Bjelovar is gearing up for a major football breakthrough! Mayor Dario Hrebak has announced a plan that sounds like a dream for every football fan – merging two local clubs, Mladost and Bjelovar, into one powerful team that could enter the Croatian First Football League (HNL). But that’s not all! There are plans to build a new stadium with 3,000 seats that will meet all the requirements for the top tier, with a staggering project value of 10 million euros! Half of the funds are expected to come from external sources like the Urban Development Fund, not from the city budget.
Mayor Hrebak emphasizes that merging the clubs makes sense because a united club would have prospects that 90% of Croatian clubs lack. Bjelovar already boasts excellent sports infrastructure, and investments in sports have exploded in recent years – subsidies for Mladost have risen from 8,000 to 1.5 million kuna annually, while Bjelovar receives 1.2 million kuna plus an additional 300,000 for stadium maintenance. Overall, city spending on sports has jumped from 500,000 to 2.5 million kuna per year!
Under the stands of the future stadium, the first indoor shooting range for small-caliber rifles in Croatia is planned, allowing Olympic champion Miran Marić to train at home instead of Austria or Hungary.
The mayor is clear: if the clubs don’t agree to merge, the city will rather invest in infrastructure than continue funding both clubs separately. This is a serious call to action for everyone in Bjelovar – either unite and aim for the top, or watch the opportunity slip away!
Will Bjelovar finally become a top-league city, or will everything collapse due to disagreements? Time will tell, but one thing is certain – Mayor Hrebak isn’t planning to give up easily. What do you think about this grand plan? Is merging clubs the salvation for Bjelovar football or just another political trick? Drop a comment and let the people’s voice be heard!
