"We will abide by our decision to help all of six cities that will host the World Handball Championships in 2009," Sanader said after his cabinet's session in Zapresic on Friday.
He added that the government would not be involved in discussions about the construction of infrastructure facilities, shopping centres and so on.
This is not our job, this is the job of the City of Zagreb," said the premier and added that at the talks with the city's Mayor Milan Bandic it was agreed that the government should help if the construction of Arena was conducted through the public and private partnership.
In that case, the government is willing to ensure about 3.5 million euros annually for the lease of the facility in a period of 25 years.
The issue of the construction of the Arena sports centre was raised on Thursday when Mayor Bandic said that the proposal offered by the Ingra and TriGranit companies looked like blackmailing and that the draft contract contained some provisions unacceptable for the city.
One of those controversial provisions was that the City of Zagreb would be allowed to use only the sports hall in the Arena complex and that the two companies would run facilities with commercial and business contents within this complex.
The two companies also asked the city government to build nearby infrastructure, among other things.
Bandic said that Ingra and TriGranit had a time term of seven days to amend the draft agreement, or the city would opt for alternative solutions.