Premier: Chinese Experts to Assess Chances of Cooperation on Karpaty Tunnel

Bratislava, November 6 (TASR) - A group of Chinese experts is expected to arrive in Slovakia within a few days to assess the possibilities of cooperation on the planned 12-kilometre Karpaty tunnel, which will pass under the Little Carpathian mountains, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) said after the government meeting on Wednesday. This is one of the projects the premier discussed during his visit to China last week. It should be a public-private partnership (PPP) project. "There are a lot of possibilities where there's a probability of cooperation with Chinese investors," said Fico, adding that at the talks in China, other possibilities of cooperation were also opened, including the reconstruction of bridges, but also a cargo port on the Danube. "We're also starting to develop ideas for air freight transport," added Fico, noting that Slovakia, on the other hand, is offering China its transhipment sites in eastern Slovakia as an option to enter Ukraine in the event of Ukraine's recovery. According to the premier, the 15-day visa-free travel, which is to be in force as of November 8, should also help the development of cooperation. Entrepreneurs as well as tourists should be able to travel more easily to this Asian power. am/mcs