The government will develop Popova Shapka through a strategic investor. At today's government session, the proposal for a strategic investment project in the Popova Shapka ski center received the green light.

According to the Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning Nasser Nuredini it is a big investment project that is the result of efforts to protect natural values

"We can now share the information that we have received a serious offer from the renowned European company from South Tyrol, TechnoAlpin, which is a world leader in the production and installation of artificial snow systems, a recognized expert in the design of ski fields and ski areas, and with 30 years of experience, 16 subsidiaries around the world and 600 employees. This company, after the research, offered an ambitious plan for the development, innovation and growth of the Popova Shapka ski center, which is characterized by the modernization of the existing ski area and its territorial expansion, improvement of the primary infrastructure necessary for the development of the area, with quantitative and qualitative improving the tourist accommodation activity, with the inclusion of new facilities for adapting the tourist offer to the current requirements of the tourist market and expanding it", said the Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning Nasser Nuredini.

It is about a strategic partnership with the Popova Shapka ski center with an ambitious project whose total value is 186 million euros.

It includes renovation of existing facilities, installation of a snowmaking system, expansion of the existing ski area with new facilities and trails, renovation and expansion of hotels, construction of new hotel facilities, construction of asphalt parking lots, bicycle paths and creation of other recreational activities. .

"It is planned to invest in two new hotels as well as new ski trails, from the upper station to the left of the two-seater St. Ilia, new parking spaces and new access roads are planned, and the investment in the installation of artificial snow in the first phase would cover the ski trails Airport , Ge, Tetex and St. Elijah. Next comes the clarification of the agreement of the strategic partner and the government, and then all this should be passed in the Assembly of the RSM, he said. Adem Avziu the director of "Elem Tours" Public enterprise, which manages the Popova Shapka ski center.

The investment should be realized starting from 2023 in 6 investment phases, the first of which amounts to approximately 55 million euros.

Zarko Trpkovski from the ski club Ljuboten, who is knowledgeable about the conditions of the center, welcomed the decision, but still says that it is too early to comment, because it is not known what kind of agreement it is.

The center, as it recently stated for Free Press it should work according to the model from Skijalište Serbia, which is proving to be successful.

He added that according to several international studies, Popova Shapka, that is, Shar Mountain, has the capacity for 500 skiers per day, only if a large amount of capital is invested. That's billions of euros in turnover, an amount that exceeds the gross domestic product.

So far, for the Popova Shapka ski center, both this and the previous government have done a large number of feasibility studies, master plans, economic analyzes for the development of the center, but for now they are only on paper.

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