Following the statement made by the Director of the Invest in North Macedonia Agency, Dejan Pavleski about the plans for building a luxurious ski resort on the Jablanica Mountain in the south-west corner of North Macedonia, the World Wildlife Fund – WWF and the Eco-Consciousness Institute from Skopje object that these plans run against the principles of protecting the nature and the international standards.
They stress that only two years ago, a Management Plan for prepared for the Vevchani Springs, a natural monument that stretches across 1.370 hectares of the Jablanica Mountain. The Plan facilitates active protection, as a result of the efforts of the Municipality of Vevchani and Eco-Consciousness Institute. The importance of this area was confirmed by the Government’s decision to declare Jablanica a national park.
“We remind that in the Management Plan, the area above Vevchani isn’t planned for ski resorts or hotel complexes, and generally, construction of infrastructure for mass tourism isn’t allowed,” says the joint press release issued by WWF and Eco-Consciousness.
WWF and Eco-Consciousness addressed their reaction to the Invest in North Macedonia Agency and are requesting revision of the proposed projects about ski resorts in the soon-to-be-declared national parks and protected areas. They request preparation of alternative plans for sustainable tourism and say they are available for consultations regarding this matter with all the competent institutions.