The launch of the polyvalent arena, which was put off for several times earlier, was planned for May 1. The Public Property Agency said the building works on the Chisinau Arena are over and an expert commission is to now permit the launch. There are a number of reasons for which the completion of the works was postponed, with the condition of the soil being the key one. The extension of the total construction area by 39% during the development of the project is another reason.

In a response to an inquiry made by IPN, the Agency said that an investigation of the soil was needed as this wasn’t an initial condition for the participants in the tender contest. The results of the examination were obtained after a public-private partnership contract was signed on August 24, 2018. The results showed that soil wasn’t solid enough and reinforcement works thus followed. These lasted for five months and this period wasn’t specified in the construction plan.

Also, the construction area had to be corrected and extended by 39% during the implementation of the project.

The Agency noted that the clauses concerning penalties, the termination or amendment of the public-private partnership contract, including those regarding the delay in launch, will be applied, if need be, in strict compliance with the law and the contract.

Currently, the Chisinau Arena complex is connected to the gas, electric power, water and sewerage systems. The problems related to the access ways to the complex and the necessary infrastructure are now being solved.

The Chisinau Arena is being erected under a public-private partnership and has a capacity of up to 5,000 places and sports grounds, recreational places, a swimming pool, a tennis court and places for exhibitions, conferences and meetings. In October 2019, the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office said it was carrying out investigations into the alleged illegalities related to the implementation of the project to build the Arena. Only a number of persons have been questioned so far.

In its response to IPN, the Public Property Agency says it cannot specify a time limit when the case will be sent to court as this is a complex one and includes investigations to fully and objectively determine all the circumstances of this case so as to prove the blame or innocence of those involved.