The extraordinary meeting of the Vilnius Municipality Council regarding the National Stadium did not take place: only 17 politicians participated

Artūras Zuokas, the leader of the opposition of the Vilnius Municipal Council, told journalists that politicians who did not participate would lose a third of their salary.

“According to the Council’s work regulations, anyone who was supposed to attend but did not attend a Council meeting will lose part of their salary. In this case, a third. In other words, we know that the mayor negotiated 25 thousand. euros in the negotiations with “BaltCap”, today we will save a similar amount only of taxpayers’ money, because the ruling majority did not come”, A. Zuokas told reporters in the municipality on Friday.

On Wednesday of next week, the municipality will gather for an ordinary meeting, where the revised project of the Multipurpose Complex will be discussed according to the conclusions of the Public Procurement Service (VPT).

The municipality of the capital previously announced that the value of this project, approved in February, will decrease by 25 thousand according to the new corrections. euros. However, Eltai A. Zuokas said that according to VPN conclusions, more savings could be made – at least 2 million. euros.

According to him, the group proposes to cancel the decision of the council in February to approve the construction project of the multi-functional complex and to announce a new tender for construction works. According to A. Zuok, this will ensure that the stadium will be built at a “fair” price, and the faction also proposes to announce tenders for the construction of different objects planned in the Multi-Functional Complex separately.

V. Benkunskas: non-participation of council members in the meeting is a good assessment of its content

At that time, Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas explained to journalists that the non-participation of the majority of council members in the extraordinary meeting was a good assessment of the “empty politicking” of the opposition. According to him, all necessary decisions regarding the National Stadium project will be made on Wednesday.

“There is a very good appreciation of all the content and what the genre is. We have an election period, we have another issue on Wednesday. Everything is very clearly laid out. But if you want to play politics in vain, it didn’t cost me much. It’s 10 minutes. call a meeting and come to the hall”, said V. Benkunskas in the municipality.

“The essential thing is that the issue that is being tried to be solved here is being solved in working order in the Vilnius city administration with the Ministry of Education and other institutions. And all the necessary decisions will be made next Wednesday,” he noted.

Vilnius city municipality administration announced at the end of April that it will adjust the project of the multifunctional complex, which includes the National Stadium. Taking into account the evaluation of VPN, the intensity of investment indexation will be reduced.

It is indicated that 157.25 million was approved by the municipality in February. The value of the project will decrease to EUR 157.23 million. EUR – the expected need for budget funds will be 25 thousand. euros lower than before corrections.

During negotiations on the indexation of investments of the multifunctional complex and the price of additional works, the costs of construction financing were also decided.

“During the negotiations, the concessionaire agreed to give a discount to the construction financing costs during construction and reduced them from 6.37 percent. up to 5.25 percent per year”, the municipality reported.

As stated in the published report, due to the expected reduction in the intensity of investment indexation, the concessionaire will refuse construction financing discounts granted to the Vilnius municipality and the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports (ŠMSM), as a result of which the total need for public funds will change minimally – to the lesser half in favor of the municipality and the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports (ŠMSM).

However, according to VPN, the Vilnius authorities took into account only a part of the changes, and regarding the comments that were not taken into account, the Council will contact the institution hoping for explanations.

The Vilnius City Council meeting is scheduled for May 15. The conclusion of the European Commission is expected to be received by the summer, the municipality said.

ELTA reminds that at the end of February, the Vilnius City Municipal Council approved the changes foreseen in the multi-functional project of the capital.

The real estate development company Hanner intends to take over the project of the national stadium in Vilnius from the capital fund manager BaltCap. Its owner Arvydas Avulis indicates that the construction of the stadium could be completed by the end of 2026. According to the mayor of the capital Valdas Benkunskas, the actual cost of construction alone from 2020 beginning until 2022 increased by 40 percent.

The entire multifunctional complex includes the National Stadium with a sports museum inside, a sports center with basketball, handball, gymnastics, boxing halls, three football training fields, an international category athletics stadium with a football field, an athletics warm-up area with throwing sectors, a cultural center with a library and Kindergarten with 300 places.

According to V. Benkunskas, after indexing, the National Stadium with the entire multifunctional complex should cost approximately 1.2 million. euros more than previously planned, ie 157.2 million. euros. It is estimated that construction works became more expensive by 27.1 million. euros, new works would also contribute (3 thousand additional seats in the stadium and a universal arena), ie 13 million. euros. However, it is stated that 38.1 million euros could be saved by borrowing for only 2 years, instead of 22 years, as previously planned.