Brussels repeatedly applies double standards to the detriment of Hungary. He has now initiated breach of duty proceedings in connection with the motorway concession that meets the highest requirements, which he has granted to many other Member States for investments of a similar content, citing alleged reasons. The same happened in Spain, where infringement proceedings were initiated in connection with two highway concessions, the Government Information Center announced. They emphasized:
The Hungarian state is taking legal steps to protect the legal highway contract.
The strategic goal of the Hungarian State is the operation and development of a high-quality, sustainable road network in order to promote the development of the economy and the mobilization of society. This strategy fulfills the following objectives:
- The extension of the expressways to the national borders, the full construction of the west-east and west-south corridors and the increase of their capacity. Operation of the road network at the Western European level, strengthening and ensuring Hungary’s transit role.
- Access to expressways within 30 minutes should be ensured for the majority of the population, thereby improving the mobilization of society and accessibility to economic centers.
- County seats and towns with county status are connected by a high-quality expressway network.
- Generating significant social benefits for Hungarian society with shorter journey times and safer transport.
This important national economic goal was achieved by the conclusion of the new concession contract, on the basis of which the concessionaire undertook the long-term, high-quality operation and maintenance of expressways, as well as the construction of 317 km of new highways and the expansion of 265 km of highways within 10 years, for the implementation of which European Union funds due to its absence, the Hungarian State would not be able to, they wrote.
Based on the new concession contract, the concessionaire assumes the operational and financial risk from the Hungarian State, which significantly eases the budget’s expenditure burden in order to develop the economy
they emphasized.
Based on the European and international highway concession contracts examined during the preparation of the conclusion of the concession contract, it can be established that the length of the majority of European highway concession contracts is typically in the 26-35 year range, so the 35-year duration of the Hungarian concession is fully in line with international practice. There are many European motorway concession contracts with a duration of around 50-80 years, they indicated.
If we break it down by country, it can be seen that one of the most widespread solutions in Spain is the concession for the construction and operation of highways. For most of the 45 Spanish roads, deadlines of 30-35 years are used, but there are also 55 and 75-year periods. In the United Kingdom, 28 concessions are running or have been running, most of them with a duration of 30-35 years. Concessions are also popular in Germany, where highway sections have been built this way 21 times. These are, without exception, entitlements for 30 years, they explained. They added: In addition, Polish, Slovak, Belgian, Austrian, Irish, Portuguese and Australian concession road constructions have also taken place, so it can be said that it is a widely used model.
In order to raise the quality of life and standard of living of the Hungarian people, the government is on the side of the development of the Hungarian economy, therefore it is taking all the necessary legal steps to protect the concession contract, which was legally concluded and attacked for unfounded reasons on the part of Brussels
they emphasized.
Tags: Hungarian state legal steps protect legal highway contract
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