CIVIL’s call to its members, supporters, collaborators and all interested citizens to take part in the new action Citizens forum for participation in government policy making , has reached many citizens, activists and supporters of the organization. We have already received on our emails a large number of messages with articulated demands for the future government, which we will be publishing on CIVIL’s media platform in the coming period.
Citizen activist and collaborator of CIVIL, Pero Naumovski, writes:
After many expert debates, overly paid expertise, endless master plans and lost, not years, but decades, I expect for the new government led by Zoran Zaev to finally implement the Concept for development of the Shar Mountain massif.
The Shar mountain massif is the biggest natural and social resource, natural wealth and greatest economic potential for development at the state, regional and local level.
The Shar mountain massif in the broader aspect includes the area from Ljuboten, through PopovaShapka and Jelak, up to Bistra and Mavrovo and belongs to the Polog planning region.
The realization of the Concept for development of PopovaShapka to be the first priority and first phase of the long-term strategic development of the Shar mountain massif within the framework of the Polog planning region.
The government to be the implementer of the development project through the line ministries, the Agency for Regional Development in cooperation with the Polog planning region and the Municipality of Tetovo.
For this purpose, the government to form an institution that would be composed of experts, and this could be a directorate, standing coordinating advisory body of the government, public enterprise or some other form. The task of this body would be to directly, continuously, professionally, competently, responsibly and transparently coordinate all the activates in the implementation of the project.
The realization of the concept would go in three phases.
The first phase would include the preparation of all necessary acts and documents and decision on the establishment and status of the government body, as well as the determining of its powers and competencies. This phase could be realized in 2-3 months from the establishment of the government.
The second phase would include taking urgent and specific steps for preparing for the new winter season with the existing resources and possibilities. This phase would last 6 months. The implementer of this phase would be the already formed government body. In this phase, in parallel to realization of the winter season, a long-term strategy for development of the Shar mountain massif would be prepared at the same time. For this purpose, the numerous studies that have already been prepared would be used and recent positive experiences from our neighbours and broader would also be used. This phase would last 6 months and would end with the adoption of a government decision for realization of the development documents.
The third phase would be specific realization of the development concept that should last 3-4 years, or to the end of the term of this government. The experiences of the neighbouring countries, Bulgaria with Bansko and Borovets, Serbia with Kopaonik, Stara Planina and Zlatibor, Bosnia and Herzegovina with Jahorina are the best confirmation that such ambitious development projects with great effects can be achieved in 3-4 years.
What would the effects be of the realization of this project? The effects would be great at the state and especially at the regional and local level.
The main and most important effect is the profitability of the project. There is huge potential for development of winter tourism, family tourism, ecotourism, mountain tourism, extreme sports tourism and so on.
It concerns a site towards which one million potential visitors gravitate, which thanks to the excellent traffic infrastructure can be reached in just 30 to 60 minutes from Tetovo, Gostivar, Skopje, Kumanovo, Veles. The Skopje Airport is just 80 km away and can be reached in 60 minutes, which is a great advantage in attracting foreign tourists. A safe and quick traffic solution with a good organization can provide a large number of day visitors, tourists, skiers. The potentials are great. Quantitative analyses can be made fast and simple.
In the context of the opportunities, the already existing capacities in the hotel-hospitality activity in Tetovo, as well as the offer for fun and entertainment in the evening hours, can be complementarily used successfully. The local government in Tetovo should especially work on this.
The development opportunities are great, all we need to do is just use the natural wealth and resources we have within our reach in the surrounding area.
Through this project the state will provide economic growth, greater employment, a more balanced regional development, and fewer young people leaving the country.
The Polog region will provide sustainable economic development, higher employment, a higher living standard and living conditions of better quality, a healthier environment and Tetovo can become a center of winter tourism in the region.
If this project is successfully realized, and I hope it can be realized with great effort and commitment, the Shar mountain massif could be the Tyrol of the Balkans and Tetovo the Balkans Innsbruck.
P.S. I kindly ask future Prime Minister Zoran Zaev to ask for the material that was submitted to him at the meeting with the delegation of the Association for salvation of Popova Shapka a year ago by the representative of the Ljuboten Ski Club, probably put somewhere in the drawers of the prime ministerial desk, and to find the time to read it if he probably has not found the time so far. It is just a couple of pages.
translated by: Natasha Cvetkovska
