NEWS

Thessaloniki metro works hit impasse

Construction on the Thessaloniki metro has been stalled by financial difficulties facing the contractors and the state?s failure to move forward with necessary expropriations, Kathimerini understands.

The consortium that has undertaken the project has repeatedly raised its economic demands of the state, which currently stand at 240 million euros. Citing difficulties in borrowing from banks, the consortium has also asked for more money in advance.

?We don?t want to deem the contractor who has taken on the project to have forfeited the right to carry it out,? Alternate Infrastructure Minister Stavros Kaloyiannis told Kathimerini, adding that authorities are eager to find a solution to the deadlock.

Launched in 2006, the project was originally planned to finish in October. It has already been pushed back to 2016. Meanwhile, a number of archaeological finds and expropriation delays in at least five sites are pushing back the schedule.

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