Autoputevi u BiH - Koridor 5C

[parappa]

Možda i mi za 20-30 godina prestignemo Albaniju

[славянин]

Možda i mi za 20-30 godina prestignemo Albaniju

Ali da oni malo uspore

[Wind]

A šta je najbolje sa Albanskim autoputem? Ne plaća se putarina!

[Dozer]

Pocece i to u neka doba, ali ljudi su to pametno skontali - hajde da prvo izgradimo sve, ili sto vise, da se svi ljudi naviknu da to koriste, da skontaju prednosti, a onda ce se uvesti i placanje. Znam ovo jer poznajem i tamo ljudi, koji mi kazu da je to ovako isplanirano. Vjerovanto ce to poceti 2020.
Ali, vec sad mogu garantovati da ce to biti daleko jeftinije nego bilo gdje drugo, pogotovo kod nas, jer ce ljudi sigurno ici na ukupnu masu, a ne na brzu zaradu/otplatu.
Ici ce sigurno ispravnom logikom po kojoj je bolje od 2.000 vozila uzeti po 2-3E /100km, nego od 500 uzeti 5E.
Samo pogledajte ovu nasu dionicu od Vogosce do Lasve - duplo vise vozila se krece magistralnim putem pored, nego na AP.

I HR je napravila bum s AP za vrlo kratko vrijeme. Zaduzili se, naravno, ali nisu pokrali ni priblizno kao nasi sto kradu, nego su zaista napravili autoputeve. Sad vec imaju sigurno preko 1.000 km...
I Grci su se zaduzili, ali su ih i napravili momacki...
Srbijanci jos dio oko Vranja da zavrse, i onda imaju gotovu kucavicu krzo cijelu drzavu, od HR do MK.
Makedonci takodjer izgradili masu, a sad zavrsavaju i dio Skoplje - Ohrid, tacnije dionicu Gostivar - Ohrid. Skoplje - Solun davno zavrsen, i odlican AP.

Samo se mi zaduzujemo, a izgradnja - nidje veze s pamecu.

[Seyfo]

Ali mi imamo puno viceva i doskocica o Albaniji (tipa ono""razvijen ko albanski turizam"" ). Sad to nekako vise nije smijesno. Sta da radimo s tim vicevima? Da ih prodamo Albancima i da ih oni koriste ismijavajuci nas ? (Razvijen kao bosanski turizam hahahahaaahahahhahahahahahahhahahahHahah)

[neki]

Istovremeno, a sto ponavljam stalno, Albanija (halooooo - Albanija), koja je za nas prije 25-30 godina bila sinonim za nesposobnost, siromastvo i kriminal, od 2010. do danas, dakle za 9 godina, izgradila je sad vec oko 400 km autoputa.
Znam da ce se sad naci, kao i uvijek, neki strucnjak koji ce poceti pricu o tome da to nisu autoputevi, blabla, pa cu odmah dati i rute koje su izgradjene, a koje imaju standardne dvije trake u jednom pravcu, sa ili bez zaustavne trake, a na kojima je ogranicenje 120, a koga zanima o kojoj se kilometrazi radi, ima Google Maps, pa bujrum...

Lezhe <> Tirana - skoro zavrseno.
Tirana <> Drac - zavrseno.
Tirana <> Pristina - zavrseno.
Drac <> Vlore - zavrseno.
Tirana <> Elbasan - zavrseno.
Drac <> Girocaster - u izgradnji.
Magistrale:
Tuzi <> Skadar - zavrseno.
Tirana <> Lezhe - u renoviranju.
Kao i dosta drugih magistralnih pravaca prema jugu i jugoistoku.

Jeste, cinjenica je da oni nisu imali rat, ali je isto tako cinjenica da oni nisu imali ni milijarde poslijeratnih donacija (mi smo ih do 2010. dobili 15, a 7 je nestalo bez traga), kao i da nemaju ni pribliznih prirodnih potencijala nama. Ali, to je tako kad se radi pametno...

Cesta (pa makar imala i 12 traka u svakom smjeru) na koju svaka druga kuca ima direktan prilaz nije autoput. A Albanac na nju može staviti ograničenje kakvo hoće to mu niko ne može zabraniti
Dakle, Albanija ima nešto malo autoputa koji je trenutno u izgradnji južno od tirane i to je to...

[Dozer]

Ali mi imamo puno viceva i doskocica o Albaniji (tipa ono""razvijen ko albanski turizam"" ). Sad to nekako vise nije smijesno. Sta da radimo s tim vicevima? Da ih prodamo Albancima i da ih oni koriste ismijavajuci nas ? (Razvijen kao bosanski turizam hahahahaaahahahhahahahahahahhahahahHahah)

Ne znam da li si bio dole, ali njihov turizam je vec sada za nas nesto kao Las Vegas i Celebici.
To se razvija nevjerovatnom brzinom. Fali im jos malo slifa, ali i to ide ubrzanim tempom. Usluzni su maksimalno, smjestaja ima raznih, kao i svugdje, ali i to se iz godine u godinu emancipuje i usavrsava. Plaze odlicne, more cisto (ne racunam Drac u to, koji ima smao dobru i ogromnu plazu od 20 km, ali je zato more strogi plicak i radi toga vazda muljavo), cijene svega vise nego pristupacne...
Nisu kao Grcka ili Italija, i mene najvise podsjecaju na Tursku, ali s obzirom kojim tempom napreduju, mislim da ce vrlo brzo biti na nivou Grcke.

[Nivelacija]

Svi se razvijaju brze od nas..i tako ce biti dok 3 hobotnice na vlasti budu krojile sudbinu ..

Eventualno ako spoje za 10 godina Zenicu i Doboj ...jer je to svima u interesu..i RS i Federaciji...

Onda imas konacno nesto opipljivo od autocesta da nije suganje..tj nekih 300 kilometara i spoj na evropske autoputeve....

A drugi gdje ce tada biti i koliko ispred

[Dozer]

Cesta (pa makar imala i 12 traka u svakom smjeru) na koju svaka druga kuca ima direktan prilaz nije autoput. A Albanac na nju može staviti ograničenje kakvo hoće to mu niko ne može zabraniti
Dakle, Albanija ima nešto malo autoputa koji je trenutno u izgradnji južno od tirane i to je to...

Bar nauci kvotat kako treba...

Kad si zadnji put bio tamo...? Ovo sto ti pricas je bilo ovako prije 4-5-6 godina, dok su ove trase bile u izgradnji. Toga nema odavno, tj. cim se zavrsi dionica, ona dobije i ograde i bankine. Nema vise ulazaka na AP iz kuca i sa sporednih puteva.
Svake godine vozim tuda bar jednom, znam o cemu pricam.

[dadoka84]

Išao kroz albaniju u crnom terencu, bježe ljudi ispred mene i penju se na trotoar da prođem. Meni ništa nije bilo jasno. Dok pored mene nije prošlo par konvoja tipa g klasa, macan... sve belo na belo

A na plaži montažni objekat sav u bijelom to dj, pjena parti, maconje na ulazu, utegnute hostese, dronovi lete... sjeb.

[Dozer]

I kakve to veze ima s autoputevima....?

Ali, znas sta je jos fol tamo? Oni imaju interni dogovor - nema kriminala prema turistima. Nema kradja vozila, kradja na plazama, dzeparenja, otimacina. Nista. I drze se toga.
Ne znam ni za jedan slucaj da su nekom strancu nesto ukrali.
Prosle godine izlazimo iz auta da idemo na plazu, prilazi mi drot, u uniformi, sav istetoviran k'o goblen. Kontam "sad ce me nesto peglat", a frajer nas samo sa smijeskom upita da li je sve u redu, da li imamo ikakvih problema, i da slobodno zovemo policiju ako imamo bilo kakve neugodnosti. I pokazuje na broj murije na vratima auta.

Navecer, kad raja krenu hodati, murija je na svakom cosku. Sto radi regulisanja saobracaja, sto radi bezbjednosti. I vidi se da su samo radi toga na ulici.

[dadoka84]

I kakve to veze ima s autoputevima....?

Ali, znas sta je jos fol tamo? Oni imaju interni dogovor - nema kriminala prema turistima. Nema kradja vozila, kradja na plazama, dzeparenja, otimacina. Nista. I drze se toga.
Ne znam ni za jedan slucaj da su nekom strancu nesto ukrali.

To je nešto sa čim se čovjek može susresti na putu pa zato i pišem. S druge strane policija kad vidi tablice samo maše furaj dalje. Ni ja nisam imao neprijatnosti sa lokalcima. Niko nas nije ružno pogledao za desetak dana.

[Dozer]

Tacno, Tu direktivu su dobili prije 3 godine. Do 2016. se kilometraza mogla mjeriti po patrolama, na svakih 15 km je bila jedna, sa ili bez radara, i obavezno imali po 4-5 zaustavljenih vozila raznih tablica.
Sifra je bila 5E u saobracajnoj, salutira ti, i haj vozdra.

Onda je ministar naredio da se stranci ne smiju zaustavljati (osim talijanskih i svicarskih tablica, jer je njihova dijaspora navise tamo), i da na cesti smije biti jedna patrola na 30-40 km.
I vec 3 godine je fakat tako.

[Seyfo]

Ja ne dam na Celebice. Boljeg bureka nisam jeo. A sirnica im valja i pola dana kasnije. A ko vise voli albanske autoputeve po kojima korziraju krave i medjedi a u zaustavnoj traci se oformi buvlja pijaca,nek ide. Meni Celebici bolji. Ha ya

[Dozer]

Vala, nesto mi celebicko more i nije za godisnjeg... A protiv bureka iznad tunela nikad nemam nista. Fakat je najbolji u drzavi. Kao i pogacice s kajmakom, al' kad su vruce.

[So What!]

A šta je najbolje sa Albanskim autoputem? Ne plaća se putarina!

Istinska civilizacija, nema šta ...

Albania demonstrators clash with police in road toll row

A big crowd angered by new charges on the main artery linking Albania to Kosovo pelted police with stones and set the toll booths on fire on Saturday, television images showed.



Thousands of residents of the northern town of Kukes had converged on the area to demand the scrapping of the tolls. The government said on Thursday that lower charges would be set for frequent users.

“This is theft,” an angry protester told reporters.

“This tax damages all the Albanians in Kukes and Dardania (Kosovo),” opponents said of the fees, ranging from 2.5 euros for a motorcycle to 22.5 euros ($27.72) for heavy trucks.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said the violence against property and police would be punished.

“The violators and those who inspired them should stop thinking they will triumph over the law,” Rama said.

Earlier this week when the tolls were imposed, Kosovo truckers emblazoned their vehicles with banners saying that, in effect, a new border had been imposed on the road meant to unite Albania and the mainly ethnic Albanian Kosovo.

Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said the tolls were “excessive”.

Work on the road, which crosses mountainous terrain, is not completely finished and Rama said those who used it should pay.

Opposition Democratic Party leader Lulzim Basha said taxpayers already paid a road tax.

Reuters

[So What!]

Istovremeno, a sto ponavljam stalno, Albanija (halooooo - Albanija), koja je za nas prije 25-30 godina bila sinonim za nesposobnost, siromastvo i kriminal, od 2010. do danas, dakle za 9 godina, izgradila je sad vec oko 400 km autoputa.
Znam da ce se sad naci, kao i uvijek, neki strucnjak koji ce poceti pricu o tome da to nisu autoputevi, blabla, pa cu odmah dati i rute koje su izgradjene, a koje imaju standardne dvije trake u jednom pravcu, sa ili bez zaustavne trake, a na kojima je ogranicenje 120, a koga zanima o kojoj se kilometrazi radi, ima Google Maps, pa bujrum...

Lezhe <> Tirana - skoro zavrseno.
Tirana <> Drac - zavrseno.
Tirana <> Pristina - zavrseno.
Drac <> Vlore - zavrseno.
Tirana <> Elbasan - zavrseno.
Drac <> Girocaster - u izgradnji.

Magistrale:
Tuzi <> Skadar - zavrseno.
Tirana <> Lezhe - u renoviranju.
Kao i dosta drugih magistralnih pravaca prema jugu i jugoistoku.

Jeste, cinjenica je da oni nisu imali rat, ali je isto tako cinjenica da oni nisu imali ni milijarde poslijeratnih donacija (mi smo ih do 2010. dobili 15, a 7 je nestalo bez traga), kao i da nemaju ni pribliznih prirodnih potencijala nama. Ali, to je tako kad se radi pametno...

Sarajevski travel blogger AnGo89 je posjetio Albaniju nedavno i dao jedan iznimno realan uvid. Dobri su im putevi u globalu i nije baš bilo onako kako je očekivao, ali je isto tako istakao mnoštvo problema sa istima.

Travel blog možete pročitati na ovom linku.

A što se tiče Albanskog napretka u izgradnji cesta, bilo je govora, Amerikanci su im dali brdo novca u zajam uz naravno sulude uslove i strane (američko-turski konzorcij) izvođače.

Da ne analiziramo dublje, znaš i sam da smo pravili analizu na prethodnim stranicama i postavljali slike tih njihovih autoputeva i brzih puteva, otvorićemo bespotrebno ponovo istu diskusiju. Od svih navedenih Priština - Tirana je pravi autoput, ali nije završen.

S obzirom da ne mogu drugačije dokazivati, od sada idu ovakvi članci u odgovor, tako je valjda najjednostavnije.

Albania-Kosovo Highway Costs Soar To 2 Billion Euros

Cache of official documents detail for first time how lobbying, poor-planning, “uncompetitive tenders”, failure to set cost caps and “inflated” prices left Albanian and Kosovan taxpayers with a two billion euro bill for just 137km of road.



The ‘Patriotic Highway’ slices its way through one of the poorest and most remote corners of Europe, where many villagers still live on the breadline, struggling to make ends meet.

This four-lane, 137km stretch of asphalt connecting the Albanian and Kosovan capitals has drained in the region of two billion euros from the state coffers of both nations – diverting funds from other much-needed infrastructure projects, such as the building of schools, hospitals and minor roads, many of which remain unpaved.

Following a six-month investigation, BIRN is now publishing previously unreleased documents from Kosovo and Albania that detail the scale of mismanagement and spiralling costs that have so far sparked three investigations into alleged corruption, abuse of office and wrongdoing linked to the contract.

Built on the premise of creating wealth from increased trade and tourism, the final price tags for the road at least doubled in both countries from those initially quoted.

Trade between Albania and Kosovo has seen only a modest increase since the road opened last year, but it has not led to the queues of trucks commonly seen at other Balkan borders. Experts estimate the road is being used at just 10 per cent of its capacity.

On the other hand, construction firm Bechtel-Enka pocketed profits running into hundreds of millions of euros thanks in part, critics argue, to a contract “heavily weighted” in their favour, high pricing and tax rebates.

Fast-track tender

The contract to build the first stage of the highway – connecting Tirana with the Kosovo border – was awarded in 2006 in a fast-track procurement process, which the World Bank and others argued was uncompetitive and unlawful.

US construction giant Bechtel and its Turkish partner, Enka, won the contract to build a 60km mountainous section for 418 million euros.

The US Embassy helped override World Bank and IMF concerns over the handling of the Albanian tender process, arguing the road would boost the economies of both Kosovo and Albania.

In the end, costs escalated with Tirana eventually shelling out 950m euros for the road, according to a leaked email from the then Minister of Finance, Ridvan Bode.

The contract to build the Kosovo section was awarded in April 2010 to the same partnership, following lobbying by the then US ambassador to Kosovo, Christopher Dell.

Dell has since been hired by Bechtel as a country director in Africa, raising questions among observers about the probity of the deal.

A Bechtel spokeswoman Michael Michelle strongly denied any impropriety and insisted Dell had followed US State Department rules as soon as the company approached him with a potential job offer as he prepared to leave Kosovo, including recusing himself from any matters related to the firm.

But a senior diplomat, Andrea Capussela, who had been charged with supervising Kosovo’s economy, called for the State Department to review Dell’s support for the scheme in light of the former ambassador’s new job.

There is no suggestion Dell did not comply with US “revolving door” regulations. While there is a one-year “cooling off” period before former ambassadors can lobby the US government on behalf of a private firm, they are not prevented from taking a job in the private sector with a company they helped secure a contract for.

Costs in Kosovo escalated too after the government failed to heed its own legal advice and set a fixed price for the road. The cost rose from 400 million for 102km of highway to 838 millon euros for 77km.

Bechtel-Enka received more from the Kosovan public purse in 2011, 2012, and 2013 than any other ministry. At the same time, other infrastructure projects, including new schools, were put on hold.

BIRN has obtained key material gathered for the aborted prosecution of Lulzim Basha – the Albanian politician who signed the deal in Tirana – on charges of abuse of office related to the contract.

The documents reveal that Bechtel-Enka’s prices were known to be more than double that of local contractors, costing Albanian taxpayers an extra 191 million euros.

According to the prosecution papers, “all the prices submitted by the winning company are many times higher than the Albanian prices”. The figures were compiled by two state auditors who produced a 158-page report, until now unpublished, detailing problems with the highway contract.

The findings formed the basis of the prosecution’s case against Basha and two of his advisers, Andi Toma and Armand Telti. All denied any wrongdoing and the case was dropped in 2009 on a legal technicality.


Signing of the contract Front row: Mike Adams, president, Bechtel Civil; Fatmir Limaj, Kosovo Minister of Transport and Communications; Sinan Tara, Chairman, Enka. Back row: Christopher Dell, ex-U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo; Hasim Thaci, Kosovo Prime Minister; Metin Husrev Unler, Turkish Ambassador to Kosovo; Andrew Sparkes, British Ambassador to Kosovo.

‘No price limit, no plan’

The prosecution team argues that because the contract was signed off without an agreed cost limit or detailed construction plan, the price spiralled seemingly out of control.

Prosecutors also criticised the appointment of Ecorys, the Dutch consultancy firm hired to pick the winning bid, as “unlawful” because the firm’s role was announced before the council of ministers even approved the decision to appoint a consultant.

The fast-track tender process – in which four shortlisted firms were evaluated on their ability to do the job without having to provide a price – was described by prosecution investigators as contrary to national and international law.

Claims that Bechtel-Enka were given the contract despite the absence of an agreed construction plan or cost limits have also been made by Niko Naska, the only Albanian member of a five-man tender evaluation committee, in an exclusive interview with BIRN.

“My first question was: ‘Is there a project [plan], did anybody look at this carefully?’ But there was no project [plan] at all. How can you build something without a construction plan, especially such a big infrastructure project like that, that goes from 400m to almost one billion euros?

“How could I, an engineer with years of experience who has built power plants and ports, stoop to such a level and accept being a part of that tender?”

Naska told BIRN he was asked to take part in the evaluation with just one day’s notice, despite being unable to follow proceedings conducted in English. He quit after one day.

“They [the government] called me the night before telling me that I was chosen by Prime Minister Sali Berisha, who said a lot of good things about me … but I didn’t know anything about the tender so how could I be part of it?” he said.

He also said he had not been given access to any tender documents written in Albanian.

In the end, the four remaining members of the evaluation committee selected Bechtel-Enka and negotiations over a target price began.

The then transport minister Basha argued at the time that Bechtel-Enka was selected transparently and the fast-track method was needed as a year’s delay would cost 75 million euros – 60 million euros from the economic boost and 15 million euros in increased costs. No evidence was ever presented to justify these sums.

BIRN asked Basha, who is now leader of the opposition Democratic Party and mayor of Tirana, a series of questions related to the highway, but he refused to comment.

A US diplomatic cable, also published by Wikileaks in 2009, detailed the scale of poor logistical and financial planning.

According to the memo by an official at the US Embassy in Tirana, Bechtel had first estimated that seven million metric tonnes of earth would need to be excavated, that grew to 14 million when the contract was awarded in 2006 and stood at 32 million by April 2009 more than a year before the Albanian section of the highway was completed.

The cable noted that despite the cost increase, the road remained “very profitable for Bechtel”.

US smoothed way for Bechtel

Bechtel-Enka’s proposal also drew sharp criticism from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, which eventually refused to back the project or help Tirana fund it.

In a diplomatic cable published by Wikileaks from 2006 entitled “Impediment to Bechtel’s bid to build key section of highway”, Marcie B. Ries, then US ambassador to Albania, said she would help the government overcome the World Bank’s objections as a new highway “would not only help Albania’s trade, but Kosovo’s as well”.

US involvement went beyond support from the embassy. Ries wrote that Basha had told her a former US homeland security secretary, Tom Ridge, was advising Tirana on the deal. Ridge had been brought in on a 40,000 dollar-a-month contract to advise the government on its bid for NATO membership and establish links with Washington DC.

According to the same memo, Orsalia Kalantopoulos, World Bank regional coordinator for South-East Europe, told the government in Tirana that she strongly opposed the four-lane project, that Bechtel’s selection was “non-competitive” and that the highway should be downgraded to two lanes to reduce costs.

Fresh claims of wrongdoing linked to the deal emerged two weeks ago in Albania, after Minister of Finance Shkelqim Cani announced a new investigation into the financing of the highway via a 250 million euro bank loan.

Albania was not able to borrow from international financial institutions because both the World Bank and IMF had advised against the highway project. The country was forced to look to commercial banks, allegedly borrowing at above market rates.

This latest investigation is unrelated to the now-dropped prosecution of Basha and his advisers, which focused on the terms of the contract and soaring prices.

Socialist Party MP Erjon Brace, a long-term opponent of the Bechtel-Enka scheme, said his party did not oppose the construction of a new road to Kosovo, but the scheme was poorly planned and has left Albania’s economy in tatters.

“There was no tender, no plan at all and no price cap for it. Even the World Bank and IMF were against this kind of procedure, they said that the tender was carried out without the necessary funding being in place,” he says.

Brace called for the original case, dismissed on a legal technicality, into the terms of the contract to be reopened so the evidence can be tested in court. Despite regular stories in the Albanian press speculating on the case reopening, the Prosecutor General’s office told BIRN it had made no decision on the matter.

Kosovo costs doubled


Hasim Thaci, Kosovo Prime Minister, Atifete Jahjaga, President of Kosovo, Christopher Dell, ex-U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo on the highway Vermice-Merdar

Criticism and concerns over the deal are mirrored in neighbouring Kosovo, where the cost of the highway also more than doubled from the initial price quoted by Bechtel-Enka.

The Kosovo section, already expensive at 400 million euros for 102 km, eventually spiralled to 820 million euros for 77 km, according to an unpublished report compiled by highway supervisors Hill International and released to BIRN under Freedom of Information laws.

Figures from the Ministry of Finance suggest Bechtel-Enka was paid 838 million euro, more than Hill International reports, while the government had to find a further 128 million euros to acquire privately owned land.

Capussela, the Italian diplomat tasked with supervising Kosovo’s economy after its 2008 declaration of independence, told BIRN the signing of the contract between Kosovo and Bechtel amounted to a “political crime”.

“Picture the number of hospitals and schools and text books and computers and more useful roads that could have been built with that money spent on the highway,” he said.

Kosovan construction firms say the prices quoted by the US-Turkish consortium, and published for the first time today by BIRN, are also “two or three times” those offered by local firms.

Haziz Rysha, director of one of Kosovo’s biggest road builders Eskavatori, pointed out that 125 mm diameter PVC ducts cost around four euro per metre in Kosovo – while Bechtel charged Pristina 29 euros per metre, more than seven times the local market price.

Another company director, who asked not to be named, added the only section of the highway built by local firms cost Pristina two million euros per kilometre, compared to the 11.4m euros per kilometre that Bechtel-Enka charged.

A spokeswoman for Bechtel said: “We leave it up to our customers to discuss the costs of their projects. However, it is important to note that both motorways used a design-build approach meaning that construction began before the designs were completed.”

US ignored EU concerns


Pieter Feith, former head of Kosovo’s International Civilian Office

International diplomat Pieter Feith, tasked by the EU and the US with supervising Kosovo after its 2008 declaration of independence, told BIRN the US embassy and its ambassador, Christopher Dell, stopped him “from doing my job”.

Feith left Kosovo’s International Civilian Office (ICO) as it shut in 2012. He says that during his time in office, “Dell told me in very clear terms that I should not poke my nose into the Bechtel contract – that was none of my business and this was a commercial matter between the United States and Kosovo”.

Feith, who was also the EU’s highest representative in Kosovo, was worried the contract with Bechtel would wreck the young country’s fragile finances, and argued the money could be better spent on tackling Kosovo’s 45 per cent unemployment rate.

“Information was withheld, and all of a sudden we were presented with a fait accompli of this contract being concluded and being a liability on the budget.”

Dell declined to be interviewed but has previously defended the highway selection process, claiming it was one of the most transparent in Kosovo’s history.

Pristina’s own legal advisers, UK firm Eversheds, urged the government not to sign up, arguing the contract was heavily weighted in favour of Bechtel-Enka.

The Evershed document, now published in full by BIRN for the first time, warned that signing the contract would be “extremely dangerous”.

The law firm identified numerous areas where the standard contract for major infrastructure projects – the Federation of Consulting Engineers’ Red Book – had been amended “in a completely one-sided way”.

It also argued that Bechtel had “simply ignored” the tender guidelines for a fixed price and suggested that the procurement process might have to be rerun. This advice was ignored.

Bechtel-Enka maintains its proposal did comply with government guidelines. The firm argues it saved the government hundreds of millions of euros by devising a new route for the road, avoiding costly tunnels. It added that the project would have “economic benefits [that] extend well beyond Kosovo”.

Eversheds’ advice was issued in January 2010 and while some changes were made before the final signing of the deal three months later, many of the controversial clauses were retained.

The Kosovo contract is now being investigated by prosecutors at the EU rule-of-law mission in Kosovo, EULEX. Sources close to the investigation say EULEX is scrutinising the government’s decision to sign the highway deal.

While the target of the inquiry has not been disclosed, it is believed to be focused on whether or not the contract damaged Kosovo’s economy. There is no evidence to suggest Bechtel, Enka or Dell are implicated in any of the current or past investigations.

Bechtel-Enka was also exempt from paying tens of millions of euros of Value Added Tax in both Albania and Kosovo.

Kosovo construction firm Eskavatori boss Rysha stressed that local firms are not afforded these tax breaks, which ensured Bechtel-Enka received a 113 million euro rebate in Kosovo alone. It is likely Bechtel-Enka received a similar figure in Albania.

Officials from the Prime Minister’s office and Ministry of Infrastructure in Pristina refused to answer questions about the scheme and its impact on the economy.

At the road’s opening ceremony in November 2013, President Atifete Jahjaga, described the road as “a national dream and is now a national reality”. Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said it would cut journey times by up to three-quarters and contribute to “our future economic and social growth”.

“The Highway Is Little Used”

As various institutions try to figure out how a 134 km stretch of motorway could end up costing so much, ordinary Kosovans and Albanians continue to suffer because funds were diverted to pay Bechtel-Enka.

While key players have bagged top jobs, and Bechtel-Enka have landed another huge infrastructure project – the 600 million euro Pristina to Skopje road – the highway has failed to deliver much in the way of economic benefits.

Despite the huge investment, trade between the two countries has not strengthened markedly.

According to Kosovo’s Agency of Statistics, 10.3 per cent of all Kosovo exports went to Albania in 2005, while the figure in 2011 had increased to just 10.8.

Official figures show that exports from Albania to Kosovo in 2005 accounted for only 1.6 per cent of Kosovo’s total imports. In 2011, the figure was 3.9 per cent.

“This road is working at just 10 per cent of its full capacity,” said Kosovo construction tycoon and politician Behgjet Pacolli. “Something has to change in our economic cooperation to make that road serve the country’s economy.”

Even the man put in charge of managing the highway admits its take-up has been poor.

Lahudin Myrtaj, head of highway supervision within the Ministry of Infrastructure, said the new highway was the best in the Balkans, but that it would not be well used until it is connected to other regional routes.

“The highway is little used because it is mainly used by citizens going for summer vacations in Albania,” he said.

“When the highway is connected with the region and goes up to Istanbul, then we plan to install tolls because it will be used more by the business community.”

Until then, the road will remain in the eyes of many little more than a luxury Kosovo and Albania can ill afford.

Balkan Insight

[Thorgerson]

Joj nemojte molim vas opet sa Albanijom.

Mene najviše iritira ovo parčanje dionica, na hiljadu lotova. Pa za svakih 2-3km mi spremamo dokumentaciju, projektujemo, objavljujemo tendere, sve to traje unedogled. Od 300km autoceste smo napravili naučnu fantastiku, ko da je to bog zna šta.

Ja ne bih išao sa lotovima manjim od 50km. Osim eto gdje su neki neke glomazne stvari u pitanju, tipa tunel Prenj. Ovo ostalo, pa mi parčamo dionice na 2km. Šta je razlog? Nema se love? Nadji. Ako ne mozes, dovedi nekoga ko moze naci. Ako neke zklj zemlje mogu obezbjediti sredstva i milijarde kredita, kako to da mi ne možemo.

Šta je sa dionicom Tarčin - Ivan, jel završen tender, ne mogu nigdje da nađem rezulate. Hoće li i to sad obarati, pa prolongirati? Najavljivali su početak radova na proljeće.

[Seyfo]

Nije ovo loše, ali ne riješava suštinski problem, a to je dionica Bradina-Konjic, gdje se dešavaju najveće gužve i gdje su zimi kamioni nebrojeno puta proklizali, prepriječili se i blokirali saobraćaj.Jest da je taj dio najskuplji ili među najskupljim, ali je najbitiniji, uzeći u obzir dionicu Sarajevo-Konjic, sve do tunela Prenj. Tarčin-Ivan sedlo je potrebna dionica kao dio cjelokupnog koridora Vc, ali gledajući pojedine dionice, i nema neku važnost.

[parappa]

Joj nemojte molim vas opet sa Albanijom.

Mene najviše iritira ovo parčanje dionica, na hiljadu lotova. Pa za svakih 2-3km mi spremamo dokumentaciju, projektujemo, objavljujemo tendere, sve to traje unedogled. Od 300km autoceste smo napravili naučnu fantastiku, ko da je to bog zna šta.

Ja ne bih išao sa lotovima manjim od 50km. Osim eto gdje su neki neke glomazne stvari u pitanju, tipa tunel Prenj. Ovo ostalo, pa mi parčamo dionice na 2km. Šta je razlog? Nema se love? Nadji. Ako ne mozes, dovedi nekoga ko moze naci. Ako neke zklj zemlje mogu obezbjediti sredstva i milijarde kredita, kako to da mi ne možemo.

Šta je sa dionicom Tarčin - Ivan, jel završen tender, ne mogu nigdje da nađem rezulate. Hoće li i to sad obarati, pa prolongirati? Najavljivali su početak radova na proljeće.

kao mi nismo zklj zemlja?

[Haris.ba]

Nije ovo loše, ali ne riješava suštinski problem, a to je dionica Bradina-Konjic, gdje se dešavaju najveće gužve i gdje su zimi kamioni nebrojeno puta proklizali, prepriječili se i blokirali saobraćaj.Jest da je taj dio najskuplji ili među najskupljim, ali je najbitiniji, uzeći u obzir dionicu Sarajevo-Konjic, sve do tunela Prenj. Tarčin-Ivan sedlo je potrebna dionica kao dio cjelokupnog koridora Vc, ali gledajući pojedine dionice, i nema neku važnost.

Šta misliš da te Terza posluša i krene praviti ko po Hercegovini nepovezane dionice, pa napravi Bradina - Konjic?

Nema tu neke pameti je li bitnije ili nije. Samo praviti povezano.

[Thorgerson]

Joj nemojte molim vas opet sa Albanijom.

Mene najviše iritira ovo parčanje dionica, na hiljadu lotova. Pa za svakih 2-3km mi spremamo dokumentaciju, projektujemo, objavljujemo tendere, sve to traje unedogled. Od 300km autoceste smo napravili naučnu fantastiku, ko da je to bog zna šta.

Ja ne bih išao sa lotovima manjim od 50km. Osim eto gdje su neki neke glomazne stvari u pitanju, tipa tunel Prenj. Ovo ostalo, pa mi parčamo dionice na 2km. Šta je razlog? Nema se love? Nadji. Ako ne mozes, dovedi nekoga ko moze naci. Ako neke zklj zemlje mogu obezbjediti sredstva i milijarde kredita, kako to da mi ne možemo.

Šta je sa dionicom Tarčin - Ivan, jel završen tender, ne mogu nigdje da nađem rezulate. Hoće li i to sad obarati, pa prolongirati? Najavljivali su početak radova na proljeće.

kao mi nismo zklj zemlja?

Ne kontam te. Jesmo. To sam i napisao.

Zato i kazem, ako one mogu, kako mi ne mozemo. Onda mi nismo ni zklj.

[Thorgerson]

Nije ovo loše, ali ne riješava suštinski problem, a to je dionica Bradina-Konjic, gdje se dešavaju najveće gužve i gdje su zimi kamioni nebrojeno puta proklizali, prepriječili se i blokirali saobraćaj.Jest da je taj dio najskuplji ili među najskupljim, ali je najbitiniji, uzeći u obzir dionicu Sarajevo-Konjic, sve do tunela Prenj. Tarčin-Ivan sedlo je potrebna dionica kao dio cjelokupnog koridora Vc, ali gledajući pojedine dionice, i nema neku važnost.

Šta misliš da te Terza posluša i krene praviti ko po Hercegovini nepovezane dionice, pa napravi Bradina - Konjic?

Nema tu neke pameti je li bitnije ili nije. Samo praviti povezano.

A sta je problem da se pravi paralelno, pa da se uveze poslije? Pa bolje je i imati te komade spremne, nego cekati nesto, nekoga. Evo ne mora se stavljati zavrsni sloj asfalta. Moze se sve osim toga uraditi, ako postoji bojazan od propadanja. Kao sto je uradjeno sa Svilaj - Odzak (mada su je oni asfaltirali nedavno, ali dionica je spremna pred asflatiranje stajala dugo godina). Mislim posto vec gradimo onako kako ne treba i ako vec ne mozemo vece dionice odradjivati.

Uostalom, Terzić ga "već sluša". Jer upravo pravi leteću dionicu po Hercegovini, gdje nećeš moći prići bez helikoptera.

Mada neka rade i to malo jada. Bolje i to da se zavrsava, sta se moze. Pa sutra ili za 10 godina kad prodje tender za vijadukt pocitelj zvirovici, samo ga spojit sa ovom dionicom.

I zar nije i logicnije npr vece tunele jučer bušiti. Probij tunel, odradi taj projekat, pa spojit cemo ga. Sta sad mi moramo cekati da dovucemo cestu do Prenja i onda cemo ga 10 godina bušit?

[dadoka84]

Samo da onaj odvratni tunel zaobiđu vrijedna je itekako. Vazda se ježim onog ćoška kad izlaziš prema konjicu, samo čekam kakav šleper da uleti.

[Haris.ba]

A sta je problem da se pravi paralelno, pa da se uveze poslije? Pa bolje je i imati te komade spremne, nego cekati nesto, nekoga. Evo ne mora se stavljati zavrsni sloj asfalta. Moze se sve osim toga uraditi, ako postoji bojazan od propadanja. Kao sto je uradjeno sa Svilaj - Odzak (mada su je oni asfaltirali nedavno, ali dionica je spremna pred asflatiranje stajala dugo godina). Mislim posto vec gradimo onako kako ne treba i ako vec ne mozemo vece dionice odradjivati.

Uostalom, Terzić ga "već sluša". Jer upravo pravi leteću dionicu po Hercegovini, gdje nećeš moći prići bez helikoptera.

Mada neka rade i to malo jada. Bolje i to da se zavrsava, sta se moze. Pa sutra ili za 10 godina kad prodje tender za vijadukt pocitelj zvirovici, samo ga spojit sa ovom dionicom.

I zar nije i logicnije npr vece tunele jučer bušiti. Probij tunel, odradi taj projekat, pa spojit cemo ga. Sta sad mi moramo cekati da dovucemo cestu do Prenja i onda cemo ga 10 godina bušit?

Pričaš kao da radi neko sposoban oko autocesta.

Ne može se raditi ništa paralelno jer već se pisalo na temi šta je strategija izgradnje. Na autoceste se gleda kao planirani godišnji prihod u državi 3 firme. Malo se svađaju u FBiH koja će od dvije šta raditi, pa imamo upravo situaciju da mosta Počitelj nema.

Nisu ludi da ko u Hrvatskoj završe većinu ceste, pa šta će onda da rade? Ovako rade pomalo, kupe reference i onda gledaju da šta čvaknu u regionu.

Ja ne znam šta treba da narod shvati da završenog koridora nema u slijedećih 30 godina. Prenj će se početi raditi dok se jedna fimra nauči bušiti tunele. Trenutno tamo gdje buši i kako buši - bolje da i ne počinje Prenj.