The plans to redevelop a Balkan World War II-era prison have been approved by the Montenegro government. The camp is now undergoing an unusual transformation into a luxury resort.
The developers received a go-signal from the Montenegro government to build a luxury retreat on the island that once housed prisoners under the rule of Benito Mussolini. However, some families of those who were once locked on Mamula Island expressed their dismay over the plan, according to The Real Deal.
The island was a 19th century Austro-Hungarian stronghold that became an authoritarian prison where thousands were held and around 130 or more were starved or killed.
The Montenegrin parliament agreed to the project, which is supported by a Swiss-Egyptian company, Orascom. The developers have expressed their intent to preserve the historical character of Mamula Island.
The Balkan country granted Orascom with a 49-year lease to invest $16 million to build a state-of-the-art hotel with a spa, dance floor and marina jetty, as reported by World Bulletin.
"We were facing two options: to leave the site to fall into ruin or find investors who would be willing to restore it and make it accessible to visitors," said Olivera Brajovic, head of the national directorate for tourism development.
Although there are some protesters who want to stop the project, Montenegro defended its decision to transform the old fortress.
"To build a luxury hotel dedicated to entertainment at this place where so many people perished and suffered is a blatant example of lack of seriousness towards history," said Olivera Doklestic, a campaigner.
Another campaigner, a 54-year-old woman, whose father, grandfather and uncle were locked at Mamula, said that the place should be renovated and opened as a historic site. "No concentration camp in the world has been transformed into a hotel," she said.
However, Brajovic insisted that "countries much richer than Montenegro have chosen to preserve similar buildings in such a way, even sites under UNESCO protection."
He also said that there are plans for the transformation including a memorial room for former prisoners.
