AVAX keeps €41.6M bonus as Metro Line 4 delivery set for 2032

The decision concerns two main issues: the project timeline and the €41.6 million bonus. The Ministry accepted the part of the consortium’s objection related to the bonus, concluding that—at least at this stage—it is not lawful to request the repayment of the amount from the contractor.

By contrast, it rejected the remaining claims concerning the project schedule. The Ministry adopted the position of Elliniko Metro, according to which the project can be completed by 3 September 2032. This date is significantly earlier than the contractor’s proposal, which placed completion in February 2034.

The competent committee, after examining the evidence, concluded that the consortium’s revised schedule effectively amounts to a request for an extension of the project, regardless of how it was presented. In other words, it found that the contractor is seeking additional time to complete the works.

At the same time, the committee judged that the schedule approved by the Ministry is more realistic and technically feasible, as it is based on specific and substantiated data. It also noted that it does not include activities that have not yet been finalised.

Regarding delays, the consortium’s argument that they are entirely due to force majeure was rejected. The committee clarified that such cases are addressed through extensions of deadlines, not through a general suspension of contractual obligations.

The €41.6 million bonus

A different conclusion was reached regarding the €41.6 million bonus. On this point, the committee accepted that the delays are largely linked to the late delivery of work sites by the project owner.

For this reason, it ruled that the circumstances approach the definition of force majeure, meaning that it is not lawful—at this stage—to demand the repayment of the additional payment.

Background of the case

The contract for the construction of Athens Metro Line 4 was signed in June 2021, with a total budget exceeding €1.15 billion and an initial completion target of 2029.

During implementation, an initial schedule was approved and subsequent extensions were granted. However, the contractor did not submit updated schedules in a timely manner, despite relevant obligations. As a result, in 2025 the competent authority formally requested a revised work programme.

Eventually, in October 2025, the consortium submitted a revised schedule showing significant delays—mainly due to late site deliveries. According to this plan, completion was shifted to February 2034, roughly five years later than originally planned.

After evaluation, the Ministry adjusted the proposal and approved a new schedule with a final completion date of September 2032.

Positions of the two sides

The consortium argued that the schedule approved by the Ministry is neither realistic nor technically feasible. It claimed it does not account for the full impact of delays on the sequence of works, resulting in an artificial compression of the construction timeline.

It also stated that its revised schedule does not constitute a request for extension, but rather a reflection of the actual project conditions as requested by the authority. Furthermore, it maintained that delays are not its responsibility but stem from external factors, such as late site delivery.

The Ministry, on the other hand, argued that the contractor’s schedule included excessive durations, insufficiently substantiated delays, and activities not yet approved. For this reason, it made adjustments based only on verified delays.

It also stated that technical interventions—such as parallel execution of works—have been implemented to recover part of the lost time without altering the project’s core logic or contractual terms.