Today, the Minister of Environment and Physical Planning Kaja Shukova had a working meeting with representatives from the reactive monitoring mission of UNESCO, who were on a three-day visit to the country, with the aim of assessing and determining the general situation with the protection of the natural and cultural heritage of the Ohrid Region.
At the meeting, experts from the World Heritage Center (WHC), from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), in front of the representatives from the Ministry of Culture and experts from the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning elaborated the findings from the recent visit to the Ohrid region, and discussed the current activities in the areas of cultural heritage protection and environmental protection that the concerned institutions and entities have undertaken in the region in order to implement UNESCO’s recommendations.
Minister Shukova emphasized that the extraordinary universal value of the natural heritage is recognized in the policies and measures of the MOEPP, and added that the Ministry is working intensively on harmonizing the environmental legislation with the system, participating in the preparation and implementation of the Strategic Plan for Rehabilitation.
She also informed that the Law on the proclamation of Studencishte Marsh as a protected area of category IV – Nature Park and the Law on the proclamation of Lake Ohrid as a Monument of Nature are already in the parliamentary procedure and their proclamation is expected soon.
- The Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning remains committed to the efforts to preserve and protect the world natural heritage in the Ohrid region and is open to cooperation with all stakeholders, all with one goal – preservation of the world natural and cultural heritage of the Ohrid region on the list of UNESCO – said Shukova.
Since the last visit, UNESCO’s reactive mission will prepare a report with conclusions and recommendations that the state will have to act in order not to lose UNESCO status.