Minister Gashi- LDK VV: Changing stadium location increases cost, spent over 1m euros on project

Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Kujtim Gashi has reacted to statements by LDK elected MP Lumir Abdijdziku, who last night declared that during meetings between the working groups of the LDK and VV, they have agreed not to build at the Drensian Corretica, but in Brnica in Pristina.

The Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports has come up with a communique for the media, which argues the recent government's decision to switch the location of the Kosovo National Stadium from Bernica and Pristina to Kortica Drensa.

From this ministry, they say the decision was initially made to build the stadium in Pristina, but that it later resulted in problems in property disputes in the village of Bernice and that expropriations had to be made that would increase the cost of the project.

In the MKRS response, it also stresses that former government Mustafa had not conducted any procedures for building the stadium in Brrnica.

Meanwhile, a message has been given in this communiqué to the new government, which is expected to create LDK and Vetevendosje, saying the venetual change of location would complicate the situation, as all procedures for the construction of this stadium have been completed.

Gashi has also stressed that 1m euros have been spent on the project.

Full response of MKRS:

As the MKRS estimates that the eventual change of location would increase the cost of the stadium, complicate the situation even further, and it is a clear tendency to block this project, for moremore, is depressing news for citizens of the Republic of Kosovo at a time when our country needs most this project which is ready to start.

Following recent statements, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports finds it necessary to clarify for opinion the decision to build the national Stadium.

The MKRS has initially planned to build Kosovo National Stadium in Pristina. We have analysed space in the village of Brrnica, which has resulted in property disputes, there have been spaces that had to be expropriated, and this has increased the overall cost of the project, to the worse, the former government Mustafa had not developed any procedures for building the stadium in Brrnica.

Meanwhile, the current location, which has been decided to build the stadium, has been the most favourable for many reasons. The gap in miles from Pristina to Corretica or Brrnica is only 5km. The willingness and cooperation of the Drenas Community to offer such a space, where property has already passed all necessary procedures, being dedicated to the stadium. The current area, namely, of the cadastre separate from the national stadium, has been property that has not been needed for expropriation and has significantly reduced the cost of the project.

Other facts that have been reasonable and convincing to determine for that location are also close to the International Airport “Adem Jashari” and access to the highway elabrahim Rugova]. The decision-making is also based on the attitude of equal treatment for all ends of Kosovo's territory for the stadium to be built in the center of the Republic of Kosovo.

The MKRS has taken the necessary steps to concreteise the project in question. We've announced international calls for the design of the National Stadium project, and we've already presented its idea project. This project has cost over 1m euros.

We want to let the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo know, especially those who without any analysis talk about exchange of location, that the MKRS has already completed all procedures, made the government decision on building the stadium, made the feasibility of location, made land drilling, and finalised the project for Kosovo National Stadium.

As the MKRS estimates that the eventual change of location would increase the cost of the stadium, complicate the situation even further, and it is a clear tendency to block this project, for moremore, is depressing news for citizens of the Republic of Kosovo at a time when our country needs most this project which is ready to start.