October 26 – Bulgaria’s Minister of Finance, Asen Vasilev, has said that the state is ready to help any club in the country that wants to renovate its training base and stadium.
Last week, the Minister of Youth and Sports of Bulgaria, Dimitar Iliev, announced the start of a National Program for shared financing of shared sports facilities.
At a special press conference, Vassilev revealed more details about the programme, announcing that the state is ready to financially support any club that submits an initiative to build a new stadium.
The meeting with the two ministers was attended by representatives of all major football clubs in the country.
Vassilev said the state will help different clubs with different amounts, according to their plans. He outlined a plan which will see the state match any investment put into a club to improve its infrastructure, up to a limit of BGN 30 million (€15 million).
“There are no minimum and maximum thresholds. What we have been discussing is that at some point a maximum threshold has to be put in place. For example, 30 million BGN per project. The sports part of a project is financed. If there is a non-sporting part, the club will not receive funding”, said Vasilev.
Bulgaria has some of the oldest and most rundown stadiums in Europe with few meeting the minimum requirements of UEFA for holding international matches.
Contact the writer of this story, Aleksander Krassimirov, at moc.l1722045169labto1722045169ofdlr1722045169owedi1722045169sni@o1722045169fni1722045169