As part of the preparations for the “Prishtina 2030” Mediterranean Games, the development phase of major infrastructure projects has begun. Among them, there will be a special focus on the Student Center, which will be transformed into the main accommodation center for thousands of athletes from different countries of the Mediterranean.
In an interview for KosovaPress, the head of the Agency for Sports, in MKRS, Fidan Shatri, reveals details about the capacities, investments, timelines and the legacy that will remain for sports and students after 2030. Shatri emphasizes that the Student Center has been chosen as the main place where athletes participating in the Mediterranean Games will be housed.
“Exactly the Student Center will be the meeting place for many athletes from all over the Mediterranean, who will be located and accommodated exactly in the Student Center, for the Prishtina 2030 Mediterranean Games…I hope that yes, it will be enough, since a complete renovation of all the facilities of the Student Center will be done, as well as new facilities will be built to increase the space, for the reception of athletes for the Prishtina 2030 Mediterranean Games”, says Shatri first.
According to Shatri, currently the Student Center has about 3,300 accommodation places, but the capacity will be significantly expanded for the 2030 Games. Deep renovations and the construction of new facilities will bring the number of beds to over 4,500.
“There will be a detailed renovation of all facilities in the Student Center, and at the same time, new facilities will be built to increase the space for the athletes who will be accommodated in the Student Center. So, we currently have somewhere around 3300 places, habitable space, and this space will increase to over 4500 space, places for accommodation for all the athletes who will be accommodated in the Student Center. New facilities will be built which will come into service later, they will leave a legacy for other sports activities, so they will be in the format, they will be with the highest European standards, which we have the opportunity to use for other international activities which will be organized after 2030.“, Shatri announced.
Further, Shatri clarifies that the project includes a total cost of about 70 million euros, which covers the renovation of the Student Center, the “1 Tetori” Hall and the Student Canteen.
“The financial cost based on the planning will be around 70 million euros, which will be invested in the Student Center as a whole, the “1 October” Hall, the Student Canteen. This investment will be made by the Government of Kosovo, respectively the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Education, in agreement with the loan of the French Development Agency… Two new facilities will be built for the reception and accommodation of students, which will also be used for other international activities. So, the space will increase, since the placement, the reception of normal athletes is a condition to have the correct space, where, as I said, there will be about 4500 places of accommodation that will accommodate the athletes“, he continued.
An important part of the project is related to the modernization of the Student Canteen, which will be reconfigured to cope with the large influx of athletes during the games. Likewise, the “1 October” Hall will be completely renovated with modern equipment.
“The Student Canteen will be reconfigured, the capacity of the Student Canteen will be increased, where it will enter the food service for the athletes who will come for the Prishtina 2030 Mediterranean Games…”October 1″ will be completely repaired and invested with the latest modern equipment which will be put into use for the athletes for Prishtina 2030. Also, the novelty of these investments is the semi-Olympic swimming pool, which will life with the highest standards, and normal that in addition to the Mediterranean Games, it will be used later, it will be a legacy for students and other citizens, which will be managed normally by the Student Center“, Shatri pointed out.
According to Shatri, works are expected to start in the first half of 2027, and will be completed in the second half of 2029. /Kosovapress/
