The Law on the Mediterranean Games is seen as Kosovo's biggest challenge

The acting Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Hajrulla Çeku, has said that investments in sports infrastructure will be completed in 2029, one year before the organization of the "Prishtina 2030" Mediterranean Games.  

But, at the panel organized by the Institute for Research and Development in Pristina (PIRDEV), he emphasized that the biggest challenge for Kosovo remains the Law on the Mediterranean Games.  

The Law on the Mediterranean Games, approved on December 5 in the Assembly of Kosovo, has been challenged in the Constitutional Court by the Democratic Party.

To pave the way for organizational processes, according to Çeku, a decision by the Constitutional Court is needed.

"I believe that we are fine with this dynamic, it is an internal agreement of all of us who are part of the government-municipalities-Olympic Committee and tomorrow I believe it will also be a commitment of the Organizing Committee to close it with sports infrastructure in 2029. I can confirm that the Mediterranean Games represent a moment of pride for everyone, even though with all the opposing political views we also have direct communication and none of them sees this as something that is to be ruined. Everyone sees it as part of a general sense of pride and at this point we are all together", said Çeku.

It was previously announced that up to 200 million euros in infrastructure investments are planned.

Kosovo also needs a stadium with over 20 seats for the opening ceremony. The “Fadil Vokrri” stadium, which is currently the only one used for international matches, has a capacity of 13 seats. Several other stadiums are being renovated and built in Kosovo. It has been announced that plans are also being made to build a national stadium, where the opening ceremony of the 2030 Mediterranean Games will be held.

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However, Çeku says that its construction does not necessarily have to be completed before 2030. He added that the decision on its importance at this stage will be up to the Organizing Committee, in collaboration with the International Mediterranean Games Committee. 

"This is just a proposal for a topic for discussion in the Organizing Committee. I am proposing to discuss whether the construction of the national stadium should necessarily be related to the needs of the Mediterranean Games. I know that what we are doing now is necessary both for the games and for us, because we need it to develop the infrastructure. We can start, but we do not have a deadline until 2030, but we should just focus on building it well, because it will be a giant that requires a lot of finance, that requires finding sources of financing and requires good planning," Çeku emphasized.

On September 8, 2023, in Heraklion, Greece, it was decided that the 2030 Mediterranean Games will be held in Pristina. This is by far the largest sporting event to be organized in Kosovo. It is estimated that the infrastructure and other works will be extensive so that Pristina and Kosovo are ready to host thousands of athletes from many countries around the Mediterranean.