"Tourist Center (TC) Durmitor" will launch a tender in the next two months for the procurement of two artificial snow machines for the "Savin Kuk" ski resort, after receiving 182.000 euros from the Ministry of Tourism for the job. The project plans to snow a 700-meter-long slope at the foot of this ski resort.
This was confirmed to "Vijesti" by the executive director of TC "Durmitor" Marinko Purić, who stressed that they expect to have artificial snow on this part of the mountain as early as December. He also pointed out that they are currently collecting documentation in order to start implementing the project.
The Ministry of Tourism, headed by Minister Simonida Kordić, told "Vijesti" that this work is only the first phase, that they will work on artificial snowmaking in all key parts of the ski resort, and that everything is being carried out according to the guidelines and recommendations of UNESCO and the Environmental Protection Agency.
The reservoir for artificial snowmaking at Savin Kuk has already been secured, as water near the ski center was previously brought from Modro Jezera.
At the end of last year, the government adopted information on financing the construction and maintenance of multi-purpose sports and recreational infrastructure at the Savin Kuk ski resort, and the money was provided with the aim of creating the prerequisites for the sports and winter tourism season. Although artificial snowmaking has been talked about for many years, this is the first time that the Ministry of Tourism has allocated money for this purpose.
No green permit needed
Asked about possible environmental risks and the necessary green permits with regard to the Durmitor National Park, Purić explained that there are no ecological obstacles or restrictions in that area, that the installations already exist and that they are only being changed and adapted to new systems for the production of technical snow.
He added that environmental impact assessments are not required for this work, and that the money is already operational.
"The accumulation that exists in the immediate vicinity of the ski resort is more than enough to install an artificial snowmaking system halfway up the mountain, i.e. on critical parts of the slopes where there is not enough snow. Of course, a tender will be announced for the procurement of equipment, i.e. snowmaking devices, and we expect the tender to be announced in the first quarter (January, February, March) of this year. The money allocated by the Ministry is only part of the system that should be installed on certain parts of the slopes and the mountain. The plan is to purchase two snowmaking devices and replace the existing water supply infrastructure on the "snowboard" slope and lift 14. These funds will not be sufficient to implement the entire artificial snowmaking project, and the expectations are that the allocated funds will be implemented, so that next winter we have two snowmaking devices and a "snowboard" slope on offer from December 1, 2025," said Purić.
The Ministry of Tourism pointed out that the lack of snow in the past two years has not provided space for the winter tourist season, nor for recreation and winter sports. That is why, as they claim, it was necessary to launch a project to build a technologically modern system for artificial snowmaking for part of the ski resort on Savin Kuk, especially since there is already an artificial reservoir at that location. They explained that the water was brought through a state project, which was financed through a donor agreement with the Center for International Cooperation and Development of Slovenia.
The Ministry of Tourism stated that the value of the project was determined based on a detailed analysis, that the money is sufficient to build a temporary snowmaking system and that it will consist of two modern snowmaking machines.
They emphasized that the machines will be ready for the next ski season.
"This is just the beginning of the project to provide artificial snow cover at the ski resort. The implementation of a development project to provide an artificial snow system on all key parts of the ski slopes at the Savin Kuk ski resort is certainly planned, in accordance with the guidelines and recommendations of UNESCO and the Environmental Protection Agency. Therefore, the continuation of activities to provide conditions for the winter seasons, through the implementation of the development project to provide an artificial snow system, will be implemented through the Capital Budget. Estimates of additional investments will be proposed to the Ministry of Finance when submitting a request for application and financing of the capital project," the department emphasized.
The Ministry said that tenders will be conducted in accordance with the Public Procurement Law, that TC Durmitor has already started work on the project and that the money is operational. They reiterated that all steps to improve this ski resort will be carried out according to the guidelines and recommendations of UNESCO and the Agency.
No expansion of the ski center
According to the Special Purpose Spatial Plan for the Durmitor Area (SPSP), the Savin Kuk ski resort encompasses the zone of the existing state ski resort and is planned as a destination with a quality offer - primarily for visitors who are involved in sports. The information adopted by the Government states that the modernization of the entire ski infrastructure is planned, which initially included the construction of new terrain, trails and ski lifts.
The document emphasizes that this was abandoned in order to comply with UNESCO's recommendations and conclusions for the World Heritage Site of the Durmitor National Park, after representatives of that institution and the Advisory Mission of the World Heritage Center visited the site in 2018 and 2019.
"It should be noted that the area of Durmitor where the ski resort and other sports infrastructure under construction are located, i.e. the area of the National Park's intervention area is 325,19 square kilometers, and the area of the National Park's protected zone is 595,24 square kilometers. We conclude that some of the key reasons for the construction of ski and sports-tourism infrastructure in the Durmitor area are: diversification of the tourist offer, extension of the winter and summer tourist seasons, improvement of sports capacities for the local population and the population, organized management of the public ski resort, safety of current and future skiers, ensuring order and security in all sports areas, protection and maintenance of infrastructure, active promotion of the Durmitor area...", states the Government document.
The reservoir that exists near the ski resort is more than enough to install an artificial snowmaking system halfway up the mountain. We expect that the tender for the procurement of snowmaking equipment will be announced in the first quarter (January, February, March) of this year, said Purić.
AZK gave the green light
The Competition Protection Agency (AZK) assessed in mid-December that the payment of 182.000 thousand euros for the construction and maintenance of multi-purpose sports and recreational infrastructure at the "Savin Kuk" ski resort did not constitute state aid.
AZK states in its decision that the Ministry of Tourism informed them that the money is intended for the production of artificial snow for sports and recreation, which is in the public interest of all citizens.
"The Agency has specifically taken into account the applicant's claims that the funds in question will be used to invest in multipurpose and sports infrastructure, that use will be provided to all users free of charge, and that it is not intended for professional athletes, thus fulfilling the conditions defined in Article 55 of the Commission Regulation (EU)," the decision states.
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