Ohrid, 24 July 2021 (MIA) – Whatever the decision is of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee regarding the status of the Ohrid region, it is our cultural heritage and natural treasure that we must preserve, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said Saturday. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee, which is holding its 44^th session in the Chinese city of Fuzhou, is yet to decide on the future status of the Ohrid region. Speaking to reporters in Ohrid, Zaev said he was satisfied that at the meeting experts have been focused on what has been done to protect the current status of Ohrid and Lake Ohrid as cultural and natural heritage. “There’s not enough time to restore everything to normal after decades of neglect, including the 11 years under the VMRO-DPMNE administration,” he said and praised the mayor of Ohrid and the local authorities for their efforts in protecting the heritage status. UNESCO’s final decision will be respected, Zaev vowed. “It’s a motivation for the central and local government to resume. We all know Ohrid has to keep developing. But any development has to be done according to plan,” the PM said noting that in case Ohrid is classified as world heritage site in danger, it will sound the alarm of the authorities to be more focused. On Friday, UNESCO’s advisory bodies gave North Macedonia and Albania two more years to take measures to implement the recommendations included in the reactive missions of the World Heritage Committee to avoid the region of Ohrid being placed on its list of endangered cultural and natural sites. Zaev was asked whether there was lobbying for North Macedonia to get more time to meet the recommendations listed by UNESCO. “There’s no politics there,” he noted. “You cannot call all your friends. North Macedonia has established very strong ties with international partners, but politics isn’t involved here. There are experts with officials of Nordic countries, primarily Norway, having dominant influence,” he told reporters, announcing that a final decision on Ohrid’s classification as world heritage site is expected later in the day. Ohrid Mayor Konstanting Georgievski said local authorities will double efforts and measures to meet the requirements contained in reports of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee even if the Ohrid region isn’t placed on its list of endangered world heritage sites. “If we get two more years, we’re remain committed to implementing the recommendations. As municipality, we are tasked with aligning urbanism plans and removing illegally built buildings. We’ve demonstrated determination and without any hesitation we have been removing illegal constructions,” he said adding that the process will continue after the summer tourist season. Echoing the same sentiment, PM Zaev vowed that the removal of illegal constructions in Ohrid must continue according to the laws. “It’s no easy process, which is further complicated by court decisions, but the institutions remain focused on implementing the foreseen procedures,” he said.