UNESCO Calls for Ohrid Region to Be Placed on List of World Heritage in Danger

UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre continues to call for the Ohrid Region to be included on the List of World Heritage in Danger. In its latest analysis of the state of cultural and natural heritage, the organisation stresses that threats to the region’s outstanding universal value have not yet been removed.

According to UNESCO, implementation of the recommendations has made limited progress. The Ohrid Region remains exposed to major risks linked to shortcomings in management, uncontrolled urban expansion, illegal structures, pollution and delays in important infrastructure projects. The organisation notes that although institutions, commissions, strategies and plans exist, the protection mechanism does not function as a unified system and has not produced sustainable measures to preserve the area.

UNESCO is calling on North Macedonia and Albania to ensure genuine joint cross-border management of the Ohrid Region. Among the key issues raised is the absence of a comprehensive Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment, which should reflect the cumulative effects of infrastructure, tourism and urban development projects.

Without this assessment, the organisation says, it is impossible to accurately determine the level of pressure that planned projects or those already under implementation exert on the lake, the coastline, natural habitats and cultural heritage.

Particular emphasis is placed on major infrastructure projects, including those linked to Corridor 8. It must be assessed whether they could cause direct or indirect consequences for the protected area. One of the biggest concerns remains unauthorised construction. The document stresses that it is not clear whether any illegally built structures were demolished during the reporting period.

UNESCO is again calling for a detailed inventory and analysis of all unauthorised constructions, as well as an assessment of their impact on heritage. Structures considered a threat must be removed or have their negative effects mitigated. The hotel in Lagadin is again cited as an illustration of the difficulties in enforcing the law. The organisation also notes a lack of progress on 19 detailed urban plans, which had previously been assessed as potentially harmful to world heritage.

It calls for a halt to new urban planning changes until the comprehensive strategic assessment is completed, as well as faster preparation of general urban plans for Ohrid and Struga. Particular concern has also been raised over the “Gorica 3” complex, where UNESCO is demanding that construction work be suspended until the necessary analyses of its impact on the protected area are carried out. Wastewater and waste management continue to be assessed as serious issues.

UNESCO believes that results in this area have been limited, while pollution remains a risk to the ecosystem of Lake Ohrid. Projects to rehabilitate and expand the collector system have been delayed, while the wastewater issue in Struga has still not been fully resolved.

North Macedonia and Albania must urgently accelerate projects for wastewater collection and treatment, as well as build appropriate regional infrastructure for waste management. The organisation also warns of delays in ensuring legal protection for important natural areas. The procedure to declare Lake Ohrid a natural monument and the Studençishta Marsh a nature park began in 2021, but its completion still has no clearly defined timeline.

The draft decision will be put to a vote at the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee, to be held from July 19 to 29 in Busan, South Korea. The Committee may approve it, amend it or postpone the vote on the decision once again.

The Government of North Macedonia had previously expressed confidence that Ohrid would retain its current status. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Aleksandar Nikolloski said he expects a positive outcome, recalling that a similar proposal was postponed in 2025 following intervention by member states. (koha.mk)