The Public Procurement Service (PTP) has postponed the evaluation due to National Stadium submission of changes to the project and plans to publish the conclusion at the end of this week or early next week. As Darius Vedrickas, head of VPT, said, intensive discussions are currently underway with Vilnius city municipality for a common and "universally acceptable methodology", additional experts were also consulted for evaluation.
"The Public Procurement Service is currently still evaluating the second change it made Vilnius city municipalities administration regarding the amendment of the concession contract. (…) The municipality took into account some of VPN's arguments and proposals that were submitted", said D. Vedrickas on Wednesday at the Audit Committee of the Seimas.
"Intensive discussions are taking place, there was a plan to finish them and agree on a common and universally acceptable methodology last week, but the discussions dragged on because the municipality provided additional information, and we also turned to additional experts to assess the fairness and legality of the methodology, how unforeseen circumstances should be indexed between the parties to the concession agreement," he noted.
D. Vedrick assured that VPT and the municipality seek to find a "correct and legal" methodology for the parties to the concession agreement, in order to avoid legal processes and to start the construction of the National Stadium on time.
"The plan that we have defined with the Vilnius City Municipality, when to finish, is the end of this week or the beginning of the next. The goal, from the state's point of view, is to agree on a certain methodology that would be fair and legal for the parties to the concession agreement, would restore their balance and avoid possible legal processes that would take a long time in the field and raise the question of the start or successful completion of the further construction of the Multipurpose Complex" , - explained the VPN manager.
ELTA reminds that in the middle of May, the Vilnius City Municipal Council once again approved the changes foreseen in the multi-functional project of the capital, which includes National Stadium. 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 estimated need for budget funds will be 25 thousand. euros lower than before corrections.
According to the capital city municipality, due to the anticipated 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 Service will contact the institution hoping for explanations. The conclusion of the European Commission is expected to be received before the summer.
The project of the National Stadium in Vilnius from the manager of capital funds "BaltCap" is going to take over the real estate development company "Males". 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, and 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.
It is estimated that the cost of construction works increased by 27,1 million. euros, new works would also contribute (3 thousand additional seats in the stadium and a universal arena), that is 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.
Ignas Dobrovolskas (ELTA)
