The Slovak government has confirmed the allocation of €60 million for the city of Košice for cultural infrastructure within the project of the European Capital of Culture on Friday, August 13, the first Deputy
Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Ján Figeľ informed at a press conference in Košice on Monday. Figeľ wants to create a higher awareness of the city of Kosice and get it into wider European relations.
The Mayor of Košice, František Knapík, appreciated the positive news that Figeľ brought. They cannot hesitate in the use of the approved funding, especially in the European Capital of Culture projects, which have deadlines and have to be implemented by 2013, stated Knapík. "After this news, I look into the future with joy and more hope that buildings and projects will be realized in time; and I do not expect anything else to happen that would cause significant delays in projects or stoppage of the works," Knapík told the SITA newswire. This will be beneficial not only for Košice but for a wider region, according to the mayor. The construction of the dual carriageway R-4 Košice - Milhošť will begin soon; it should be at the end of August. In the coming weeks, when the state budget numbers for next year will be known, the ministry and the government will deal also with the construction of highway links between D1, R4, and R2 roads, the construction of which belongs among the priorities of the government, Figeľ emphasised. The highway from Košice will continue in the direction to
Michalovce and Slovak-Ukraine border.
