The 30th Plitvice Marathon attracted about 2,000 people on Sunday, and was formally opened by Environment Minister Mihail Zmajlovic and Plitvice Lakes National Park Director Natalija Bozicevic.
The minister said that the race was an excellent way of promoting health and tourism, and presented awards to people responsible for its organisation and promotion, including Milka Babovic, a former track and field athlete and one of the most famous Croatian sports reporters.
On that occasion, Zmajlovic and Bozicevic opened the renovated Licka Kuca (Lika House) restaurant, which was destroyed in a fire nearly three years ago.
"We are investing in protected areas more than decades before. In the last three and a half years we have launched projects worth over 300 million kuna and projects worth 500 million are under preparation and are to be co-financed with EU funding. Only investments guarantee development, notably sustainable development. It is important that we invest in protected areas because in that way we encourage sustainable development of wider regions. For local communities this means new business opportunities for development of services in tourism and agriculture," Zmajlovic told the press outside the restaurant.
Bozicevic said that Licka Kuca was a significant contributor to the national park's revenue, adding that the restaurant had earned about 9 million kuna annually before the fire and that 7.1 million had been invested in its restoration. She said that despite its new equipment and furnishings, the restaurant's traditional look and offer of traditional local cuisine were preserved.
(EUR 1 = HRK 7.56)
(Hina)