The Natural and Cultural Historical Region of Kotor, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located in the Boka Kotorska Bay along Montenegro’s Adriatic coast. The property encompasses 14,600 hectares, featuring a striking landscape of interconnected bays framed by mountains, connected to the broader Boka Kotorska Bay through a narrow channel that serves as the area’s principal visual axis.
Kotor’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) lies in the exceptional quality of its fortified cities and settlements, harmoniously integrated into the surrounding natural landscape. However, this unique value is increasingly threatened by urban expansion, real estate developments, infrastructure projects, and intensive tourism activities in the area.
Recognizing these challenges, the 38th and 40th World Heritage Committee sessions called on Montenegro to take decisive actions. The State was urged to finalize and align all relevant planning instruments to ensure that ongoing development in the region respects and preserves the OUV and its defining attributes.
In response, the Government of Montenegro, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, the National Commission for UNESCO, and the University of Podgorica, initiated a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) process. Experts from CSS-Ebla contributed as consultants, supporting the drafting and revision of the assessment documents, ensuring a comprehensive approach to heritage preservation and sustainable development.