Skopje, 30 July 2025 (MIA) -- The rebuilding of Skopje's Universal Hall will be finished by the end of 2027, according to Minister of Culture and Tourism Zoran Ljutkov at a press briefing Wednesday.

The Universal Hall, built in 1965, is one of the capital city's main landmarks. It has been closed since 2015 for renovations and was partially destroyed by fire in 2024.

Ljutkov said authorities would soon be inviting bids for its reconstruction.

"A public procurement procedure will start by the end of this week," he said. "This process takes 60 days in total and then we start building the Universal Hall."

"I hope we can open the bids by the end of September and start the reconstruction. It should be finished by the end of 2027," Ljutkov said.

He added that the government was allocating around EUR 20 million to help finance the reconstruction.

The venue is expected to be rebuilt in time to host Skopje European Capital of Culture 2028 events, he said.

According to the culture and tourism minister, the Universal Hall remains the property of the City of Skopje, which runs the project and is required to invest EUR 25 million in the reconstruction.

Ljutkov said the Ministry of Culture and Tourism was also financing the construction of seven new venues. They, too, were expected to host cultural events in 2028, he said. mr/