Huge profits out of the state
Three companies dependent on state contracts in the transport sector are among Slovakia’s most profitable firms. Turčan Delta (Peter Blizniak) supplies car license plates. It has annual net profits of €2m on €6m in sales. It sells the plates for €9 apiece, which is 5-times the Czech price. It has been supplying the plates since 1996 and its current contract runs out in 2019. The Interior Ministry is preparing a new tender.
Saroute (Ivan Hlavoň) supplies traffic signs and paints road lines. Its only clients are state road administrators. It has annual sales of €13.9m, and turns 29% of that into net profit.
SkyToll (official owner is Petr Syrovátko; it used to be controlled by J&T and Milan Fiľo) runs the toll system and in 2010-16 it made a €147m net profit on €650m in sales. The sales have been €170m higher than its initial contract with the state, while the state’s toll revenue is much lower. In 2016, for instance, the state was to send €40m to SkyToll, but sent €100m. SkyToll will run the toll system for four more years.
