Any hopes that the Paphos-Poli Chrysochous road project would get back on track have faded following the opening of new tenders, which have driven the cost sharply upward. The lowest bid submitted has pushed the price of the project to €124.85 million (plus VAT), from the €73 million plus VAT at which the contract had originally been awarded, to the Greek construction company Intrakat.
The two new bids have sparked concern at both political and administrative levels, with a real possibility that the process could collapse altogether. The situation is not expected to become clear before the end of the month, according to sources cited by Kathimerini, ahead of a meeting of all involved services scheduled for July 1.
Well-informed sources told Kathimerini that alternative options will be presented at that meeting, as there are believed to be serious issues with the current tender process. These, the sources said, have created “dilemmas and concern over the decisions that need to be taken.” Options are reportedly very limited, potentially leaving the government with no choice but to consider the second “best” bid – despite it being over €51 million higher.
