Ljutkov: after years of neglect, Ohrid could be put on the UNESCO list of endangered sites

Ohrid could be put on the UNESCO lists of endangered world heritage sites, said Culture Minister Zoran Ljutkov. The Minister blamed mismanagement from the SDSM – DUI government over the past 7 years for the deterioration of protections of Ohrid’s natural and cultural heritage.

The current report covers the SDSM – DUI period. Over those 7 years nothing was done to implement UNESCO recommendations. Instead of protecting the sites, the expert reports were ignored and the protections were systematically dismantled. Every day we face making decisions not just to stop the deterioration but to renew what was neglected, Ljutkov said.

The UNESCO report notes that both the central and local governments have failed to protect Ohrid and its unique legacy and calls on Macedonia and Albania to begin to do so.