The State Ski Center Kolašin 1600 will most likely be without a system for artificial snow next winter, despite the fact that during the season that is coming to an end, it did not even open its doors, that is, it was without skiing due to an unprecedented lack of snow.
This can be concluded from the response of the Ministry of Tourism, Ecology, Sustainable Development and Development of the North, as well as the announcement that there will certainly be a termination of the contract with the selected contractor who was supposed to work on the water supply system and artificial snowmaking.
It is almost certain that the state ski resort, in which tens of millions of euros have been invested, will not even get water until the next winter season, without which there is no artificial snow.
The work on the water supply system and artificial snow, which has been talked about for several years, is quite certain that it will not be completed as originally conceived. There are several reasons for this, and as the Capital Investments Administration recently told TV Vijesti, the contract with the selected contractor will most likely be terminated. They also state that the design solution, which the Municipality has changed in the meantime, also requires a new public procurement procedure.
Complaints came from several addresses, so its economic viability, benefits, potential damage to the environment, promised benefit, price were weighed...
And while the officials responsible for the ski resorts on Bjelasica and Durmitor and tourism officials warn that there is no winter season without snow and call for artificial snowfall so that the mountains are not covered in snow like this year, the Ministry of Tourism replied to "Vijesta" that they "continue to monitor and analyze the possibilities of further investing in the system of artificial snowmaking".
It might fall next year
From the answer of the Secretary for Tourism Vuk Žižić to conclude and to hope that next year there will not be a shortage of snow that even the oldest mountaineers do not remember.
In his answers, Žižić states that the analyzes take into account all the circumstances, as well as the advantages that the system for artificial snow provides.
Kolašin 1600 (video: Dragana Šćepanović)
When it comes to the infrastructure projects planned for this year at the Kolašin 1600 Ski Center, there is no mention of the construction of an artificial snowmaking system.
"In the context of plans for the construction of a system for artificial snowmaking at the 'Kolašin 1600' Ski Center, we would like to inform you that the Ski Resorts of Montenegro, since the ski resort was put into operation, have been regularly measuring weather conditions. Air temperature is measured within them, and measurements were made for the last five winter seasons. Due to the poor winter season, and taking into account the last 20 winter seasons, it is concluded that seasons with less snow occur from time to time. Namely, seasons like this year's happen every 12-15 years. For example, you have the winter season 2013/2014. which was similar to this year's", stated Žižić.
While they are waiting for the start of that work, the first "difficult" stages of around nine million euros, which entails bringing water to Bjelasica, but not the construction of a complete snowmaking system, from the state ski resort, they are most likely to look for a way to snow at least part of the slopes next winter.
That will, as he told "Vijesti" Bojan Medenica, manager of the Kolašin 1600 Ski Center, to include testing the water capacity on the mountain and creating the possibility to cover part of the trails with artificial snow. It is, he explains, about the trails next to two new ski lifts, one of which has been installed, and the other should be in the coming months.
Kolašin 1600 (video: Dragana Šćepanović)
"We are working intensively on finding a model to 'cover' at least part of the tracks with cannons and enable artificial snow for the following year. It is a temporary solution pending the start of work on the snowmaking project. We will examine the capacity of water on Bjelasica, which would serve for this purpose. This winter has shown that there is no alternative to snow on ski resorts, that is, that the so-called pan B is meaningless when there are no tourists," he said.
Kolašin 1600 (video: Dragana Šćepanović)
The ski center Kolašin 1600 is managed by the state company "Skijališta Crne Gore". The ski center could not operate without the help of the state even in the season when there was snow, i.e. skiing, so it is impossible to imagine that they could start the project of covering part of the slopes with cannons for the production of artificial snow on their own, after this year's business collapse caused by an unprecedented lack of snow precipitation.
Kolašin 1600 (video: Dragana Šćepanović)
The North is not only known for winter tourism
From Žižić's answers, it can be concluded that work will be done on developing a diverse offer, which is foreseen in the Tourism Development Strategy of Montenegro 2022-2025. years. Among other things, the strategy provides an overview of the tourism development of the Northern region through tourism clusters 7 and 8, which include Bjelasica, Komov and Prokletije, i.e. Durmitor and Sinjajevina, with the rivers Tara and Piva. For all these areas, the Strategy recommended a diversified (diverse) offer.
"Therefore, the goal we strive for is that throughout the year there is an offer that will have a demand and will not depend on climate change. We have witnessed that, when it comes to the northern region, in recent years we have had very good attendance during the summer months, so that the north of Montenegro is not only recognized for winter tourism. Consideration of the operation of all centers and ski resorts in conditions of climate change is the subject of action by both the Ministry and the Government. As a reminder, the development of the ski center is based on specific analyzes prepared in cooperation with partners," says Žižić.
There was rain, but not snowflakes
When asked whether it can already be assumed that warmer winters with less and less snow will follow, the meteorologist Dušan Pavićević he says for "Vijesti" that "that trend exists", but he believes that it would be frivolous to claim that it will be like this every winter.
"In general, we do not have a clear lack of precipitation in the areas of Kolašin and Žabljak in the winter months. However, the amount of precipitation itself is not the most important parameter. For example, this February, 170 l/m² fell in Žabljak, which is significantly more precipitation than average values, and we didn't have a single skiing day," he explains.
In Žabljak, i.e. Durmitor, it mostly rained during February, except at 1800 and more meters above sea level, where there is still a lot of snow today.
Pavićević says that, based on what can be read in the media about the situation at ski resorts across Europe, "great caution should be shown when making decisions about investing in ski tourism."
In a way, he claims, the model reanalysis of the winter seasons, done almost 20 years ago, also indicates that.
"For the purposes of creating the Master Plan for the development of winter tourism in Montenegro, a model reanalysis of the winter seasons (2002-2004) was done, which indicated the risks of large, I would say megalomaniac and unorganized investments in ski tourism. That modeling was done under the auspices of the then Hydrometeorological Institute. I get the impression that neither the conclusions nor the recommendations were read by any of those who were supposed to do it," says Pavićević.
According to the conclusions from 2007, only four areas in the northern part of Montenegro (Durmitor, Bjelasica, Sinjajevina and Maganik) have more than 60 days of snow above 50 centimeters in the season. Durmitor (at an altitude of 90 to 30 meters above sea level) has the highest number of days (more than 1.750) with a height of snow above 1.950 centimeters, and 80 days in Maganik, Sinjajevina and Bjelasica (altitudes of 1.650 to 1.850 meters above sea level).
"It should be emphasized that the number of days under a snow cover above 30 cm drops sharply on the northern slopes of Bjelasica. Apart from the mentioned four areas, the other regions in Montenegro do not have the climatic conditions that would with certainty enable more than 60 days of snow cover higher than 50 cm", are some of the conclusions.
Pavićević, however, warns that it should be borne in mind that the study covered a period of only three years. For this reason, she says, she points to a method that could be used for more detailed research, rather than being a key material in the decision-making process.
Ignorance or attempts at manipulation
The Ministry of Tourism reiterated the thesis that even the system for artificial snow cannot function at high temperatures, which, according to the Secretary of Tourism Vuk Žižić, is confirmed by the experiences of other countries (Italy, Slovenia, France).
The experiences of regional ski resorts, however, testify that the story about the non-functioning of the system for artificial snow, which was mentioned by several officials of the Ministry of Tourism, including Minister Vladimir Martinović, represents either ignorance or an attempt at manipulation.
Namely, in addition to huge amounts of water, the production of artificial snow requires temperatures lower than minus four degrees. And there were at least forty such frosty days in Bjelasica and Durmitor during January and February.
This was confirmed by the head of the Kolašin 1600 Ski Center, Bojan Medenica.
This practically means that artificial snow could very well have been produced during those days and nights. Which, after all, is confirmed by the examples of Jahorina and Kopaonik, where the season, with more or less difficulty, continues since the end of November. These are ski resorts located at approximately the same altitude as the Kolašin 1600 Ski Center.
They are planning ski lifts and trail lighting
Secretary Vuk Žižić reminds that activities were started in 2014 "in order to create infrastructural assumptions for the valorization of the space" of the future mountain and ski centers Kolašin 1600, Žarski and Cmiljača, in accordance with the then valid Special Purpose Spatial Plan (PPPN) of Bjelasica and Komovi.
Žižić explains that it is a question of planned investments and that it should be kept in mind that "problems related to implementation are also inherited".
"Vijesti" has repeatedly announced that the equipment installed at the Žarski and Cmiljača ski centers is failing...
When asked whether the question of the profitability of investing in ski resorts arises, in the light of possible climate changes, Žižić says that "the profitability of these investments can only be assessed when the projects are brought to their intended purpose".
"According to the data of the Directorate for Capital Projects, which is not under our department, more than 66 million euros were invested in projects on Bjelasica with the aim of improving the tourist infrastructure and offer, which are financed through the capital budget. It is about the development of ski centers in the region of Bjelasica and Komovi (Kolašin 1600 Ski Center, Žarski Ski Center and Cmiljača Ski Center). Therefore, the plan is to continue the activities and works on the mentioned future ski centers in order to bring them to their intended purpose. Further plans when it comes to the Kolašin 1600 Ski Center are the completion of the ski-lifts that have been started, the construction of lighting for two ski slopes next to the ski-lifts, which will give the Ski-center an additional new offer".
Is there any hope for Sava's hip
The Savin kuk ski resort is also without a day of skiing this season, due to the lack of snow that is unprecedented on Durmitor.
That state ski resort is in a slightly more favorable position than the one in Kolasin when it comes to the artificial snowmaking system, because a water reservoir has been built.
Authorities in Žabljak officially and unofficially mention the installation of cannons by next winter, but they have no answer to the question - who will do it and finance it.
Initiatives towards the Government are unofficially mentioned...
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