Prime Minister Edi Rama, Mayor of Tirana Erion Veliaj, and the Minister of Culture Mirela Kumbaro inspected today the construction works for the “National Arena”.
The national football team will be able to play in a new home the qualifying matches for the next European Championship. After “Elbasan Arana”, intensive work started several weeks ago to build the largest and modern Albanian football plant in Tirana. Prime Minister Edi Rama, Mayor of Tirana Erion Veliaj, and the Minister of Culture Mirela Kumbaro inspected today the works carried out to dismantle the old stadium “Qemal Stafa”, which will be replaced by the “National Arena “. In his speech, Prime Minister Rama said he is satisfied with the current progress of works, and defined the project for the new stadium as one of the best and most modern works that Albania will have.
“It is a pleasure to see that this project is advancing at a great speed, in compliance with the philosophy of the new municipality of Tirana. This historic project will restore an exceptional value of Tirana through an extraordinary investment that will have the old edifice, where not even football at the international level could be played and which offered nothing to citizens either, replaced by a new stadium that will be among the most beautiful European stadiums in the future, one of the most beautiful urban and public spaces, probably the most beautiful in the new-century Tirana, in addition to being a deserved answer for all those who do nothing but keep accusing from the coffee shops or the big coffee area of the bazaar of gossip. I am very proud that this project comes at a time that coincides with the extraordinary example that our national team gave everybody of what actually sport and success in sport are for a nation, a society and a country like ours”, Prime Minister Edi Rama said.
The Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj noted that until now works have been performed at a high pace, and highlighted the importance given to the development of sports in our country, in view of which a series of important sport investments have been made across the municipality of Tirana. “We have advanced tremendously in the dismantling process. 70% has been carried out, and I believe that it will end within this week. It’s probably the best way to host the national team when they will be back with the preparations for the new project. I believe that not only in 24 months, but perhaps even earlier, we will be able to have a brand new pitch.”
The mayor added that the city will have a series of benefits from this project, not only in financial terms, but also in terms of the infrastructure. “In addition to having a football temple, which I believe comes at the best moment, the city will benefit 4 public squares which it does not have at the moment, in each of the sides, north-south-east-west, which will be for public use during the days on which matches are not played. Today, we are in a decision-making process to turn the two parking areas, that of the front side and of the back side, in an underground parking lot”, Veliaj added.
Minister Kumbaro informed that the project will keep and respect the cultural and sport history of the stadium “Qemal Stafa”, since it will maintain the part of the facades that will merge with the new project. “We are in front of that part of the façade that was considered a cultural monument by the last decision of the National Council of Restorations. We have collaborated with architects who were joined by the expertise of Palazzo Spinelli. The novelty is that in the results to be presented to the NCR next week, the current façade will be maintained, and the front of the stadium will still be the entrance to it, as it has been throughout these years. We have maintained this project, we will keep it in its completeness, and will bring the new project as it is”, Kumbaro said.
The stadium “National Arena” is expected to have a capacity of 22,500 spectators. It will be of Category 4 according to UEFA standards (maximum category), and works are expected to be completed within 24 months. The National Arena will keep the front of the existing stadium, which has been declared a cultural monument.
