Prime Minister Ivo Sanader and Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić today visited the construction site of Arena Zagreb in Lanište, a multipurpose hall for 15,200 visitors, and expressed satisfaction with the progress of the works which, according to Igor Oppenheim, CEO of Ingra, the contractor, are proceeding according to plan.
"We are satisfied with the progress of construction and cooperation with the City of Zagreb," said Prime Minister Sanader at the construction site, assessing that Arena Zagreb will be a reflection of success, both in construction terms and in the organizational sense of hosting the World Handball Championship in 2009. Sanader also commented on the construction of a sports hall in Osijek, reiterating that, as far as the Government is concerned, that project is not in question. "We want to achieve as soon as possible that the sports hall is built for the handball championship, but also for the children," said Sanader, just as is the case in Zagreb, Split, Varaždin, and Poreč.
Mayor Bandić also expressed satisfaction with the progress of the works and emphasized that he is proud of this joint project. He announced that at the end of next week, an agreement on the Handball House in Svetice will be signed between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the City of Zagreb. According to Igor Oppenheim, construction is going according to the planned schedule, with 210,000 cubic meters of earth excavated so far, waterproofing completed, and 10,000 cubic meters of concrete and 1,100 tons of reinforcing steel installed in the foundation slab, which now needs to be finished. The construction of Arena Zagreb, valued at 87 million euros, began this summer on July 20, and the completion deadline is December 15, 2008. (H)
