Israeli company Housing and Construction is about to sign a contract with the Czech government for construction of a 90 km road between Brno and Ostrava, at an investment of $1.5 billion. The road will be built under a 25-year BOT contract. Includes a 1.4 km tunnel. Other partners to the project are Austrian firm Strabag and Brown & Root. Visit www.hch.co.il 17/02.The government has decided to cancel a BOT contract signed with a consortium led by Housing & Construction Holding Co. of Israel for the 90 km section of motorway D 47 from Brno to Ostrava and the Polish border, including two tunnels, one of which 1.4 km in length. The project was not submitted to tender. The government hopes to save €1-€1.3 billion on the €4 billion proposal by the consortium and to speed up the construction programmed to be completed in 2008. Read E-News Weekly # 9/2003. 15/03.The Czech National Road Administration has awarded to Skanska, Strabag, Metrostav and Subterra a CZK6 billion contract for the construction of an 11.7 km-long section on the D47 highway between Bilovec and Ostrava, in the eastern part of the Czech Republic, at the border to Poland. Skanska's share amounts to 40%. The project includes in particular a 1 km-long tunnel, 10 bridges and six viaducts. Construction will commence in August and the project is scheduled for completion in April 2008. Visit www.skanska.com, www.strabag.at, www.metrostav.cz and www.subterra.cz 24/04.