Cabinet session: Old royal capital of Cetinje to be nominated as UNESCO World Heritage site

Podgorica, Montenegro (30 January 2015) – At yesterday’s Cabinet session, the Government of Montenegro adopted a revised management plan for Cetinje. This document outlines the 15-year development plan for the old royal capital and envisages, among other things, the nomination of Cetinje as UNESCO World Heritage site. The application will be presented today in Paris to the UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova.

The revised management plan has been in the making since 2009, Culture Ministry's Director-General for Cultural Heritage Lidija Ljesar has told the press conference following the Cabinet session. She noted that the 15-year plan presents a vision of Cetinje’s development, including infrastructure and capacity development, investment in cultural heritage, development of economy, and the inscription of Cetinje on the World Heritage list.

Ms Ljesar explained that the evaluation period takes around a year and half, during which time the expert commissions of the World Heritage Committee will work together with Montenegro's authorities and experts on making assessments and developing a new national dossier for Cetinje, which will include the revised management plan. She stated that after this period we will know whether Cetinje will be listed as a World Heritage site. Ms Ljesar explained that Cetinje’s development envisaged in the 15-year plan will be of great importance in the assessment process, and she clarified that the country’s commitment to preserving the cultural heritage plays an important role in the decision-making process.