Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov ordered for immediately terminating the selection procedure for contractors of Lots 1 and 2 of Hemus motorway.

This becomes clear from a press release of the government's information service issued on Monday.

According to it, Regional Minister Lilyana Pavlova is to order the National Company Strategic Infrastructure Projects to immediately take actions on terminating the tender.

No motives for the decision have been outlined in the press release.

The tender for the construction of the two sections with a total length of 60 kilometres at a cost of BGN 800 M was won by firms, which media reports connect with controversial MP and media mogul Delyan Peevski and Lukoil Bulgaria head Valentin Zlatev.

An Italian and Turkish companies which had offered lower costs of construction appealed the result of the tender before the Commission for Protection of Competition.

The offers were revealed in December last year, when it became clear that the cost of construction will be twice more expensive than the initial estimates.

Lot 1 has a length of 24 kilometres, spanning the section between Yablanitsa and Ugarchin. Lot 2 covers the section between Ugarchin and the connection with Pleven/Lovech with a length of 36 kilometres.