"Past experience has shown the Tallinn Urban Environment and Public Works Department to be rigid in interpreting tender conditions and their execution. Deviation in traffic management and preliminary deadlines is not tolerated and results in sanctions," Pertens told Delfi's Ärileht.

"Considering these aspects, we decided that undertaking the project in that location would not bring us happiness and decided not to submit a bid," Pertens said in terms of why TREV-2 opted out of one of the largest street reconstruction projects Tallinn has undertaken in recent years.

Before the decision not to participate was made, TREV-2 sent a letter to the department, asking whether it would be possible to close the area to traffic altogether for major and time-consuming roadworks.

The reply was clear: bids would have to observe tender conditions to the letter and closing the entire site to traffic would not be in accordance.

Pertens was all the more surprised when he saw signs notifying motorists that Pronksi tänav is completely cut off to traffic.

The CEO describes the situation as unfair treatment of bidders and companies that decided not to bid, which is contrary to the Public Procurements Act.

He calculates the project cost difference in the case of partial and complete Pronksi and Jõe street closures at €2.5-3 million.

Heigo Jänes, deputy head of the public works department, said that decisions to close streets for the duration of construction work are a dynamic process that is between the contractor and contracting entity.

Jänes added that it turned out right after construction work was launched that existing underground communications are not where they should be according to the plans.

However, the fact that the decision to close the street in full was clear before digging work started and the surprising locations of utility networks were revealed clashes with Jänes' remarks.

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