Hungary submitted the M4 project to the European Commission late in 2013 but withdrew it after the Commission “raised concerns about the high costs”.

Lázár said the investment in its current form would be suspended and a new public procurement procedure launched. In the meantime, it must be clarified how the construction costs came about and how Brussels came to suspect cartel activity. He said the plan to directly connect, at the very least, Budapest to Szolnok with a four-lane road had been longstanding.

News portal Index said on Wednesday that the cost per kilometre of 4 billion forints (EUR 13.3m) had raised suspicion in Brussels of cartel activity.

Nándor Csepreghy, cabinet deputy state secretary, said earlier that if the Commission finds Hungary in breach of cartel laws and imposes a fine, the government would pass this on to the construction companies involved.

Csepreghy told a conference that the ministry was waiting to know if “the suspicions of the EC were confirmed” over the construction of the M4 section between Abony and Fegyvernek in central Hungary. He added that the government is determined for the motorway to go ahead.

Source www.hungarymatters.hu

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