We express serious and unequivocal concern regarding the public statement of the Minister of the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property, Mr. Slaven Radunovi\u0107, which calls into question the status of the Natural and Cultural-Historical Area of Kotor as a site included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The reason for this statement by the minister is the conclusion from the last session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, held in Paris in July 2025, where the state of conservation of the natural and cultural-historical area of Kotor was also discussed. The Committee’s report and decisions indicate a serious deterioration of the situation, with a clear warning that continuous development pressures, inconsistent regulations and institutional deficiencies may lead to the loss of the exceptional universal value of the Kotor Area, which opens the possibility of its inclusion on the World Heritage List in danger.
In the adopted decisions of the Committee, Montenegro is expressly requested to suspend further approval of construction and development projects within the protected area and buffer zone, until all planning and institutional frameworks at the national, regional and local level are harmonized. Also, an assessment of the cumulative impact of all individual projects considered since 2023 is required, as well as the submission of a comprehensive report on the measures taken by February 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We remind you that the area of Kotor, privileged by UNESCO status, is not only the cultural heritage of Montenegro, but also a WORLD HERITAGE – the heritage of all mankind. Therefore, Montenegro, as a signatory to the Convention on World Heritage, has the obligation and responsibility to preserve the goods that are on this prestigious List, as a heritage that belongs not only to the inhabitants of Boka or Montenegro, but to all of humanity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The preservation and protection of this area of EXCEPTIONAL UNIVERSAL VALUE, which is recognized as one of the jewels at the global level, is the joint responsibility of the institutions of this country, and we must not forget that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Due to all of the above, and in the light of international obligations and serious warnings that came from the Committee, we consider the statement of Minister Radunovi\u0107, which calls into question the meaning of preserving the UNESCO World Heritage status and proposes a referendum on its retention, extremely irresponsible, inappropriate and contrary to the public interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We would like to remind you that the UNESCO World Heritage status is by no means an obstacle, but an international recognition of the exceptional universal value of the area of Kotor and Boka, as well as an opportunity for their preservation and development. This status brings, first of all, the protection of this important resource, but also prestige, visibility, tourist recognition, and thus concrete economic benefits. There are numerous examples of cities and regions that, through the smart use of UNESCO status, improved local development, without devastation of space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
World heritage conservation issues cannot be resolved by ad hoc referendums, but through systemic management and the involvement of the professional and civil public. Instead of creating a “development vs. UNESCO” conflict, we need the responsibility of the institutions and a serious public discussion about models of sustainable management, planning and protection within the framework of already existing international obligations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The minister’s argument reduces the public interest to “freedom of construction”, while leaving out the right of citizens to quality space, cultural identity, heritage and preservation of ambient values, as well as the quality of life of the community. Relinquishing the UNESCO World Heritage status would mean leaving spatial planning exclusively to the logic of the market, ignoring social, cultural and ecological aspects. It is also a direct call to violate the Constitution of Montenegro, Article 9 of which stipulates that ratified international agreements have primacy over domestic legislation.
Tourism in Montenegro is based on natural and cultural resources. The loss of UNESCO status would, in addition to everything else, also mean long-term economic damage – a decrease in trust, investment and interest of serious international partners. Excessive construction can bring profit to the few in the short term, but in the long term it irreversibly destroys cultural resources – especially in tourism, culture, service activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Losing the status of world heritage would also bring a globally harmful reputation to Montenegro. The area of Kotor would become one of the rare examples in the world that lost its status due to negligence, which would have unfathomable consequences for the image of Montenegro as a country striving for EU membership and building a developed and responsible civil society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because of all the above:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We are asking for the dismissal of Minister Slaven Radunovi\u0107, because we believe that at the head of the Department of Spatial Planning, Urban Planning and State Property, there should not be persons who obviously do not know much about the values of the area that we inherit and who have attitudes that directly threaten the heritage, the area, and the public interest of the citizens of Montenegro.
We invite the Government of Montenegro to clearly and unequivocally declare the importance and importance of preserving the UNESCO status of the Natural and Cultural-Historical Area of Kotor and to urgently take the necessary steps to implement the decisions of the World Heritage Committee.
We expect the institutions and authorities, at the municipal and state level, to take a serious look at the alarming state of the Natural and Cultural-Historical Area of Kotor, which was brought about solely by their inaction, and to urgently and seriously start solving the problem if we do not want to find ourselves on the List of World Heritage in Danger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is high time that the authorities stop repeating the mantra that construction is the same as development – this logic has led to the loss of the value of numerous spaces in Montenegro. Real development is not reflected in the number of new buildings, but in improving the quality of life, preserving cultural heritage, strengthening the community and sustainable management of natural and cultural resources. Unfortunately, many parts of Montenegro have already lost their value precisely because of uncontrolled and inadequate construction, bad buildings that were built on the basis of bad planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We are clearly getting messages from the industry and the international community that we are destroying the exceptional universal value of the Kotor area. It is high time that Montenegro, as a signatory state of the World Heritage Convention, reacts maturely and responsibly, because the preservation of world heritage is an obligation we have towards the heritage we inherited, towards the citizens of Montenegro and all of humanity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Signatory\/s:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
EXPEDITIO Center for Sustainable Spatial Development<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Society of Friends of Boke Heritage<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Center for Investigative Journalism of Montenegro (CIN-CG)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NGO Green Home<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Center for the Protection and Study of Birds CZIP<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bike.me<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr. Martin Schneider-Jacoby Association \u2013 MSJA<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NGO Montenegrin Society of Ecologists<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NGO EnvPro<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fidelity Consulting<\/p>\n\n\n\n
KANA\/who if not an architect<\/p>\n\n\n\n
KotorArt<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NGO Parkovi Dinarida – a network of protected areas of the Dinarida<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NGO MogUL<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Center for Women’s Rights<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jovana Marovi\u0107, civil activist<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marko Begovi\u0107, Univ. professor<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dina Bajramspahi\u0107, civil activist<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NGO MANS<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Center for Democratic Transition (CDT)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NVU Optimists<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NGO Code<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mladen Ivanovic, film director<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aleksandar Dragi\u0107evi\u0107, civil activist<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nata\u0161a Kova\u010devi\u0107, civil activist<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Milica Kankara\u0161 Berber, harpist and activist<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Milena Be\u0161i\u0107, civil activist<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ANIMA \u2013 Center for Women’s and Peace Education<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nikoleta \u0110ukanovi\u0107, assistant professor at the University of Montenegro<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Milana Andric<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sne\u017eana Vuksanovi\u0107, adviser at the Natural History Museum<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NVU Tempirate Media Team<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gordana Kasom, advisor at the Environmental Protection Agency<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bal\u0161a Lubarda, sociologist<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NGO Prima<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Branka Kne\u017eevi\u0107, biologist<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Association of Lawyers of Montenegro<\/p>\n\n\n\n
STEGA – Strategy for a European and civil Montenegro<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Igman initiative – Initiative for regional cooperation of Montenegro Above<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vasko Rai\u010devi\u0107, Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nata\u0161a Nikoli\u0107, civil activist<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ethem Mandi\u0107, Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tanja Pavi\u0107evi\u0107, journalist<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prof. Dr. Olivera Komar, Faculty of Political Sciences<\/p>\n\n\n\n
MSc Ilinka \u0106etkovi\u0107, biologist<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jelena Brnovi\u0107, MSc, biologist<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sanja Orlandi\u0107, philologist<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NGO Juventas<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Association of Tourist Guides of Montenegro<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prof. Dr. Miodrag Grbi\u0107<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stefan Todorovi\u0107, Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Adnan \u010cirgi\u0107, Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aleksandar Radoman, Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Boban Batri\u0107evi\u0107, Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Montenegrin PEN Center<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Milutin Mijovi\u0107, Faculty of Montenegrin Language and Literature<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zlatko Vujovic, CeMI, Center for Monitoring and Research<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Spectrum Association<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UL Info<\/p>\n\n\n\n
European House Tivat<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NGO Ipso Facto<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr. Suzana Malid\u017ean, museum advisor<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Andrijana Markovi\u0107, clinical embryologist<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NGO Democratic European Initiative<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Radmila Bajagi\u0107, B.Sc. lawyer, civic activist<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
We express serious and unequivocal concern regarding the public statement of the Minister of the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and State Property, Mr. Slaven Radunovi\u0107, which calls into question the status of the Natural and Cultural-Historical Area of Kotor as a site included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The reason for this statement […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10377,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[190],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10410","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-2"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n