Ohrid, 24 July 2026 (MIA) - At its annual session in the South Korean city of Busan, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee has once again decided to postpone adding the Ohrid region to the List of World Heritage in Danger, giving the country a deadline of five years to implement recommendations aimed at preserving the region’s natural and cultural heritage.

The decision gives the country an opportunity to implement the measures which UNESCO has for years highlighted as essential to preserving the status of the Ohrid region as a world cultural and natural heritage site.

UNESCO’s recommendations for the Ohrid region concern measures for the preservation of its “outstanding universal value”, including halting uncontrolled urbanization and illegal construction, better urban planning, preservation of the natural values of Lake Ohrid, better regional management, preservation of cultural heritage, limiting pressure from tourism, drafting a complete strategy for the management of the region with clear goals, deadlines, competent institutions, and a mechanism for monitoring results.

In its reports, UNESCO has repeatedly noted that the issue is the cumulative impact of urbanization, infrastructure projects, and inadequate oversight – all of which risk undermining the universal value that earned the Ohrid region its World Heritage listing back in 1979/80.

Some experts maintain that placing the Ohrid region on the List of World Heritage in Danger would actually be the right move, unlocking greater opportunities for the country, institutions, and the city to make use of UNESCO’s assistance, expertise, and mechanisms to address the issues that led to the current situation in the first place.

Photo: MIA