Brezovica almost without snow: “So it's never been”

Due to insufficient snow supply, the season has almost failed and financial losses are huge, they say.

Tourists who regularly visit this ski center on Sharri Mountain agree, although they say Brezovica has its graces even without snow.

Brezovica is located in the city with the same name on the territory of the Shtrpce municipality about 50km from Pristina. It is considered one of the largest winter tourism centres in Kosovo and is known for the skiing centre.

This year, the ski season there has not begun yet, because there is not enough snow.

Slavisa Janicev, who has been working at the Brezovica ski centre for 40 years, does not remember this type of season in January. He says he doesn't remember such a small number of tourists, which he links to snow shortages.

I remember once there were up to three meters of snow, and it actually has 15 to 20 inches. Thus, skiing is not allowed”, says Janicev told Radio Free Europe.

Brezovica's ski centre has nine teleferics for the same number of ski tracks that are longer than 3,500 meters.

But under current conditions, Brezovica can only be used for a walk.

It's really nice, but without snow”

Remzi Gashi from Prizren spent the weekend in Brezovica, though he knew that, during this period, he could not ski, just as he did in the past years.

There's less snow, but I like it here too. As it turns out, we too have to face climate change”, Gashi says.

In addition, some 1,000 white sports fans stayed in Brezovica on January 14th and January 15th, and among them Ella from Durres - a coastal town in northern Albania.

She hoped she would find snow, but she says Brezovica is beautiful even without it.

We'll be back when there's more snow”, she says.

Like Brezovica, Mark from the US, who says he has friends in Kosovo and visits them regularly.

I'm here [in Brezovica] for the first time and it's really beautiful. Snow is not enough, but this beauty can compensate”, he says.

Has the winter season failed?

The Brezovica Skiing Centre Administration says all preparations for the start of the winter season have long ended, at the end of November.

They add that because of extremely warm weather for this period of the year, the season is “regulated”, but they still hope it will not fail.

If we had snowballs, everything would be different. We created a new business plan, but we'll see how it's going to be”, Free Europe Radio Lubisa Stojanovic, ski centre manager Brezovica.

The Sterpce municipality, in which Brezovica is located, is multiethnic, so both Serbs and Albanians work in the ski centre.

They agree they don't remember such a bad season.

This season is weaker than 70 percent in terms of revenues in the hotel industry. So it's never been”, says Free Europe Luli Zhubi, who has been working there for thirty years now.

Loss of Snow

Dane owns a company that rents snow cars. He's got about twenty employees, but because of the bad season, half of them didn't make it this year.

We don't have the money to pay even basic expenses. It would be ideal if at least a meter of snow fell and tourists returned, which is impossible”, he says.

Brian Islam, who rents skiing equipment, is similarly expressed.

There are few visitors, so there are very few interested in the equipment I offer. It cannot be remembered so little snow here, at about 1,700 meters above sea level”, Islam says.

Sreqko Stanissic has also been offering skiing equipment for tourists for about 20 years. He hopes there will be snow and that even this year, guests from countries in the region will come.

It singles out tourists from Albania's coastal part, which, as it says, are extremely good “consumers.

They earn money during the summer season and store them for winter. We come into such a circle”, Stanissic says.

There's also the farmers...

Villagers from the territory of the Shrpca municipality, located near Brezovica, deal mainly with the production of fruits, vegetables or milk products, which they sell to tourists.

For years we have sold the popular Sharr cheese, milk, raisins and juices. This year, the sale has fallen to minimum. It's a huge loss for us”, says Sara Ivich for Radio Free Europe.

Until recently I had about 200 sheep, about 20 heads of cattle, pigs, goats... I used to walk cheese and meat, especially during the winter season. Now times are such that I no longer have any head of livestock”, says Slavisa Janicevic, employee at the Brezovica Skiing Centre.

Kosovo tourist potential

Kosovo has five tourist regions: The Albanian Alps, the Sharr region of Anamorawa, Mitrovica and Baygora Shala.

In addition, there is a central region in Kosovo that includes Pristina's capital.

Kosovo has other attractions and tourist destinations, such as the source of white Drini, Mirushe Falls and numerous caves. Also known thermal resources include baths in Klokot and Pec.