Bar-Boljare motorway with the Greek-Israeli consortium Aktor-HCH, and to start negotiations with Chinese companies, said Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Telecommunications Andrija Lompar.

After the Council meeting, which denied the Consortium’s request for the extension of the bank guarantee deadline, Minister Lompar told the press that the Government hopes to reach an agreement with Chinese investors within the next four months.

The Minister said the Government is preparing the paperwork to be sent out to Chinese bidders, so that the negotiations could start as soon as possible. He remarked that this was very important so that the Government could decide whether the Chinese companies would be able to complete the project within the framework period agreed upon with the European Investment Bank (EIB), which is supporting Montenegro in the motorway project.

If this alternative proves unfeasible within the required time frame, Montenegro would turn to negotiations with the EIB and try to complete the project, with a view to meeting the deadlines set by the EIB.