207 MILLION EUROS TO BE INVESTED INTO IGMAN AND BJELASNICA SKI CENTERS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (January 23,2008) – Business plan for the area of the Igman and Bjelasnica ski centers on the basis of which these two Bosnian mountains are to become the leading winter tourist and recreation centres in the Southeastern Europe in the period from four to ten years, was presented in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo.

The plan was developed by ORGALIS /BCEOM Consultancy from France and investors for this 1 million Bosnian Marks-worth project are the Sarajevo Canton Ministry of Economy, Trnovo, Hadzici and Ilidza municipalities, the ZOI ’84 Company from Sarajevo, Sarajevo Regional and Development Agency (SERDA) and Sarajevo Canton Tourist Community.

It has been stated at a press conference which followed immediately after the presentation that in order for those plans to be fulfilled, that is, in order for all the activities to be implemented, investments of 207 million Euros have been planned. The money is to be invested by the year of 2025. The biggest investment period is planned for the years from 2010 to 2014. About 135 million Euros should be invested then.

Investments are related to the Babin do, Malo Polje and Veliko Polje area. New hotels should be built and equipment purchased for recreation centres. Also, a parking lot is to be constructed together with business, healthcare and food centre. The existing ski areas are to be expanded; new ski lifts will be built.

In the first phase, as stated by the Sarajevo Canton Minister of Economy Abid Saric, offers of potential donors are collected. Precise date of beginning of construction works is not yet known. It is also expected that the incomes from tourist offer in Igman and Bjelasnica will mount to 7,5 million Euros by 2014.