The construction of the Bratislava zero bypass, the D4 motorway and the R7 expressway, is strictly in accordance with all applicable Slovak and international standards, guidelines, and legal requirements, as well as the concession contract, according to the builder. Juan Jose Bregel, general manager of D4R7 Construction responsible for building the bypass, made this statement on Thursday, adding that he strongly disagrees with the conclusions of the soil tests conducted at the site and published by the Transport Ministry earlier in the day. Bregel said he had met with Transport Minister Arpad Ersek (Most-Hid) on Thursday, and that both sides agreed that there was no contamination in the construction. "However, we strongly disagree with the content of the report submitted. In our opinion, the only question for discussion is regarding some formal administrative procedures," stated Bregel. He said he hopes to clarify this in the coming weeks at technical meetings with experts from the Transport Ministry.
The Transport and Construction Ministry stated earlier on Thursday that soil tests in the embankments of the emerging Bratislava zero bypass did not confirm contamination that would endanger human health. However, an analysis showed that materials were used that are not in compliance with building regulations. According to the ministry's statement, in order to confirm these results and determine the extent of the problem it will be necessary to carry out additional sampling and more tests, which are scheduled to begin on Friday 17 May. Transport minister Ersek has said that if tests confirm that forbidden materials were used, the builder will be obliged to remove the materials and provide new material at its own expense. The Transport Ministry also stated that it intends to co-operate closely with the police, who are also dealing with these suspicions.
