As Poslovni Dnevnik/Suzana Varosanec writes, the much talked about Batizele development project, which will put the aforementioned stretch of central land into function only 500 metres as the crow flies from the old town and the Cathedral of St. James (Sveti Jakov), is moving forward.
On the site of the former Electrodes and Ferroalloys Factory, after twenty long years of legal entanglements and an estimated investment of around several hundred million euros, it has been confirmed that the project is now finally entering a higher phase. The very welcome help of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and in the timetable that lead to the recent announcement of a binding international tender, will bring Batizele, more precisely the City of Sibenik and the Republic of Croatia, a partner in the project.
The interest of investors will hardly be lacking, as was showcased through the conducted so-called ”light” tender, during which three strong international investors expressed their interest. Now, after the successful completion of phase 1, the Batizele development project is moving forward rapidly based on the cooperation of the EBRD, an international financial institution with extensive experience in providing advisory services in countries where it operates, including Croatia, with the aid of the City of Sibenik and the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Property.
To speak more precisely, the EBRD will provide advisory support over the next phase of project development – this will enable the start of specific construction activities at the location of Batizele, and with its help will prepare a tender for the selection of consultants. In addition to that, the EBRD will finance the work of advisers on the provision of technical support services in terms of tender preparation, implementation and selection, estimated at around 290,000 euros.
The new phase envisages the start of activities on June the 1st, 2022, as a key step towards finding investors, and it is estimated that it will last a maximum of 36 weeks in total, so according to the plan, the entire tender documentation should be prepared by the end of 2022. With such a schedule, it has been estimated that an international tender will be announced by the end of the year, which will result in a decision on who will be a partner to the City of Sibenik and the Republic of Croatia in the Batizele development project, which is very important for all generations of Sibenik residents.
According to the job description for the future consultant, integrated strategic, technical, legal, financial and project management services will be provided in the implementation of the market offer for the first phase of development, and they will be a global leader in advisory services and public and private infrastructure. They will have extensive experience in providing consulting services for the design, support, financing and implementation of concessions or similarly structured projects in the property and infrastructure sector, as well as experience in working with multiple stakeholders and property owners from both public and private sector organisations.
The local Sibenik authorities expect that through advisory services to be provided in phase 2 of the Batizele development project, it will attract highly creditworthy investors or an investment consortium, ie that the market offer, which will be finally accepted, will meet the needs of Batizele d.o.o. and its founders, Sibenik’s locals and the investor themselves/
According to them, such an outcome is the optimal path for long-term development of Batizele, Sibenik and the wider region as a whole, while the EBRD support emphasises the joint intention of the City of Sibenik and the Republic of Croatia to “implement the project in accordance with best practices, environmental and social benefits and provide significant added value for the life of Sibenik’s residents.”
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