The state will not provide any money for constructing a new National Football Stadium in Slovakia, the government decided on Wednesday, October 13, the TASR newswire reported.
Iveta Radičová's cabinet scrapped a resolution passed by the previous government that allocated €69.12 million to Bratislava for this purpose. The Education Ministry, whose remit includes sport, claims that additional financial requirements submitted by the city have changed the conditions for granting the subsidy and represent further demands on the state budget, something that is in contradiction with scheduled cuts in state expenditures.
According to former Prime Minister Robert Fico, the National Football Stadium construction project was viewed as the start of a more extensive process of "cultivating" football facilities in Slovakia. It was supposed to be a reaction to wider public demand and a measure taken in response to the economic crisis.
Radičová indicated as early as August that her government would not provide any money for the stadium, even though she conceded that Slovakia needs such a facility. She stated that the money for a new stadium must be found outside the state budget.
According to the ministry, the subsidy was conditioned by the city of Bratislava gaining the right to demolish Slovan, Bratislava's old stadium, which has often been the venue for international matches. "The condition hasn't been met," said the ministry adding that the city also asked that the subsidy be increased to cover VAT that will be paid on construction of the new stadium.
The government has not abandoned the idea of building a new national football stadium in Bratislava and is still counting on one in the future but only on the condition that money is available for this purpose, said Education Minister Eugen Jurzyca after the government session on Wednesday, October 13. "This will mainly depend on the situation in public finances," said Jurzyca told TASR.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
14. Oct 2010 at 10:00
