Ministers Radulović and Ljumović: Kotor needs to fulfill commitments towards UNESCO

Podgorica, Montenegro (7 April 2017) – At the press conference following the 20th Cabinet session, Minister of Tourism and Sustainable Development Pavle Radulović and Minister of Culture Janko Ljumović gave statements regarding claims made by Major of Kotor Vladimir Jokić concerning the prohibition of construction in natural, cultural and historical area of this municipality under the auspices of UNESCO.

The two ministers emphasised that the Action Plan adopted by the Government is in line with the Decision issued at the 40th session of UNESCO Committee, which took place in Istanbul. Having in mind that Montenegro is a member state of UNESCO and that Kotor is a World Heritage Site, the country is committed to implementing requirements prescribed by the UNESCO. Therefore, the decision has not not been made as a result of the political pressure, but as a clear reflection of the procedure to be followed in this matter, they added.

When it comes to the legal framework, the two ministers stressed that the mechanism exists and that it is aimed at engaging all the stakeholders interested in preventing the construction of projects considered as unacceptable. In that regard, they particularly emphasised the functioning of the Council for Management of Natural, Cultural and Historical Area of Kotor and invited Major of Kotor Vladimir Jokić to appoint representatives to the municipal level.