The state-owned company Ski Resorts of Montenegro (SCG) owes 300.000 euros, and this debt relates to "employee salaries and other receivables."
This was stated by the acting executive director of SCG for "Vijesti". Bojan Medenica.
He assesses the situation in the company as very difficult and announces savings and numerous other measures, which he expects will improve the situation. Medenica, who was the manager of the Kolašin 1600 Ski Center, was appointed as the executive director of SCG on April 9 by the Board of Directors (BD), after dismissing the previous director. Đura Milosevic.
"Due to the lack of snow and only 20 ski days in the past two years, SCG is in a very difficult financial situation. Upon taking on the position of acting executive director of Skijalište CG, I found myself with just over 330.000 euros in debt to employees and other creditors... The current situation requires certain savings. We are preparing austerity measures, partial reorganization of the company, optimization, and cost rationalization," he says.
However, Medenica hopes for financial recovery from the state budget. He expects the relevant ministry to "provide certain funds that would enable the smooth operation of Skijalište CG in the coming period." He also recalls the importance of ski resorts for northern municipalities and the fact that their development is largely based on the development of ski centers.
"The losses we suffer due to the insufficient amount of snow, when it comes to income, are measured in hundreds of thousands of euros. However, we should also mention the losses suffered by the entire tourism industry of Kolašin, including other municipalities that gravitate to the Kolašin 1600 Ski Center. This multiplicative loss for the entire city is much greater, considering that there is almost no citizen of Kolašin who does not directly or indirectly depend on the winter season and the ski resort. Of course, the lack of snow has also greatly hampered other activities and events at the Kolašin 1600 Ski Center, so we have been forced to cancel certain music events on several occasions," recalls the executive director of SCG.
According to him, activities on projects related to artificial snowmaking have recently intensified. Medenica expects that “part of the slopes of the Kolašin 1600 Ski Center will be covered with snow during the next winter season”. The implementation of these projects, he claims, will enable the Ski Center to be competitive compared to ski centers in the region. He also announces other projects that, he claims, will enrich the ski resort's offer.
"We are preparing a project task for lighting the trails, which will allow us to ski at night. We are also working on additional capacities for the 'Troglava' restaurant. If we add to all this the garage, which should be completed by the end of the year, we will significantly supplement the offer for the upcoming winter, and therefore the financial situation will not be in question," says the executive director of SCG.
The losses we suffer due to insufficient snow, when it comes to income, are measured in hundreds of thousands of euros. However, we should also mention the losses suffered by the entire tourism industry of Kolašin, as well as other municipalities that gravitate towards the Kolašin 1600 Ski Center. This multiplicative loss for the entire city is much greater, considering that there is almost no citizen of Kolašin who does not directly or indirectly depend on the winter season and the ski resort. Of course, the lack of snow has also made other activities and events much more difficult, so we have been forced to cancel certain music events on several occasions
During the past season, even on days when there was snow on Bjelasica, the K7 cable car was not operational because the base on one of the pillars was damaged by the work of a private investor. Medenica expects the cable car to be repaired by the end of the summer and reminds that this part of the infrastructure is important because it connects the ski slopes of the state and private ski resorts and allows guests to use over 40 kilometers of slopes.
"Because the K7 cable car was not operating during the previous winter season, the Kolašin 1600 Ski Center lost almost 50 percent of its infrastructure. The biggest losses due to the non-functioning of the aforementioned cable car during the previous winter season were suffered by skiers. They were deprived of ten kilometers of dynamic trails, as well as the use of the combined offer of the two ski centers. The priority now is to put the cable car into operation, and I hope we will succeed in doing so by the end of the summer. Someone must bear responsibility for the condition of that part of the infrastructure, as well as for the losses caused by the non-functioning of K7," says Medenica.
The Kolašin 50 Ski Center lost 1600 percent of its infrastructure because the K7 cable car was not operating during the previous winter season.
Despite the worrying situation in the company, SCG, as the executive director says, is actively working on preparing for the summer tourist season, as well as on marketing activities that will show their effects next winter. SCG will implement the “Loyalty ski pass” campaign in early June, during which all future skiers will be able to purchase a seasonal ski pass at extremely favorable prices. The summer tourist season will also officially begin on that day.
"We are planning certain cultural, musical and sporting events. In addition, guests will be able to enjoy a panoramic cable car ride every day, during which they will be able to enjoy beautiful views of all the beauties that Bjelasica has to offer, cycling, walking, the pleasant ambience of the 'Troglava' restaurant, a playroom for children and many other facilities," he announces.
The Executive Director of SCG reminds that "all parameters indicate that the summer seasons are becoming more successful year after year", and he expects this trend to continue in the coming months.
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