Deputy Mayor of Split, Antonio Kuzmanic, said on Monday that the planned facelift of the city-owned Poljud Stadium would cost 148 million kuna (€20 million) and that the city had applied for funding from the so-called National Recovery and Resilience Plan, a EU-funded program designed to help member countries deal with the impact of the Covid pandemic.

Kuzmanic told reporters that the entire roof covering the stands, and the stadium’s main pillars made of concrete must be refurbished.

“According to the latest analysis, the reconstruction of the Poljud stadium costs about 148 million kuna, and we have applied for funding from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NPOO). Now we’re waiting to see what will happen with that,” Kuzmanic told Hina.

Kuzmanic said that if the project fails to get approved for funding via NPOO, city authorities are planning to get funding through the Integrated Territorial Investment (ITU) mechanism or EU financial instruments, through which 50 percent of the funds can be reimbursed following the completion.

He added that if that doesn’t work, the city’s last resort is to issue bonds for the reconstruction of the stadium.

“We are preparing for all scenarios, and we are preparing additional documents in order to be ready for all situations, that is to adapt to a particular financing model,” said Kuzmanic.

He added that the City of Split would also have to earmark 4-5 million kuna for the project, because some of the work that needs to be done cannot wait for funding to materialize.

The stadium, built in 1979 ahead of the city’s hosting of the 1979 Mediterranean Games, has a seating capacity of 34,198, and is home to Hajduk Split, a major powerhouse in Croatian football.

(€1 = 7.52 kuna)