Film "Venetian Syndrome" projection, held 14/04/2014. at Kino Boka - Kotor, filled the cinema hall (projection was attended by about 110 people). The film was followed by a brief discussion and comments on the film can be read below.
-----------------------------
A superb journalist Boris Dezulovic text speaks of Dubrovnik, but it can be reffered to Kotor as well. Therefore, the city was not destroyed even by catastrophic earthquakes in 1676 and 1979, neither plague, cholera and other diseases, any military siege and attacks, but it will be destroyed by the cruiser tourism. In Venice, they predicted that the city center by 2030. would not have a single population, and I'm afraid it will happen in our old town even before. Before the earthquake in 1979. in the town lived 3,500 people, there were 130 different institutions, agencies, schools, kindergartens, shops and all other things necessary for the life of its inhabitants. According to the last census in 2011., at the Old town live 940 people of whom at least 500 are foreigners which have bought condos, Russians, Irish, English. Kotor citizents, who lived here all their life, we can count on our fingers. The trend is unstoppable, and local or state authorities apparently have no way to find out the problem and try to solve it.
--------------------------------------
Comment Patricia Pobrić, activist from NGO Naša akcija
We can not solve enything by sitting in the bars, but by a clear and organized action. We must be active, do not let the sales destroy everything we had, and to become slaves of powerful companies that wish to buy our city. Kotor institutions are slowly disappearing, many institutions work more difficult because in this city is not invested and I believe it is intentional. Just look at the General Hospital. We must realize that no one will help us if we do not organize ourselves.
--------------------------
Comment prof. Milenko Pasinović
Venetian syndrome threatens Kotoras well, since Kotor waterfront rests on piles. During exceptionally high tides road and part of the main city square are soaked. Therefore, Kotor is sinking as well. The height of the main city gate of their construction, 1555., before 459 years, was reduced for 90 cm. In the archaeological probes after 1979.earthquake, we found three sidewalks, one above the other. And, something that Venice does not have, vehicular road that runs next to the city walls, with no weight limits of vehicles and cargo.
Venice before 30-40 years had 200,000 inhabitants, today 58,000. Kotor in 1971. had, the most residents after World War II, 1,433, and today 871 inhabitants.
In Venice there are 371visitors per one inhabitant, in Kotor 326 cruise tourists per one citizen. The total number of visitors in Kotor is over 500 per one residents of the city.
Immediately I wish to say that I did not rival the arrival of cruise ships. On the contrary. I still think that the spending they realize is in terms of extra services. They do not take hotel capacities, beach capacities, parking lot etc.That is far higher consumption than one realized by tourists in private accommodation, for example .
But, the Venice syndrome oblige us to the following :
- Utvrditi prihvatni kapacietet destinacije, za brodove i za turiste. Što znači , ne samo obale za vez, već obale za iskrcaj i ukrcaj turista, i grada za prihvat turista. Grad nije prazan već u njemu borave stalni žitelji, u njemu svoje potrebe zadovoljava lokalno stanovništvo, a i turisti koji koriste sopstveno ili kolektivno sredstvo prevoza.
- Utvrditi raspored prihvata brodova i turista. Izgraditi privezišta i odrediti mjesta za sidrenje. Raspored prihvata brdova napraviti za turističku sezonu i vansezonu.
- Utvrditi raspored izleta u cilju rasterećenja prihvatnog kapaciteta Grada.
- Utvrditi kriterijume za prihvat brodova u luci Kotor, njihov vez uz operativnu obalu. Naime, Vlada Italije je usvojila uredbu kojom se zabranjuje vez brodova čija istisnina ili deplasmnan iznose 96 000 i više tona, na mjestima u Veneciji na kojima su se vezivali. Uredba stupa na snagu od novembra ove godine.
1. Protection of structural and functional elements of the quay at the port of Kotor.
2. Identifying receiving kapacietet of the destination, both for ships and for tourists. Which means, not only for embroidery coast, but the coast for embarkment and disembarkment of tourists, and the city for accommodation of tourists. The city is not empty,it has permanent residents, it meets the needs of its local population and tourists who use their own or collective means of transport.
3. Establish a schedule of ships and tourists acceptance. Build moorings and set anchorings. Schedule of ships acceptance make for the tourist season and out of season.
4. Establish a schedule for trips in order to unburden the carrying capacity of the City.
5. Establish criteria for the acceptance of ships in the port of Kotor, their berth to the operative coast. The Italian Government has adopted a regulation prohibiting mooring ships with displacement or deplasmnan amount 96,000 tons and more, in places in Venice where they were tied. Regulation shall enter into force from November this year.
Clearly, ships that use their own drive for maneuvering in port, because we do not have tractors, are threatening structural elements of the quay.
It is clear that squares and streets in the city have their carrying capacity, which means the limit for simultaneous reception of people.
Dubrovnik calculated carrying capacity which is 8,000 people and made the schedule of ships acceptance, one on berth, two on anchor.
CONCLUSION
Measures and activities that can be immediately implemented must be taken.
It is necessary to conduct a Study of the sustainable development of cruise tourism.