Tetovo, 15 December 2021 (MIA) – A promotional event titled “Shar Whiteness – Shar Beauty” marked Wednesday the start of the winter ski season at the recently declared Shar Mountain National Park on Popova Shapka. The national park management plan was unveiled as well. The representatives of the institutions in charge gave opening speeches, and cultural and entertaining activities were held as well.

The Minister of Environment and Physical Planning, Naser Nuredini, said that the national park and ski resort will be places where nature-based solutions will be practiced as a way to preserve nature.

“At the end of the year, we formally mark the successful declaration of Shar Mountain as a national park, and simultaneously opening the Popova Shapka ski season. Today we’re presenting and promoting ways to preserve our natural values and sustainable economic development. I have to say that I am proud to be the first Minister of Environment who has had the honor to speak at such a formal marking of a new national park, the fourth in our country, over the past thirty years of independence. This historic success is a result of long-term efforts of many factors for the balance of the needs of people and nature, and the survival of rare, endemic species. It’s also a reflection of the position environmental protection has on our political agenda, using our natural potential for sustainable development is my vision of how socio-economic development should look,” Naser Nuredini said.

Elem Tours director Adem Avziu mentioned the measures and activities that made the start of the ski season possible, as well as better lodging conditions on Popova Shapka.

“We’ve worked very hard over the past few months to create minimal conditions, better conditions for the skiers at this ski center. We put in a lot of effort to create conditions for all tourists, not just the ones from our country, but those in the region as well. The Popova Shapka ski center is a skiing leader in our country and in the region. We will continue our efforts and investments and we won’t stagnate in order to improve conditions at this resort,” Avziu said.

Anela Stojanova Panajotova, representative of the team that worked on the national park management plan, said that the work doesn’t stop just because Shar Mountain has been declared a national park.

“On the contrary, problems are arising, all those subjects that were pushed under the rug are coming back out. We have a lot of work to do, and part of the responsibilities of the national park management team is to open up these issues to ensure that the laws of nature first, and the country’s laws second, are being upheld. On the other hand, there is a mountain with huge potential for sustainable tourism of the entire territory of the national park, such as mountain biking, horse tourism and other alternative kinds of tourism,” Stojanova Panajotova emphasized.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the ski lifts and cableways are free for skiers and citizens. dk/ba/