20 PPP projects worth 4 billion euros are in progress

of Eleni Botas

An institution that was adopted in 2005 and has been in almost hypnosis for 17 years, has become the hidden ace up the sleeve of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport for the last three years or so.

The reason for the Public-Private Partnerships, PPPs, which significantly strengthen the portfolio of projects, especially after the choice of the Ministry to proceed with some of them, taking advantage of the funding from the Recovery Fund.

A total of 20 projects of about 4 billion euros are being done through PPPs and of these 10, with a budget of 1.73 billion euros, are already in the tender process.

The projects are “running” fast as developments are expected for the Havria dam in Halkidiki with a budget of 85.4 million euros.

In a statement to Capital.grthe Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, George Karagiannis, revealed, in fact, that “within the summer, the binding offers are expected to be requested from the participants in the tender for this valuable project.

Its importance is twofold as this is the first dam project that proceeds through PPPs and at the same time will solve issues that have plagued Halkidiki for years as it will cover 33% of the total needs of the region “.

It is noted that, in the next period, the goal set by the Ministry is by the end of June, to announce the tender for the establishment of the Thessaloniki Metro Operation and Maintenance Agency, after last week it received the “green light” from the Interministerial for PPPs.

Among the 10 projects that are in progress, are included the first three PPP road projects, FlyOver in Thessaloniki, the section Kalamata – Rizomylos – Pylos – Methoni and the section Hersonissos – Neapoli of BOAK that follows in chronological order, which are located in final stage of their contracting, after the announcement of their temporary contractors.

For the first two projects that the tender procedures preceded, they are expected to be contracted in Autumn and immediately after the works begin, while respectively for the project of BOAK there is a road race by the ministry accelerating procedures so that in this project its contracting to take place within the year.

A special project is the External Water Supply System of Attica with a budget of 234.86 million euros, as it will ensure for 20 years the maintenance and operation of an old network and its efficient operation. The goal is to have a temporary contractor by the end of the year.

Both clusters of the Regional Business Centers of Civil Protection are proceeding with the financial contribution of the Recovery Fund and by the end of the summer the binding offers will be requested.

Respectively, most likely in June the binding offers will be requested from the participants for all 17 school units of Central Macedonia.

The last two building projects that are in the tender process concern the new modern bioclimatic building of the General Secretariat of Infrastructure that is in the 2nd phase and follows the cluster of Court Buildings of Central Macedonia, for which the 1st Phase of the tender is expected to be completed in June and to pass directly to the 2nd phase, which includes the reconstruction of an emblematic work of the Court House of Thessaloniki.

An additional five projects approaching 1.5 billion euros have already been matured and forwarded to the General Secretariat of PPPs. These include two important projects for the local communities of the Enipeas Dam in Farsala and the Tavronitis Dam in Chania.

But also the upgrade of the Road Axis Thessaloniki – Edessa and the Road Axis Drama – Amfipoli, both of which have been announced by the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, as well as the construction of five new police stations in Patras, Karditsa, Veria, Lefkada and Alexandroupolis. will resolve important housing issues due to the age of the existing building infrastructure.

While ready to be submitted by the Ministry in the coming days to the General Secretariat of PPPs, is the proposal to include the project concerning the Water Supply of Corfu a project with a guaranteed financial contribution from the Recovery Fund.

Finally, in the immediate future, the outstanding issues are expected to be resolved in order to proceed with the auction of both clusters of Courthouses in Central Greece and Crete, which have been approved by the Interministerial PPP.