Rossen Jeliazkov: Due to Government Actions in 2014, Bulgaria will pay BGN 24.483 million to the constructor of Danube Bridge 2

Due to government actions in 2014 the International Court of Arbitration in Paris condemned Bulgaria to pay an additional BGN 24 483 934 to the constructor of Danube Bridge 2 FCC Construction. This was announced by Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Rossen Jeliazkov after today's meeting of the Council of Ministers. In his words, this happened in 2013 after FCC claimed the payment of an additional nearly EUR 11 million, as according to them the state had delayed securing the concession for the extraction of aggregates for the construction of embankments for the adjacent Danube Bridge 2 infrastructure.

"Although under the Bulgarian legislation at this time such an obligation should not exist, in her letter dated August 5, 2014, Deputy Prime Minister Daniela Bobeva, recognized the liability, as she said that the state did not have the necessary financial resources, but informed the Minister of Finance, specifying the amount and way of payment of the debts in accordance with the agreements reached and recommending their final settlement, "said Minister Rossen Jeliazkov. He stated that in 2014 the state – the acting government then, recognized that it owed the additional money requested by the FCC, this gave the International Court of Arbitration in Paris to confirm that from that date between Bulgaria and FCC has a valid binding agreement.

"These actions raise several significant issues. Was this obligation to be recognized instead of trying to dispute this claim through the Court of Arbitration? Why, after recognizing this debt, they did not pay it but left it to be paid by subsequent governments, as it is already rising to EUR 14.3 million" added Rossen Jeliazkov. The minister also said that a series of negotiations had been conducted and as a result of which the amount was reduced and the Bulgarian state would pay BGN 24 483 000 which is BGN 3 423 000 less.