September the 14th, 2021 - The Croatian Government has launched a project to comprehensively renovate Banski dvori, the project comes with a hefty price tag valued at a massive 155.1 million kuna.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, given the fact that Banski dvori is a protected cultural asset, the Croatian Government used the opportunity to co-finance part of the renovation of the building with money from the European Union Solidarity Fund, which are funds available to the Republic of Croatia to help restore the earthquake-damaged cultural heritage.

The government has initiated the procedure of the public procurement of project-technical documentation and the complete renovation of Banski dvori, and it is clear from the tender documentation that the renovation project is being divided into two phases.

In the first phase, which will last for half a year, works on the construction of Banski dvori will be carried out and that part of the project will be co-financed by grants from the European Solidarity Fund. The second phase of the renovation of the Government headquarters building will last for two years from the date of signing the contract with the contractors engaged for the job.

During the works, all installations will be reconstructed (electrical installations, plumbing, sewerage…), the kitchen and restaurant on the ground floor of the building will be renovated, as will some of the ceremonial halls located on the first floor, and office spaces will be arranged in the attic. The Banski dvori building will also finally be fully adapted for people with mobility difficulties, which has been a long time coming.

Sanitary facilities adapted for people with disabilities will be properly and fully arranged, additional elevators will be installed, and the entrance part of the building will be adapted for people with mobility issues, as will all other parts of the renovated Banski dvori.

During the renovation process, the inner courtyard of the palace will be arranged, an irrigation system for the garden will be introduced, the fountain will be repaired, and wooden structures at the ceremonial entrance to the Palace will be restored, Jutarnji list writes.

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March 19, 2021 - The Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, Andrej Plenković, received the President of the European Football Federation, Aleksandar Čeferin, and the President of the Croatian Football Federation, Davor Šuker, at Banski dvori in Zagreb to discuss football infrastructure in Croatia. 

HNS reports that Prime Minister Andrej Plenković was accompanied by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Zdravko Marić and the Minister of Tourism and Sports Nikolina Brnjac. The HNS delegation was accompanied by the Executive Director Marijan Kustić and the Head of the International Department and Licensing Ivančica Sudac.

HNS

The meeting topic was primarily further investments in the development of football infrastructure in Croatia, and support for plans for the construction of a national stadium and the renovation of existing football stadiums in Croatia was also emphasized.

Prime Minister Plenković reminded that his Government in the last term adopted the National Sports Program 2019-2026, increased allocations for sports by more than 100%, and several projects were launched in the sports sector. He also added that the Government had launched investments in local sports infrastructure for the first time, and 15 football infrastructure projects in the total amount of HRK 5.7 million were co-financed through a public tender for co-financing the renovation and construction of sports infrastructure in 2019.

In addition to job preservation measures, the government has expanded support measures to mitigate the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic that have also affected the sports sector.

"I thank Prime Minister Plenković for organizing this meeting with Minister Brnjac and Minister Marić, which I consider extremely important for the further development of football, especially football infrastructure in Croatia. I am glad that the Government of the Republic of Croatia has shown an understanding of many economic, health, and other benefits that football brings to society and interest in the challenges we face as the most massive sports organization in the country. With the support of UEFA and FIFA, HNS has done a lot in the development of infrastructure in recent years, and of course, we wish more state assistance in this segment," said HNS President Davor Suker, adding:

"I have the impression that the current government led by Prime Minister Plenković, despite all the current challenges, has the hearing, desire, will, and strength to return to football what football, as the most successful Croatian 'product,' deserves. I am proud that in UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, we have a great friend of Croatian football, and I thank him for showing today with concrete examples and figures that any investment in football is many times more profitable; for society as a whole."

Šuker also expressed satisfaction with the agreement reached on the establishment of a joint body of the Government, UEFA, and HNS:

"I believe in the effectiveness of a joint body composed of representatives of the Government and the Ministries of Finance, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, HNS and UEFA's independent experts, and the city of Zagreb to jointly prepare a sustainable project to build a new stadium."

UEFA president Čeferin also reported on UEFA's plans to organize the European Football Championship, given the epidemiological situation in Europe.

At the initiative of UEFA President Čeferin and HNS President Šuker, a humanitarian match between Slovenia and Croatia was played in Petrinja on 13 March. On that occasion, President Čeferin, on behalf of UEFA, handed over a donation of 50,000 euros to the Croatian Red Cross. At the same time, HNS donated 200,000 kuna to the Sisak-Moslavina County Football Association to reconstruct football infrastructure.

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