Even before taking responsibility for exercising authority, the current leadership of the Municipality of Rakovica had a clear development vision. Testifying to them taking advantage of their development potential in the best way is the opening of ‘Capitol Park Rakovica’ and as many as two Lidl superstores
The City of Belgrade included our future businesscommercial zone in the official ‘Investor Guide’ bilingual brochure, as one of five locations available in the capital for the building of industrial zones. We will be capable of utilising that, announces Kocić.
You’ve turned the Municipality of Rakovica into one of the most prosperous parts of Belgrade, which – judging by the plans – is only just developing. Have you had a vision from the start?
– Evening during the time before we came to power, we recognised the development potential of Rakovica, primarily its favourable strategic position, access to the Belgrade Bypass, the Ibar national road and international motorways, but also the lake in Resnik as unexploited tourism potential. We began working on realising our vision from the moment we assumed responsibility for exercising authority.
Today we have detailed regulatory plans adopted for the Lake in Resnik and the part of the Belgrade Bypass earmarked for the construction of a business-commercial zone. The businesscommercial zone would encompass an area of 140 hectares. The City of Belgrade has recognised the potential of this project, so this site was included in the official ‘Investor Guide’ bilingual brochure, as one of five locations available in the capital for the construction of business-commercial and industrial zones.
Prior to the arrival of any investor, we plan to enrich the area of the lake in Resnik with specific contents, such as a pedestrian walkway, rest spots and a jetty on the lake itself
The retail centre Capitol Park Rakovica sprouted up on the site of the defunct Rekorda, with a total of 30 million euros invested in making Rakovica the new shopping ‘mecca’ of Belgrade. How much has this improved the lives of Rakovica residents?
– The construction of Capitol Park Rakovica is the main evidence that Rakovica has created a favourable business environment for the implementation of such a large investment. The offer itself, which previously didn’t exist in Rakovica, includes a large number of small shops, major supermarkets, cinemas and other facilities, and that has really improved the quality of life of citizens.
The most important thing for us is that the construction of Capitol Park Rakovica has led to more than 400 people being employed, and also led to a large number of people from Rakovica, Čukarica and even Voždovac coming here to Rakovica instead of going into the city centre.
Otherwise, Rakovica is also one of the few Belgrade municipalities where Lidl has opened two supermarkets, which is something of we are also very proud.
Have conditions finally be created for the arrival of interested investors who would develop sporting fields and various other tourist facilities on the abandoned lake in Resnik?
– When it comes to the lake in Resnik, we have a great job behind us that was completed over the past few years. A detailed regulatory plan – as the basic document without which construction or the arrival of investors is unimaginable – was adopted by the Assembly of the City of Belgrade.
Prior to that, the Municipality of Rakovica conducted a feasibility study, while there is an existing project to clean the lake and mapping has been carried out, with which the conditions for it to be cleaned were created. We also prepared a conceptual solution for a sporting-recreational complex, which formed the basis of the detailed regulatory plan. We also plan to build a road link to the lake, but only after the construction of a sewage system, a project for which already exists.
There are several other jobs that need to be completed, but our vision of building a lakeside sporting-recreational centre in Resnik is moving ever closer to realisation.