Work in Belate is almost paralysed, waiting for a solution to pay EUR 8.5 million in extra costs

The unfolding of the tunnels in Belate (Navarre) is almost completely paralysed after the Government's Legal Counsel ruled out paying the extra costs incurred using the formula known as "unfair enrichment".

The First Vice-President of the Government, Javier Remírez, and the Territorial Cohesion Adviser, Óscar Chivite, have explained that on Monday they learned of the report of the legal services, which excludes this route, and that with regard to the payment and future of the work, Remírez and Chivite have stated that "all optionsare open ".

At the origin of the situation is an amendment to the contract, amounting to around EUR 8.5 million, which was proposed to cover the cost of certain works deemed necessary during the execution of the works.

This amendment did not succeed, since in November 2025 the General Intervention presented an objection to suspension on the grounds that the necessary legal requirements had not been verified, which was accepted by the Government, which was followed by the relay of the then Director-General of Public Works, Pedro López.

Since then, the executive has considered various options to pay for the status of the work already done, and the parties involved have ensured that they are willing to sit down and seek a solution.

A work without activity

The conseller explained that at the moment there is hardly any activity in the work, since the receipt of the legal report coincided with the change of phase of the work.

It has also ensured that the delay does not, in principle, jeopardize state funding and has recalled that some EUR 38 millionhas already been paid to the Joint Venture Association Aldi, and has also stated that the deadline set by Europe for the completion of the work is 2030 and that, in the event of delays, there is a margin.

In the meantime, Geroa Bai , Contigo-Zurekin and EH Bildu have expressed concern about the state of the project and have asked Navarre President Maria Chivite for explanations.

For her part, UPN President Cristina Ibarrola has stated that Chivite is "in a dead end" as her legal services are suspending attempts to pay for the modification of the works.