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State Won't Provide Money for New National Football Stadium
Wednesday 13 Octtber 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, October 13 (TASR) - The state will not provide any money for constructing a new National Football Stadium in Slovakia, the Government decided on Wednesday.
Iveta Radicova's Cabinet scrapped a resolution passed by the previous government that allocated €69.12 million to Bratislava City coffers for this purpose. The Education Ministry, whose remit includes sport, claims that further 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-budget 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. At the same time, it was supposed to be a reaction to wider public demand and a measure taken in response to the economic crisis.
Radicova indicated as early as in August that her Cabinet wouldn't provide any money for the stadium, even though she conceded that Slovakia needs such a facility. She stated that the money for this purpose will have to 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," claims the ministry, adding that the City also applied for the subsidy to be increased to cover VAT.
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