Beljanica ready for investors - €25 million needed for development of ski resort 150 kilometers away from Belgrade

Wishing to make Beljanica a favorite destination of ski lovers, the municipality of Zagubica has commenced infrastructure works on a 12-square-kilometer area where a tourist complex worth EUR 25 million should be built. On this mountain in eastern Serbia, with the highest peak at 1,339 meters, ski lifts and ski runs for Alpine and Nordic skiing are in the pipeline, whereas the category of accommodation capacities depends on future investors.

- We are close to end the first phase of the construction of a ski resort. A detailed regulation plan is made, a geodesic survey of the terrain is completed, part of the works on installing a long-distance power line to the top is finished, and Zagubica-Beljanica road is built. We want to prepare this area and get everything ready for potential investors - Dragisa Vuckovic from the public company Directorate for Construction and Development of the Municipality of Zagubica says in an interview for eKapija.

The plan is to build 11 ski lifts, seven of which will be ski tows, while four will be ski lifts with seats. Also, 30 kilometers of Alpine ski runs 50 meters wide and 18 kilometers of Nordic ski runs 6-8 meters wide are in the pipeline.

- Construction works will be carried out in phases. The first phase, that is, 50% of the capacities, should be completed until 2012. The estimated value of the investment in this ski resort is EUR 25 million. Major share of this investment should be provided by private sector. Public sector should finance the construction of an access road and other primary infrastructure, including the removal of wood from the routes of planned ski runs and lifts. So far we have been providing funds from our own sources, as well as with the help of the National Investment Plan (NIP) and the Ministry of Infrastructure's Department of Tourism – says Vuckovic.

According to our interlocutor, the ski runs will be built on the northern part of Beljanica mountain where no facilities of any kind are currently situated. The average thickness of snowpack on Beljanica is 50 centimeters, and this snow layer stays on mountain slopes for as many as 120 days per year.

Beljanica Mountain

Beljanica mountain separates Homolje from the Resava river. The highest peak is 1,399 meters high. There are numerous sinkholes, caverns, coves, and caves on this mountain. The central plateau is mainly barren, whereas slopes are covered by beech and oak woods, which are similar to rainforests in some parts. Plenty of mushrooms, Boletus in particular, can be found in the shades cast by tall trees.

(the Resava river)

It is possible that Beljanica has got its name because of white bare rocks that shine in the sun above thick dark forests. There are many water springs, but mainly in lower parts of the mountain. Shepherds' cottages can also be found everywhere, but there are no permanent settlements.

What makes this area even more attractive is the fact that it is quite accessible from the direction of Belgrade because it is only about 20 kilometers away from Belgrade-Nis highway and about 150 kilometers away from Belgrade, which means that one can very easily come to Kucaj, even for only one day.

The greatest attractions of this area are, definitely, Manasija Monastery and Resava Cave.