Erol Sadakov unlocked the “Pandora’s box” surrounding the construction of Lokomotiv Stadium with a question about the quality of the implementation. A day earlier, photographic material and texts with a similar orientation slid across the media space.
The municipal councilor from “Bravo, Plovdiv” claims that “the stadium is being built slowly, but obviously at the expense of this and of poor quality”. Erol Sadakov is puzzled by unacceptable things in the “Besika” and “Yuzhna” tribunes, which are visible even with the naked eye.
Rust on fences, railings and other metal elements, swollen and sagging walls, columns, leaks and moisture. This was stated by the son of the club legend Ayan Sadakov based on media publications and personal observations.
Regarding his concerns, he asks the following six questions as a municipal councilor:
1. Who monitors the quality of the construction of Lokomotiv Stadium?
2. Has the Municipality of Plovdiv inspected the construction activities carried out so far?
3. What does the Municipality of Plovdiv intend to do, given the substandard construction?
4. Are there any more indexations requested by the contractor?
5. Will there be sanctions against them?
6. When and how does the Municipality of Plovdiv plan to release the public order for the central grandstand and the vertical layout?
In fact, according to the opinion of the people we asked, the entire offensive of the municipal councilor Erol Ayanov Sadakov is because of the sixth point. It is exactly the “Pandora’s box” that is already open – in simple words, the battle begins on all fronts to obtain the public contract for the central stand, as well as the improvement of the space around the stadium and the vertical layout.
Mayor Kostadin Dimitrov has already signed an agreement with the regional ministry for BGN 41 million, as much as is provided for the order in question. Three business groups are interested in receiving it, say people familiar with the situation of “Lauta”. The first is the one around the formation “Bravo, Plovdiv” and the former boss of “Lokomotiv”, the second is the current club president Hristo Krusharski and the builder Hristo Tomov, the third is the company “Rudin”, which until now is building the stands, and Kostadin Yazov, charged with the role of investor control.
However, in order to understand how serious Erol Sadakov’s concerns are, it is necessary to briefly describe what is being done to “Lauta”.
Lokomotiv Stadium is being built by the Stara Zagorje company Rudin. She won the public order for the three stands, for which she had to take BGN 12 million. After that, the funds were indexed by 5 million, taken from the loan taken out by the Municipality of Plovdiv in the amount of 12 million BGN. It should be noted that, as of today, the company “Rudin” and the supervisor Kostadin Yazov are still building with the money allocated to them by the office “Borisov 3” – 12 million.
Again, according to our consultants, the problem in the low-quality construction announced by Erol Sadakov and some media is actually a problem of the owners of the facility. Anyone who has dealt with new construction knows that a new building “sets down” at least three years after being <210> put into operation. Plaster cracks are an inevitable part of this process. We note that each of the two tribunes – “Besika” and “Yuzhna” – were launched as a separate building.
It should be noted that Lokomotiv fans stopped the initiative that made them different from other agitations in our country – the cleaning of the stands after a match. Everything is left to the club, which has an agreement with the Municipality for the use of the facility in this form until the completion of construction against the symbolic rent of BGN 4,853.99 excluding VAT for a land of 81,623 square meters and buildings of 5,152 square meters.
For a year now, the “black and white” have not paid rent for the facility and owe the Municipality an amount of BGN 58,247.88 excluding VAT. Older people say that if you don’t pay, then you don’t maintain. In this aspect, the stands of the stadium are cleaned by employees of the Municipal company “Cleaning”. If you’re wondering why they didn’t sweep your street, you should know – maybe they’re sweeping “Lauta”.
And to top it off, there’s also a big problem that’s just gaining momentum. It is about the lighting of the stadium. During the construction of the new stands, there was a condition for the relocation of the lighting pylons built in 2013. I guess you remember that it was paid for by the Municipality of Plovdiv and put into operation on April 10, 2013 (“the black and whites” lost 1:0 to “Botev” from Vratsa with a goal by FC “Vekta” youth Ivan Kokonov in the 89th minute). The situation with him to date is, to put it mildly, alarming. During a match, one of the pylons with lamps caught fire and had to be extinguished. Almost a quarter of the lamps do not work. It should be noted that the model of these bodies has been discontinued in 2022 and there is no way to procure replacements.
During the construction of the “Sportklub” tribune, it became clear that the placement of the visor <210> would interfere with television broadcasts due to huge areas of the pitch remaining in darkness. Maybe that’s why the installation itself was delayed. Moving, with a view to amortizing the lighting fixtures, is pointless. Now it will be discussed with the designers of the stadium whether the lighting can’t be installed like at the College – along the edge of the visor. It will also be calculated whether it will withstand the weight.
Finally, the lighting of the two stands built is connected to the pitch pylons. Plumbing is also a problem, as it is in the prerogative of the vertical layout, which is part of the new order for 41 million. The builder from “Rudin” made the part of it at his own expense according to the conceptual project for the stadium. This is also the reason why Lokomotiv fans watch the matches from the new stands.
To date, the solution with the lighting and power supply of “Sportklub” is as “Paragraph 22”. You remember the dilemma before the hero Yossarian – “If he could fly, he would be crazy and wouldn’t have to fly; but if he didn’t want to fly, then he was healthy and had to fly.”
So, I guess it is also clear to Erol Ayanov Sadakov that the cracks can be plastered, the rusty fence – cleaned and painted, but the questions, beyond those correct 6 for the construction, are two more – what do we do with the lighting and after the stadium belongs to the locomotive drivers, they must maintain it. “Cleanliness” in this case is not a free cleaning company, but a state of mind. Lokomotiv (Plovdiv) fans know what we are talking about. And I hope they are good owners – “Lauta” is their home!
