KULIĆ: CONTRACTOR WILL HAND OVER NEW FACULTY BUILDING IN COMING DAYS

PALE, NOVEMBER 3 /SRNA/ – Rector of the University of Istočno Sarajevo Milan Kulić says the first phase of construction of the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport building in Pale has been completed and that he expects the facility to be handed over by the contractor in the coming days.

Kulić told SRNA that construction had taken an inexplicably long time, primarily due to problems with project documentation, the need for design modifications and delays by the contractor. He explained that amendments to the design had already been necessary at the beginning of construction due to the specific features and complexity of the building, taking into account a swimming pool, as a part of it, which required a different foundation design. "This cost us a considerable amount of time, and later we had to revise and adapt the design several times to meet the intended purpose of the building," Kulić said. Rector Kulić also pointed to problems arising in public procurement procedures, noting that selecting the most favourable, or cheapest, bid does not necessarily mean selecting the best contractor. Kulić stressed that the Republika Srpska Government had financed the construction and regularly met all its financial obligations, while the delays were attributable to the contractor. SECOND PHASE EXPECTED TO BEGIN SOON Kulić expressed hope that conditions would soon be in place to launch the public procurement procedure for the second phase of the Faculty building's construction, following the adoption of an appropriate conclusion by the Republika Srpska Government. According to him, the second phase will involve fitting out the teaching facilities, including classrooms and lecture halls, as well as offices for the Faculty's administrative needs. Kulić believes that the second phase should be less complicated and completed more quickly, given that the first phase involved more complex works, such as the construction of a swimming pool and a bowling alley. "The first phase was much more complex, but we are now gradually approaching its completion, and I hope we will soon launch the public procurement procedure to select a contractor for the second phase," Kulić said.