Offering for the stadium and unattainable agreement

A debate over the location where the Kosovo National Stadium is expected to be built and the shift of location from Pristina to Drenas has overshadowed the way this stadium will be built.

The only concrete offer for the project and funding of the stadium, which the Government of Kosovo has on the table, is that of the Government of Hungary. In April of this year, Hungary's Government had presented a project to build Kosovo National Stadium through a favourable loan at Hungary's State Bank.

For this reason, Online Insander newspaper has conducted an interview with Hungary's ambassador to Kosovo, László Márkuz. The Hungarian diplomat has said the Hungarian bid for the stadium still stands, while confessing to negotiations held between the two governments.

When Kosovo was admitted to European football house U EFA, in May 2016, was the idea of offering Kosovo government experts and Hungarian companies to build a National Stadium.

He saw it important that Kosovo needs stadiums that meet international standards.

Kosovo became a member of the organisation U n EFA in Budapest in May 2016 and FIFA as well, so Kosovo needs stadiums that meet international standards. Negotiations started at my initiative in the summer of 2016”, says Márkuz.

The ambassador emphasises that “in an official meeting I drew the attention of the Government of Kosovo to results achieved by the Government of Hungary for the construction of stadiums in recent years. ”

I also highlighted the experiences of expertise made by Hungarian companies”, he says.

In addition to building the National Stadium, László Márkuz suggests that Hungarian companies are willing to offer their expertise at the renovation of city stadiums in Mitrovica and Pristina.

Hungary's “Government has launched the development programme in 2014 and since then, 27 stadiums have been or are being modernised in my country. Hungary offers relevant experts from our private companies and government experiences in dealing with construction and reconstruction of several stadiums. Hungarian firms are also ready to offer their relevant expertise and high technology in the renovation works of the city's Pristina and Mitrovica stadiums”, the ambassador declares.

Following the launch of negotiations between the two governments in the summer of 2016, two senior Kosovo state officials -- Chief Parliamentary Kadri Veselin and former Sport Minister Mejtim Shala -- had held official visits to Budapest. There they had also discussed the matter of the National Stadium.

“As Minister of Sports Kujtim Shala visited Budapest to discuss Hungarian government experiences in the construction of stadiums, in the month of October 2016”, Hungarian Ambassador to Kosovo Gazette Online In Sayder told Gazette.

Wessel's chief speaker had even visited the “Groupama Arena” stadium, which was chosen as a model for the construction of the new stadium in Kosovo. However, László Márkuz says that Wessel's visit to Hungary had not been the head of the National Stadium.

His vision was not directly linked to building the stadium, but this topic was rumoured during his conversation with our Parliament Speaker”, he relates.

The visit of Kosovo's top parliament to “Groupama Arena”, however, had hinted that past governance in Kosovo was seriously considering Hungary's bid, says Insader.

But even though Kadri Wessel continues to hold the same position as before the new government came, his approach and the Haradinaj government in negotiations with Hungary has changed. That is what Ambassador László Márkusz reveals.

This year's parliamentary and local elections have undoubtedly slowed the pace of such negotiations”, the Hungarian ambassador declares. “We have had informal conversations, but not serious negotiations and especially no agreements on something so far”.

Even a final agreement between the two governments for the construction of the National Stadium is not in concrete stages, Hungary's ambassador says reaching an agreement would boast his country's government.

László Márkuz expresses the desire for Hungarian companies to build a “stadium in such a friendly place as Kosovo”.

“If Hungarian companies take part in these construction/restruction jobs will serve them as an international reference and me, and my government would be extremely proud that we showed our skills in such a friendly place as Kosova”, the Hungarian ambassador says.

The “Gruopama Arena” stadium, which is presented as a model for the construction of Kosovo National Stadium, has a capacity of about 24 thousand seats.

Football team matches Ferenevárosi TC from Budapest and Hungary's nationals are held in this stadium.

Gruopama Arena Stadium