The building of a new conference hall has been launched at the Brdo pri Kranju diplomatic protocol complex as part of Slovenia's preparations for its stint as EU president in the first half of 2008.
The three-story building with over 9,000 sq. metres of meeting areas, including a large conference room and smaller rooms for bilateral meetings, will host major EU meetings when Slovenia holds the EU presidency.
Works on the EUR 10m building began late last week on the site of a smaller building that stands adjacent to the Zoisova pristava, a building used to host official luncheons and dinners. Its construction is expected to conclude in October 2007.
Iztok Puric of the Diplomatic Protocol Office said that the new building was commissioned because of a lack of suitable conference space for large-scale meetings in Slovenia.
The construction of the new conference hall was ordered by the government when it adopted a plan for presiding over the EU.
Up-and-coming architects Vasa Petrovic and Matija Bevk have designed the new building, which has gained approval from the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia.
According to Puric, the process of acquiring all the necessary permits was rather quick, which is why works have already begun. He is confident the building will be completed in time.
Moreover, Puric explained that the aim was to have the building in use even after Slovenia's EU presidency. Not only for official state business but also for commercial purposes, he explained.
Brdo pri Kranju has been slated by the government as one of the main venues of major meetings during Slovenia's stint as EU president.
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