Slovak Highway Tolls Up 40 percent as of July, Third of Revenues to Private Firm

Bratislava, April 25 (TASR) - As of July, highway tolls in Slovakia will increase by 40 percent, with a third of the revenues going to a private company, as politicians and the leadership of the National Highway Company (NDS) have long been adapting the system to channel a significant share of the profits to private firms such as SkyToll or CzechToll, according to representatives of the 'Lets Stop Corruption' foundation and hauliers unions, who are threatening to block roads if the Transport Ministry fails to negotiate with them. "We're calling on the transport minister and the head of the National Highway Company to finally sit down at the negotiating table with the Union of Slovak Hauliers. If this doesn't happen within a certain time frame, for example, within a month, the Union of Slovak Hauliers is prepared to organise another protest. We'll try to block border crossings," said union head Stanislav Skala. Hauliers pay toll fees for using Slovak highways, Skala noted, but even with the planned increase not all of the money will go towards maintaining roads. "Despite repeated promises from various prime ministers and transport ministers, 38 cents in every euro still goes to a private company. At a time when Slovakia urgently needs to repair its highways and bridges, it's unacceptable for politicians to waste toll revenues in this way," stressed Skala. lin/df