Montenegro’s Ministry of Tourism does not have the €18,000 required to pay the connection fee to the Montenegrin Electricity Distribution System (CEDIS) for the new six-seat detachable ski lift at the Hajla-Štedim site. As a result, the ministry has requested that the Ministry of Public Works cover the cost, according to a government document adopted on Thursday.
The ski resort project itself cost €9 million, with additional works estimated at another €11 million. However, the ski lift cannot begin operation until it is connected to the power grid. The connection fee amounts to €17,990.81, including VAT, payable within 15 days of signing the contract with CEDIS.
Since the Ministry of Tourism has no funds allocated in its current budget for this payment, the government proposes that the Ministry of Public Works handle the expense, as it is already financing the Hajla-Štedim Ski Center through the capital budget program “Improvement of the Tourism Offer.”
The Hajla-Štedim Ski Center, located in the municipality of Rožaje, is part of a multi-year development project that includes road infrastructure, a base station building, electrical and telecommunication networks, ski slopes, and related equipment.
The project is being implemented under a 2019 “design and build” contract worth €8.99 million, signed with the Sarajevo-based company Strucon. The ski lift equipment was supplied by Swiss manufacturer Bartholet. Construction began in September 2020, with completion coordinated with the finalization of the electrical infrastructure.
