GB No. 2, summer 1990
On January, 1, 1990 Zakopane was the place of the conference on the development of the National Park in the Tatra Mountains. According to the proposal put forward during the conference, the are will be intensively exploited by tourists. The greed of skiers for the new snowy slopes will cause serious forest damage. Building of new ski tracks will require cutting of 0.8-2.1 hectares of forest. At the same time the number of skiers will be controlled and limited by the "flexible" number of tickets sold every day. However, that proposal was sharply opposed by the giant called - POLSKIE KOLEJE LINOWE (thę Polish Cable Railways), for who tickets are the main source of income. They ignore all other aspects of the problem - ecology does not mean much to them.
The group which reacted strongly against all that dangerous debate was "Freedom & Peace" Movement - Zakopane. As they had a chance to combine the demonstration against the nuclear power plant in Żarnowiec with the one concerning the Tatras, in January, Zakopane was the place of two serious actions. They were in favor of intensive exploitation of the area north of Zakopane, where the possibilities of practicing winter sports are very promising as well. They had to put a lot energy into the whole campaign as both national and foreign firms were involved in preparations for the "wicked development" of the beautiful mountains. What is more the City Council of Zakopane seemed to favor antiecological projects. The question still remains open and ecologists from Zakopane keep struggling for reasonable decisions.
On July, 20, 1989 the City Council in Zakopane made decision permitting the Argentineans firm Sideco to build a large, modern hotel in the neighborhood of the city. The decision meant the disaster for "overcrowded" city of Zakopane. The decision caused the serious protest of the "Solidarity", "Freedom and Peace", and some other groups. Their arguments were not merely ecological but social and economical as well. After the series of misleading information from the City Council, the protesting groups were forced to undertake more radical steps. Threatened by the loss the seats, the authorities of Zakopane decided to withdraw their decision. Pity, it lasted so long - was ended only in February 1990.
Maciej Tuora
ul. Chałubińskiego 25
34-500 Zakopane