Czech construction firm wants to head consortium to modernize railroads

ZS Brno, one of the five largest construction companies in the Czech Republic, has announced its intention to form a consortium with several Polish companies in order to carry out a necessary modernization of Poland's rail network. The announcement comes shortly after a government declaration that rebuilding the railways will cost around zl. 13 billion in the coming years. The European Union (EU) will pay part of this sum through the Structural Instruments for Pre-Accession (ISPA) and PHARE programs. ISPA spending in this field will reach zl. 2.8 billion in the years 2002 to 2007. The President of ZS Brno, Michal Stefl, did not want to reveal the names of the companies he would like to work with. "We will want to join forces with smaller companies," he said. "The names will be announced in three months' time." The head of the Czech company did mention that he is interested in companies which were created as a result of the restructuring of Polish State Railways (PKP). (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 20) A.K.