Health Minister Vili Beros said on Monday that rules had been adopted regulating the allowed level of noise generated by the Mt. Sljeme cable car system and other traffic infrastructure, and it was now up to the City of Zagreb and the State Inspectorate to make the next move to put the cable car into operation.

Speaking to reporters during a visit to Varazdin, the minister explained that so far the relevant regulations had not covered cable cars as infrastructure projects at all.

“That was rectified, and during public consultation professional associations did not have any objections. The level of noise during the day and at night has been set as for road and railway transport, at 65 and 50 decibels respectively,” the minister said.

He added that the level of noise produced by whisper was 20 decibels, by normal conversation 50 decibels and by loud conversation 65 decibels.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Oleg Burkovic had agreed with Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomasevic that the Health Ministry would change its rules so that the cable car on Mt Sljeme, overlooking Zagreb, could finally start operating.

Butkovic said in early December that he expected the cable car to start working by the next Queen Trophy Alpine skiing competition, which is scheduled for 4 and 5 January.

However, Tomasevic said last week that as time went by, it was less and less likely that the cable car would be put into operation before the competition. It will be good if it happens in January, while the skiing season still lasts, he said.