Another leading political figure in the Basque Country has urged Athletic Bilbao to contribute more to the construction of their new stadium.
Under original plans, the club were down to provide €42m towards the €218m construction of a new stadium to replace the current San Mames.
Meanwhile, the Basque government, provincial council and Kutxabank had each agreed to fund €55m towards it, with the final €11m covered by value of the current land owned by the club.
However, leader of the PSE-EE party Patxi Lopez, declared earlier this week that the club should use the money received for Javi Martinez’ transfer to Bayern Munich to up their payment towards the project.
It is now something that rival politician and leading representative of the minority political EH Bildu group Laura Mintegi agrees with.
“If during a bad time you have asked you family for a loan and then all of a sudden you win the lottery, your family is going to say, now you are better, you do not need everyone to cough up,” Mintegi told Radio Popular today.
“You would have to admit – now that I have money, I will not ask you fork out. Athletic have to put more money in [to the stadium] because there are other priorities for public money.”
October 2012 will see Mintegi, Lopez and President of the Basque Nationalist Party Inigo Urkullu, who was responsible for agreeing the original funding set-up, compete in the Basque parliamentary elections.