Asphalt is now being laid on the Struma motorway section between Sandanski and Kulata, whose completion has been repeatedly delayed.

The 15-kilometer motorway section is being built by Greek construction company Aktor.

Aktor was warned in the autumn of 2014 that the contract could be cancelled due to its repeated failure to observe deadlines, according to reports of dnevnik.bg.

The Greek construction firm explained the delays with expropriation procedures.

However, the contract with Aktor was not terminated as the Bulgarian government decided that it would delay the completion of the project even further.

Construction works for the 15-kilometer motorway section started in April 2012 and it was initially meant to be completed in 23 months.

Aktor won the public procurement procedure by offering the lowest price, BGN 67 M.

Work is currently underway round the clock so that Lot 4 can open for traffic in the beginning of August, according to reports of Bulgaria’s Road Infrastructure Agency.

The project is co-financed by the EU’s Cohesion Fund and the state budget under operational program Transport 2007-2013.