Hitching a ride with the private sector.

(From The Slovak Spectator)

Byline: Marta Iurianova Spectator staff

Infrastructure - Cabinet to take plunge into public-private partnerships on building infrastructure INFRASTRUCTURE spending has always been a difficult temptation for governments to resist.

It creates jobs (and appreciative voters), promotes economic growth, and creates the impression of active leadership.

But given that infrastructure has traditionally been commissioned and operated by the public sector, where accountability is far lower than in the private sector, the money spent on such projects has not always been used efficiently.

Slovakias freeways are currently among the most expensive to build in Europe, on a per-kilometre basis, while, only last year, the competition authority fined some of the nations largest construction firms for cartel behaviour in public tenders for freeway projects.

That may all be about to change.