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Lagonaki ski resort not to violate Caucasus Nature Reserve borders

The construction of a ski resort in Lagonaki are optimized and will guarantee preservation of nature reserves

MOSCOW, September 5 (Itar-Tass) — The construction of a ski resort in Lagonaki that is located in the Republic of Adygeya and the Krasnodar Territory and will become a part of the North Caucasus tourist cluster will begin only after its borders are optimized and will guarantee preservation of nature reserves, the chairman of the board of Resorts of the North Caucasus, Ahmed Bilalov, told Itar-Tass on Monday.

“Until no correct decision on building a ski resort on the border with the Caucasus Nature Reserve is taken, no activities to create a tourist cluster will be launched,” he said.

Bilalov made it clear that a preliminary design of the ski resort violated the reserve’s territory.

“We do not want and will not build anything on the nature reserves’ territory. This is ruled out,” he said.

Resorts of the North Caucasus together with the Republic of Adygeya and the Krasnodar Territory are taking efforts to coordinate the reserve’s border, find free lands that are no banned by the environmental law.

“In this issue we have full understanding – none of the parties is interested in deliberate violations, but we are equally interested in the implementation of the resort project. In this context we are searching for and will surely find an optimal and absolutely right decision,” Bilalov said.

The ski resort is expected to be launched in 2019.

Bilalov also noted that his company is in talks with the Natural Resources Ministry, the environmental watchdog Rosprirodnadzor, the World Wildlife Fund and other environmental organizations.

“We share common views: actions that can pose threat to nature are inadmissible. Therefore all our plans are being coordinated and discussed with specialists in this area,” he said.

Speaking about other yet-to-be resorts of the North Caucasus tourist cluster Bilalov noted that administrative and tourist accommodation facilities, ski lifts are being built in Arkhyz in Karachai-Cherkessia.

The resorts of Mamison in North Ossetia and Matlas in the Republic of Dagestan are close to completion.

Next year the design works of Elbrus-Bezengi in Kabardino-Balkaria will begin.

The launch of Matlas is scheduled for 2017, of Arkhyz – for 2018 and other resorts for the end of 2019.

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