Improving the tourist offer of the Majevica region and arranging the Humačko lake with the support of the EU

Majevica is a tourist destination recognized for its combination of rich cultural and historical heritage, natural beauty, and hospitable people. It is ideal for vacation, enjoying the rich gastronomic offer, rural tourism, but also recreation, cycling and trail running, which are increasingly popular in our country. Although the potential of this area was not sufficiently used due to the war, in recent years things changed thanks to the cooperation of five municipalities (Čelić, Lopare, Sapna, Teočak and Ugljevik). With the financial support of the European Union in BiH as part of the EU project for local communities, which is implemented by Centar za promociju civilnog društva (CPCD) in cooperation with the partner organization HELP, the municipalities are actively working on the development of tourism and the tourist offer in the area of Majevica and the Podmajevica region, and in the long term, sustainable tourism development.

The EU delegation in BiH invested 140,000 KM in the development and improvement of the tourist offer of the Majevica region.

“I am happy that we are working together with local authorities in five municipalities on the development of this area to set up the foundations for sustainable tourism. Our support comes with the objective of creating new jobs and providing a unique recreational resource for citizens as well as tourists. Tourism can and should be a source of economic growth, and BiH needs to use this potential. This project demonstrates yet again that working together yields the best results for citizens”, said Stefano Ellero Head of Cooperation Section of the EU Delegation to BiH.

Today, in the presence of numerous dignitaries, the completed works on the arrangement of the pearl of Majevica, Humačko lake, a natural lake on the slopes of the mountain, between the settlements of Gornji Humci and Sitari, were presented. The lake is rich in fish, so it is attractive for fishing enthusiasts, and therefore has great potential for the development of fishing tourism. Its arrangement, built paths and access points for swimming, now enable the development of sports and recreational tourism.

Admir Hrustanović, the mayor of the municipality Čelić expressed his satisfaction with the cooperation with the EU Delegation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is reflected in the comprehensive support for the work of the municipality, as well as the support through various infrastructure projects that are being implemented in the area of the municipality Čelić: “The arrangement of Humačko lake will contribute to the development of tourism, a more beautiful and a more pleasant environment for staying in untouched nature, as well as sport fishing, which is already traditional on the aforementioned lake. Two more very important projects for the population of the Municipality of Čelić are also in the implementation phase, namely, the clearing of terrain that is still infested with mines and the construction of a fire station, which the Municipality of Čelić didn’t have until now. This is proof that the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina has proven to be an excellent partner and great support for the Čelić Municipality, all with the aim of creating the best possible conditions for the citizens of the Čelić Municipality as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina”, said the Mayor of the Municipality, Admir Hrustanović.

During the ceremony, a short film about the tourist potential of the Majevica region, created by the municipalities in cooperation with Photo studio Teočak, was screened. A workshop was also held with an emphasis on systematic, coordinated, and planned tourist development, in parallel with the recognition of the region’s potential by young people and the initiation of new business ideas in the area of Majevica.

“The importance of EU intervention through support in the VIA Majevica project is great, because so far it has resulted in many projects, thus building cohesion among the citizens of our region, by developing infrastructure in our local communities. Cohesion is built through mutual trust, cooperation, common ideas, and projects, which contribute to a better life for our citizens. The role of local government representatives in the local community is to raise it to an even higher level and to be an example to other local communities. Appreciation of our specificities and particularities, along with good inter-ethnic and interpersonal relations, is certainly the future of this area and the region of Majevica, and we will do our best to contribute to this and be an example to higher levels of government and other regions,” emphasized Rado Savić, Mayor of the Municipality Lopare.

In the coming period, thanks to the support of the EU, projects will be implemented on the sites of the Crveno Brdo mountain lodge, which is a meeting point for mountaineers, cyclists and hikers from the area of Ugljevik municipality and neighboring municipalities, and is located in the immediate vicinity of the Via Majevica bicycle path, the “Međeđa” stećak necropolis, which is a medieval cultural monument of special interest for the municipality of Sapna and where there are over 20 tombstones of the “Sjemenjak” from the medieval period, the source of sulfur water in the area of the municipality of Lopare, widely known for its medicinal properties, and the Bosnian cultural center in Teočak, which is the place where the largest the number of manifestations and events also brings together a large number of lovers of culture, art and old crafts from the region and the diaspora.