Slovak News Back to the news
Fico: Tatras in Urgent Need of Zoning Regime and New Tourism Act
Wednesday 25 November 2009 Zoom in | Print page
Poprad, November 25 (TASR) - Tourism forms a significant part of the development of Presov and Zilina regions, and we need to focus on three chief tasks in this respect on top of the removal of the barriers hampering development of the regions, Prime Minister Robert Fico said following a Government session in Poprad (Presov region) on Wednesday.
"We'll hardly be able to move forward until a zoning regimen is completed, mainly as regards the High Tatras," said Fico, calling zoning the first of the three tasks.
A proposal on arranging the Tatra National Park (TANAP) into zones is expected to be tabled by the Environment Ministry sometime before the end of March 2010. The original deadline was the latter half of 2010. "We don't want to postpone it for the next Government," added the premier.
A new law on tourism is another important step facilitating the development of tourism not only in central and eastern Slovakia, but nationwide. The new legislation should introduce co-funding of tourism by the state on the one hand, and towns and village administrations on the other. "The 50-50 principle is intended, so that both sides are motivated," he added.
The legislation is expected to be discussed by the Government in January, with Parliament to discuss it in February.
A so-called satellite account, that is a method of collecting information concerning tourism, is the third important task mentioned. "We'll launch trial use as of 2010," said Fico.
A subsidy of €5.4 million for Zilina and Presov regions was set aside by the Cabinet earlier in the day, with the funds to be allocated mainly towards recreational and tourism projects in the regions. For instance, a revamp of the Renaissance-style Lubovna Castle (Presov region) and construction of a cycling path between Poprad and Stary Smokovec (Presov region) should be launched within the next few months.
Another €2.01 million should go to the two regions in 2010, with the Education Ministry to provide an overwhelming majority of the money.
All rights reserved. Any publishing or further dissemination of press releases and photographs from TASR's resources without TASR's prior written approval constitutes a violation of the Copyrights Act.
