During the tourist season, three parking spaces for buses and 98 parking spaces for cars will be provided in Virpazar, three of which will be reserved for people with disabilities. In this way, the long-standing problem of lack of parking in this bar area will potentially be solved.
This was told to "Vijesta" by the Public Enterprise National Parks of Montenegro.
The exact date when the parking lots will be ready for use is not yet known.
"Regarding the expected date of establishment of the parking lot, we are taking all necessary steps to complete the works on time, before the start of the season. Putting the parking lot into operation also depends on factors such as weather conditions and others that can be difficult, but we strive to overcome the challenges as soon as possible, especially taking into account the quality of the performance", said the National Parks.
Use of these locations will require payment of an hourly fee, depending on the type of vehicle - 50 cents for motorcycles, one euro for passenger vehicles, two euros for SUVs, three euros for passenger vans and five euros for buses. The money that will be generated from parking fees, as they said in the National Parks, will be used for further investments in infrastructure and improving the tourist offer.
"The lack of organized parking lots in Virpazar and Vranjina, extremely frequented locations, represents a long-standing problem for local businessmen and the population, but also in the performance of the legally defined activities of the employees of NP Skadarsko jezero," said the National Parks.
These are state-owned locations, which were given to the National Parks for management, and which, the company claims, were used by individuals for unjustified enrichment through illegal parking charges in the previous period.
This public company clarified that they act in accordance with the programs of temporary facilities in the areas of national parks, which define the locations where temporary facilities are to be installed, and which are adopted by the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property.
"The goal of the parking lot is to ensure access for visitors and ensure minimal impact on the environment, contributing to the development of tourism. Permits were obtained from the Environmental Protection Agency and the chief city architect, following legal procedures. More precisely, in October 2023, a decision was received from the Environmental Protection Agency for actions, activities and activities related to the installation of temporary parking lots, in accordance with Article 40 of the Law on Nature Protection", they said.
Consent to the conceptual solutions was obtained by the chief city architect in September of last year.
Preparatory works include arrangement, fencing, possible filling of gravel and procurement of ramps, as provided by project documentation, defined urban-technical conditions and principles of protected areas, as stated by...
When it comes to legal procedures, the Public Enterprise says that they procured the drafting of project documentation based on urban-technical conditions aligned with a specific location from the Program for Temporary Facilities. Then, obtaining the consent of the chief city architect for the proposed conceptual solution, obtaining a permit from the Environmental Protection Agency for the performance of works, activities and activities within the protected zone and informing the Municipal Inspectorate about the installation of a temporary parking lot.
"Since these are temporary parking lots that will be used by a public company, and the Program of temporary facilities for NP Skadarsko jezero envisages very limited works and activities on landscaping, the public procurement procedure will be carried out only for the procurement of necessary installations", they pointed out.
The Municipality of Bar provided the location, the National Parks provided the money
From the National Parks, they said that they have good communication with the Municipality of Bar, which has given consent for the installation of temporary facilities on plots of land in its ownership for this project.
They emphasized that in order to effectively solve the problem of traffic congestion and expand the parking capacity in Virpazar, in accordance with the urban plan of the Municipality, the coordination and support of state institutions is necessary.
"The goal is to provide the necessary funds for the development of parking areas that will meet the needs of visitors and be in accordance with ecological standards," they said in the national parks.
They added that money will be allocated from their budget for this project.
"As the appropriate allocation of resources is necessary for all phases of the project, as they said, including planning, construction, implementation and maintenance, the final value of this project will be known only after the completion of the implementation", the company pointed out.
President of the Ministry of Health Crmnica, Tomo Uksanovic, told "Vijesta" that the locals want a permanent solution to this problem and to completely free the center of Virpazar from cars, parking lots and traffic jams.
Crmnič residents protested this problem last August by blocking the bridge in Virpazar. Uksanovic said that nothing has changed since then.
"On July 13, the National Parks mowed a state-owned meadow under the former hotel in order to partially rehabilitate the parking problem. It is certain that it cannot be solved permanently that way, because those meadows are turning blue and that is not a permanent solution", he said.
In his opinion, Virpazar lacks about 200 to 250 parking spaces. According to him, Virpazar deserves it so that the old core of the place will be freed from parking and enjoy its full tourist potential.
The people of Crmni were already talking about the new tourist season at the end of the next one and recognized the parking problem as one of the biggest for Virpazar and Lake Skadar. Uksanović said that guests arrive at Virpazar as early as March, and leave at the end of October.
The last time they addressed the authorities at the end of last year, in December, and in communication with them they got the impression that the problem is within the jurisdiction since it is the territory of the Municipality of Bar, but it does not have jurisdiction over it, but JP National Parks or Morsko dobro.
The center of the town should be accessible for cars in the morning
The Council of the Local Community of Crmnica sent a letter to the Municipality of Bar about what is a priority for them, and the first item was the problem of parking in Virpazar. They did not send that letter as a complaint, but as a regular activity of the Ministry of Health.
"I assume that the National Parks will organize parking fees, but we still need more places," said Ukšanović.
He proposed that the center of Virpazar be accessible to cars in the morning hours for the purpose of supplying catering facilities, and after that to be a pedestrian zone.
Ukšanović sees a permanent solution in the filling of spaces that are already provided for parking in the plan for temporary facilities. He emphasizes the plot next to the highway, across from the entrance to Virpazar, which, if adapted for parking, would greatly facilitate functioning in this part of Bar.
"We missed the months of last year and the beginning of this year, but it's better to start now than never," he concluded.
Bonus video:
