The Montenegro government has this week given the go-ahead to plans to transform an island fortress formerly used as a concentration camp during World War II into a luxury resort, complete with an infinity pool, wine bar and yacht marina.The plans to convert the historical site, which sits in the centre of a circular Mamula Island near the Montenegro-Croatia border, have been met with outrage from the relatives of those imprisoned on the island in the 1940s by Mussolini's fascist army.After the war, the camp became known for its use of cruelty and torture; according to Italian military archives, more than 100 people were killed or starved to death on the island.
Speaking to Balkan Insight Jovanka Uljarevic, granddaughter of one of the fort's wartime inmates, said of her grandmother's experience: "It was cold, they were starved and the overall conditions were very bad."The luxury resort, situated on the entrance of the magnificent Boka Bay, will feature a range of facilities including a spa, DJ-manned dance floor, VIP lounge, indoor and outdoor restaurants and a beach club.
The fort has been standing since 1853, and was originally constructed as a strategic defence port for the southernmost border of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
The plans first caused controversy in December 2013 when the Montenegro government advertised the fortress as an investment opportunity. They proposed the island as a suitable site for development that would "serve to satisfy the needs and demands of a wealthy clientele."The proposition was taken up by Swiss-Egyptian developer Orascom who last year signed a 49-year lease deal.
The island, which is 3.4 nautical miles (6.3 km) away from Herceg Novi, already attracts a small number of visitors in high season, though there are currently no tourist facilities.
According to Balkan Insight, the Montenegro government have said that the complex will incorporate a public "museum or memorial honouring the concentration camp victims"
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The fort has been standing since 1853, and was originally constructed as a strategic defence port for the southernmost border of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
The plans first caused controversy in December 2013 when the Montenegro government advertised the fortress as an investment opportunity. They proposed the island as a suitable site for development that would "serve to satisfy the needs and demands of a wealthy clientele."The proposition was taken up by Swiss-Egyptian developer Orascom who last year signed a 49-year lease deal.The island, which is 3.4 nautical miles (6.3 km) away from Herceg Novi, already attracts a small number of visitors in high season, though there are currently no tourist facilities.According to Balkan Insight, the Montenegro government have said that the complex will incorporate a public "museum or memorial honouring the concentration camp victims"behindthenewsisrael.wordpress
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