Radovljica supports the purchase of land in the Sav Conjunction. What's the government gonna do?

The municipality of Radovljica has called on relevant national institutions to expedite procedures for protecting the confluence of the Sava Dolinka and Sava Bohinjka rivers, where the landowner has long sought to build a sports and tourist complex. On Wednesday, October 7, the Radovljica municipal council passed a resolution urging all competent institutions at the national level to accelerate preparations for technical documentation and adopt regulations for managing or protecting the natural value of the confluence area on Lancov. The council also called for the purchase of land in the area, where the owner has been trying to develop a recreational and tourist complex for nearly two decades. Biologist Professor Dr. Mihael Jožef Toman, an expert in aquatic ecosystems and honorary citizen of Radovljica, emphasized during the meeting that purchasing land in private ownership would be the first necessary step toward protection. Mayor Ciril Globočnik stated that discussions with the landowner regarding the purchase have already taken place and that an appraisal will be conducted. The municipality will prepare location documentation and find an independent appraiser. Professor Toman noted that in the following steps, it would be necessary to check the possibility of securing European funds for financing the purchase, prepare a new spatial plan for the area, and reassess the nature conservation status of the confluence. The area of the Sava River is one of the most valuable natural areas in Slovenia, which is why the Radovljica municipal authorities have called on the competent ministries, the Nature Conservation Institute, and the Water Directorate to prioritize and speed up the procedures needed for adequate protection of this area. The special value of the confluence was highlighted by Toman, who said it could be an additional asset for both the municipality and its residents as well as visitors. He pointed out that although the confluence is already registered as a state-value site, the status exists only on paper. The area should be preserved without construction and even without various glamping offers, which the municipality already has some experience with. He recalled the uniqueness of the confluence as the beginning of the country's longest river and one of three charismatic points in the triangle of Slap Savica - Zelenci under Mount Triglav - Confluence. The municipal council has addressed the competent ministry, the Nature Conservation Institute, and the Water Directorate since August, explained Alenka Langus, director of the municipal administration. She emphasized that the call stressed that this is one of the most valuable natural areas in Slovenia, so the competent institutions were urged to prioritize and accelerate the procedures needed for adequate protection of the area. Since there had been no response until early September, the call was repeated and the possibility of purchasing the land was also considered. Given the importance and added weight that the clear stance of the municipal council can give to the call, she proposed the adoption of a resolution by the municipal council, which would also be sent to the mentioned institutions. The municipal council has decided to request an appraisal of the land, as the owner appears willing to sell, according to the movement Varuhinje Rek, which has long followed developments in the area. They welcomed the decision of the municipality but emphasized that actual protection of the natural value of national significance would require action from the state. Part of the area is also within the municipality of Bled, and the movement warned that efforts to protect the confluence should take into account the area on the other side of the municipal border. Part of the land that makes up the confluence and its influence area lies in the municipality of Bled. Therefore, the movement called for the inclusion of the Blejska municipal administration and municipal council in the process as soon as possible. According to their view, the Bled municipality should approach the issue similarly to how the Radovljica municipality did. Open questions remain about when and how the state will act and how a final agreement on the sale of the land can be achieved. The movement pointed out that despite the announced steps, numerous problems remain in the area of the confluence. Among other things, they pointed out that the small hydroelectric plant still operates without a defined minimum ecologically acceptable water flow. "The confluence area remains degraded on both the Radovljica and Bled sides, while the Sava Bohinjka brings smelly swarms to the confluence every summer. The birthplace of the Sava remains inaccessible to the public, and an unauthorized building still stands on the land," wrote the movement. They also emphasized that the support of the municipality itself does not guarantee the protection of the confluence. Open questions remain about when and how the state will act and how a final agreement on the sale of the land can be achieved.