Revised budget for "Universiade" adopted - 50% less than planned

The Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia and the President of the Organizational Committee of "Universiade 2009", Božidar Đelić, said today (October 29, 2008) that the revised budget for that sports manifestation had been adopted that day and that it amounted to about 3.5 billion RSD, 50% less than planned.

Đelić announced at the press conference in the premises of the Government of Serbia that the University village would be finished in February 2009, much before the deadline.

He said that about 260m RSD would be saved at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Universiade because these ceremonies should be organized in the Belgrade Arena. He also adedd that about 540m RSD would be saved because the number of sports had been reduced from 21 to usual 15.

Đelić said that less money would be spent on time measuring equipment (360m RSD), while the Organizational Committee agreed that the supplier of medical services for the participants in the Universiade should be the Military Medical Academy, which would reduce the costs by additional 600m RSD.

Đelić added that the Ministry of Internal Affairs had not yet presented the costs for securing the manifestation.

- The conclusion that will anticipate accelerated realization of public procurements and works for the needs of Universiade should be adopted at the first next meeting of the Government - said Đelić.

He added that the procedure would be absolutely transparent and that every contract would be published on the Internet.

- The delegation of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) should visit Belgrade prior to the end of November in order to make sure that the preparations for the Universiade, which is the biggest sports manifestation ever organized by our country, go as planned - said Đelić.