EU funds for the Nordic Centre Planica
Ljubljana, 11 July 2012 – Ministry of Economic Development and Technology (MEDT), as the Managing Authority for the EU structural funds and the Cohesion Fund, directly approved the project Nordic Centre Planica – 2nd phase – Centre for ski running Planica. The project includes the construction of the central facility for ski running, arrangement of ski running tracks with a stadium and external arrangement. The overall value of the investment, which is co-financed in the framework of the Operational Programme for Strengthening Regional Development Potentials for the period 2007–2013, is 18,263,078 Euros out of which the European Regional Fund contribution is 15,313,804 Euros. MEDT informed the Sports Institute Planica (the beneficiary) and the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports (the ministry responsible for the implementation of the project) on the approval of the project on 10 July 2012.
The existing tracks for ski running extend in the triangle between Kranjska Gora, the former border crossing point Rateče and Tamar. Only a small segment of the track has the international certificate (only for specific ski running disciplines) and their arrangement depends on the natural snowing conditions. This is why it is difficult to prepare, with great certainty, programmes which are based on ski running with a guarantee of snow. The construction of the ski running centre will have a direct impact on the reconstruction and preservation of the existing sports surfaces. The acquirement of the modern central facility for ski running will enable the organisation of a ski running competition at the highest level which will, consequently, bring new jobs. Indirectly, the investment will also increase the number of over-night stays in Kranjska Gora and the surroundings, the number of guests, staying for one day, consumption and the recognition of Kranjska Gora.
The project entails three sets of the arrangement of the ski running centre Planica: central facility for ski running (interpretation centre, wind tunnel, information centre and ski running tunnel), external arrangement (municipal infrastructure, football field, landscaping, circulation fixture which entails service, intervention and walking paths, parking lots, etc, theme-adventure park with a playground) and ski running tracks with a stadium for ski running (ski running tracks in the competitive part will be a new construction, while the ski running tracks in the part which relates to and overlaps with the existing programmes meant mainly for recreation are foreseen to be reconstructed and expanded).
The investment directly contributes to the objectives of the Operational Programme for Strengthening Regional Development Potentials for the period 2007–2013, priority axis “Integration of natural and cultural potentials”. Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports is the ministry responsible for implementation of the investment.
