Macedonia: Grounded Ships Deal Blow to Tourism in Ohrid
BalkanTravellers.com
According to the Macedonian newspaper Spic, this year’s tourist season in Ohrid will be remembered badly – with poor weather, few tourists and now, the recent ban on ships from sailing in the lake.
As BalkanTravellers.com reported earlier this month, tourist boats were anchored in the city’s harbour, when the Ministry of Transport forbade them to sail until they undergo technical inspection and renew their registration.
All vessels have to renew their registrations with the newly selected French company Bureau Veritas, after Macedonia suspended its contracted with the Lloyd company, whose representative is indicted over the sinking of the tour boat Ilinden in the beginning of September 2009, when 15 Bulgarian tourists drowned.
In response, Ohrid’s ship owners – through respecting the ban, are challenging the high price of renewing their registration.
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A Perfect Shot
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excellent smugs