New tender for Stara Planina mountain at end of March – 50m EUR for tourism facilities

The second, changed tender for selection of the partner for construction of tourism complex "Jabučko ravanište" on Stara Planina mountain will be announced at the end of March. According to the State Secretary of Tourism, Goran Petković, the main changes in the tender concern the model and amount of investments.

- We have selected the model of joint investment, according to which the share in the ownership will be proportional to the invested money. The initially suggested model of co-investment, which turned money into square meters of future complex, was unacceptable for the investors. Also, we’ve reduced the investments in the first phase of the project from 154m to 50m EUR - Petković explained for eKapija and pointed out that the state should have the minority share in the new model.

The first phase of the project will include construction of small facilities – condotels, family hotels, city houses and boarding houses, and they will represent the core of the future tourism settlement.

- Also, necessary infrastructural facilities will be built by the state, and they will remain the property of Republic of Serbia – said Petković.

Aleksander Petric, the Director General of "Immorent Beograd", the company that expressed interest in investment in Stara Planina, besides “Energoprojekt”, said for eKapiju that he was satisfied with the changes in the tender terms and that "Immorent" would, once again, take participation in the project in consideration.

- "Jabučko ravanište" is a huge project and its realization will last for up to 25 years. "Immorent" could use the experience it gained in Austria and other European countries during realization of similar projects. Final decision about whether we are going to take part in the new tender has not been made yet – said Petric.

According to the Master plan for mountain complex on Stara Planina, which has been designed by Canadian and American company, the whole complex will be able to receive about 32,000 guests and 23,000 skiers.

- Serbia needs foreign partner to help it in construction of a complex like "Jabučko ravanište" because of both financial means and transfer of know-how and technologies. The tourism sector does not have the priority in the financing from the budget, and that is why the space is created for cooperation with private investors. Also, by means of public private partnerships (PPP), timely and optimal location of the risk is determined towards the project carriers and the level of efficiency is increased - Petković explained at the first conference on PPP, organized by "Tsomokos Group International" (TGI).

The first tender for Stara Planina was announced on September 16, 2008, and it concerned the first phase of construction of the complex at about 110 ha of state-owned land, which is currently used by public company "Babin zub" from Knjaževac.

The deadline for submission of bids was November 7, 2008, but, due to the global financial crisis, it was extended until December 3rd when the value of the guarantee for participation in the tender was reduced to 1.5m EUR.

The first tender anticipated 154m EUR worth of investments in catering, recreation and entertainment facilities, as well as 50m EUR for ski centers and 30m EUR for public utility infrastructure.

According to the tender terms, the bidder must be active in the international market and it must have minimum five hotels, or it can provide the contract on management from the company that is present in the global market and has, at least, 10 hotels with minimum four stars each.