06 February 2013
06/02/2013 - The Municipality of Prishtina and the European Commission have signed the contract for the Sustainable Management of Germia Park, through which the European Commission allocates a donation of 360 thousand euros that will be invested in the Municipality's project for Germia Park. The project will cost around 510 thousand euros, and the Municipality of Prishtina will contribute 150 thousand euros to the project.
Among other things, the Sustainable Management of Germia Park project foresees the arrangement of pedestrian paths, the arrangement of bicycle paths, the arrangement of resting areas for citizens, and the arrangement of public lighting throughout the recreational area of the park. What makes this project special is the construction of the trail for the Ecological Train, which, in addition to being an innovation for Kosovo, aims to encourage citizens not to use their cars in the park areas.
Otherwise, Gërmia Park has been declared a protected natural area due to its rare natural beauty, spring values, and natural aesthetic significance with cultural-educational, scientific, and tourist-recreational importance. A part of the Gërmia mountain massif was declared a Picnic Forest in 1966. In 1987, the Municipal Assembly of Prishtina adopted a Decision to place the Gërmia Complex under protection within the category of Regional Nature Park with an area of 1,126 ha. Currently, the Municipality of Prishtina manages Gërmia Park through the enterprise Horticulture, while professional supervision is carried out by the Kosovo Institute for Nature Protection, which operates within the Kosovo Environmental Protection Agency.
In 1990, Germia Park was also listed in the international list of protected areas by the World Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN, 1990 United Nation List of National Parks and Protected Areas). Over 75% of the surface area of Germia Park is covered with well-preserved forests consisting of hornbeam, oak, beech, and ash communities. An important part of the protected area also includes zones for recreation and rest. This area is surrounded by hornbeam and ash forests, with attractive views, and is dedicated to rest and recreation. These attractive natural values and the clean air of Germia draw the attention of a large number of residents of the capital and surrounding areas to spend part of the day or even the weekend there.