The Government has received a request from the European Union to explain the huge highway contract with the US giant Bechtel – that was done without an open competitive bid and includes a number of clauses that have raised corruption concerns. This was revealed by Government sources during today’s briefing, in which the Government insisted that it was driven by the need to build infrastructure quickly and efficiently. The Government is especially under pressure for trying to adopt laws that Bechtel requires – including a major weakening of worker protection laws – using a fast track procedure in Parliament that is only used for laws that are part of legislation required by the EU.

The explanation is contained in the law, that the political justification of putting the EU flag on these laws is that we want to include Corridor 8 in the network of European transport corridors and that it will speed up the construction and the improvement of our infrastructure, Government sources said at the briefing.

Kovacevski’s Government did not secure any EU funding for the huge highway project – mainly because of its no-bid character, but hopes to have the east – west corridor declare a European priority and to receive funding for future railway lines along its route. The deal was negotiated by representatives of the notoriously corrupt DUI party, and the chief negotiator Artan Grubi is already showing clear signs of inexplicable new wealth.