After years of waiting and uncertainty, the Ulcinj Salt Pans Nature Park is entering a new phase.
On Boje jutra on TV Vijesti, the first man of the Ulcinj municipality, Genci Nimanbegu, explained that an agreement has already been reached, and that a contract will be signed next week formally establishing the company that will manage this nature park.
"We have been negotiating and working on this process for a long time. As soon as I took office, Solana became one of my priorities. In December, we submitted a draft contract that went through all the necessary procedures and received the approval of all relevant institutions. The Ulcinj Municipal Assembly voted on this decision on December 23, and now we are waiting for the finalization and signing of the contract," explains Nimanbegu.
The company, which will have 60 percent ownership in the hands of the Government and 40 percent in the hands of the Municipality of Ulcinj, is expected to begin operations in the first half of 2026.
According to Nimanbegu, the management of the Salt Pan will not only be focused on profit, but also on the preservation of the ecosystem and the tourism development of this protected area.
After the Ulcinj Salt Pans were declared a nature park in 2019, the management of this area remained unclear, while until now the role of manager was performed by the Public Company for National Parks. Given that there was no permanent manager, the salt pan ecosystem was endangered, and plans for the restoration of salt production stagnated. The new management structure should resolve these problems, ensure continued protection and enable the development of sustainable tourism.
Nimanbegu explained that the establishment of the company will be implemented quickly, and that an executive director will be appointed in the first months and that all positions will be filled after public competitions. The company is expected to start operating by the summer at the latest, when key activities on the restoration and preservation of the saltworks will begin.
"The salt pan is a specific ecosystem that requires great attention and expertise. Therefore, we will have people with specific knowledge in the field of ecology and nature protection in the management team. This process will not be quick, but it is necessary for the survival of this unique area," said Nimanbegu.
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