Thriassio Freight Center: moving closer to the approval by the European Commission

Four years after the start of the concession tender the Thriasio Freight Center is held hostage by its own problems. However, according to sources, it is estimated that there is a high probability that by the end of the year there will be a positive development, i.e. the approval by the European Commission.

What is going to put the tender back on track

It is to be reminded that the Thriasio Freight Center was an “experiment” as it was first ratified by the Parliament, then the concession agreement was signed and was sent to the European Commission for approval. Judging by the time that has been committed to the project, it seems it isn’t “liked” enough, and this move was deemed as “biased”. One of the key questions at this stage is whether there is a directive to complete the audit successfully.

So in order for some light to be shed on the project, there are some conditions. The two-year correspondence between GAIAOSE and DGComp, however, also shows the difficult task that the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport has been called to face. Market participants note that there may be a condition for additional financing of the project by the contractor consortium ETVA VIPE-Goldair or a different agreement may be reached.

We also have to face the fact that the competition for Thriasio II has been declared barren. The European Commission has ringed the alarm for delays, while the country is threatened with the obligation to return hundreds of millions, as well with the loss of valuable Community resources. It should be noted that the money spent by the EU amounts to 235 million euros for the projects on the adjacent property.

Mytilineos company, who has undertaken the construction part of the project that amounts to five-year projects with a cost of up to 120 million euros, must also lie in wait. The area of ​​Thriasio Pedio is considered by the logistics industry as the suitable one to become the crown of investments in the area as it is located at a strategic point between the road and railway networks of the country.