Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor

a) Earthquake damage;

b) Lack of management planning;

c) Urban development and urban pressure. 

Total amount provided to the property: USD 46,000 (and Participation Programme 2002-04, USD 47,000).

The State Party submitted a progress report at the end of January 2006, which addresses both progress in the preparation of the management plan for the World Heritage property, and the impact of the proposed bridge at the Verige Strait at the entrance of the Bay of Kotor.

The State Party noted delays in preparing the management plan launched three years ago. In essence because of changes in personnel involved in preparing the plan, efforts to prepare it have slowed down considerably. In general, it seems that earlier efforts have been abandoned and the process of preparing the plan restarted recently. The State Party designated the Regional Institute for the Protection of the Cultural Heritage of Kotor as the agency responsible for the preparation of the management plan in October 2005, with the expectation that work be launched by 31 January 2006 and be completed by 1 July 2006. The State Party report referred to a workshop carried out by ICCROM/UNESCO-BRESCE in January 2006 intended to define the process to be followed in preparing the management plan. The aim of the training workshop was to introduce the principles, practices, and planning methodologies that guide the preparation of a management plan, with specific reference to the Kotor World Heritage property. The workshop concluded with a plan of action for the local authority to complete the plan and a new proposed deadline for completion of 1 February 2007.

The analysis of the proposed Verige Bridge in the State Party report indicated some ambivalence about the proposed routing. The State Party report suggested that a UNESCO expert mission be organised to look closely at alternatives and potential impacts.

The World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS support the efforts of the State Party to complete the site management plan at the earliest opportunity, but are concerned about the long delays in launching this process, in particular as the cause of these delays has not been fully explained. The World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS were pleased to see the involvement of ICCROM in the January workshop to assist, redefine and redirect the management planning process. Following considerable concern about the decision to build the Verige Bridge, and its proposed location, the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS suggest that a mission be sent to the property to examine the suitability of the proposed bridge at Verige and to further advise on the management planning process.