Weekly Briefing, Vol. 42, No. 4 (RS), July 2021
Serbia’s internationally recognized battle for preserving its cultural and historical heritage
Abstract
Despite the presence of international forces that should be the guarantor of respect for international standards in Kosmet, the destruction of Serbian cultural heritage has not been prevented. Many Serbian medieval cultural monuments have been destroyed, damaged or endangered. Those that were not directly damaged or destroyed significantly perished due to the ravages of time and the lack of adequate protection and maintenance measures. The consequences of negligence affected not only individual cultural monuments, but also the entire Serbian cultural and historical architectural heritage. The goal of destroying the religious and cultural heritage was to “erase” the testimony about the historical presence of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija. In order to achieve comprehensive and efficient measures for the restoration and preservation of the remaining cultural monuments in Kosmet, it is necessary to ensure the respect and implementation of international standards in the field of protection of cultural heritage.
Serbia in UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialized UN educational, scientific and cultural organization, established in 1945.[1] It aims to achieve intellectual and moral solidarity of the human race, as an instrument for building permanent peace. In its 75-year long history, UNESCO has been supporting the development of and the accessibility to quality education, facilitating scientific and intellectual cooperation, protecting cultural heritage and promoting intercultural understanding, ensuring freedom of expression, protection and preservation of the environment, and highlighting humane values of today’s world. UNESCO fosters the implementation of policies which contribute to a sustainable social, environmental and economic development.
The Republic of Serbia has been a Member State of UNESCO since 20 December 2000. In UNESCO’s pioneering days, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) had been its Member State since 31 March 1950, when it established its first national commission for UNESCO. The Republic of Serbia actively participates in UNESCO’s work, staying committed to the principles of pluralism, depoliticization, cultural diversity, tolerance and dialogue, as reflected in its continued actions as a member of both the UNESCO Executive Board (under the 2019−2023 mandate) and the Board’s sub-body — the Executive Board Bureau.
The protection of Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo and Metohija is of special importance to the Republic of Serbia. There are 458 immovable cultural goods in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, of which 61 are exceptionally valuable to Serbia. The 1,300 churches and monasteries in Kosovo and Metohija are first-rate cultural heritage of the Serbian people. What sets these monuments of culture apart from others is that they are living monuments — religious service is conducted in them, they have owners and their own clergy — which makes their protection complex. As a member of UNESCO, the Republic of Serbia speaks against the increasingly frequent, politically motivated attempts to rewrite history and appropriate Serbia’s cultural heritage. After the 2004 March Pogrom, the first International Donors Conference for the Protection and Preservation of Cultural Heritage in Kosovo and Metohija was convened under the auspices of UNESCO in 2005. The Council of Europe, the European Union and other international organizations participated in the reconstruction of monuments, following a specific programme proposed by UNESCO. By signing the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, Serbia has accepted the obligation to ensure that world heritage in its territory is protected, including the four monuments in Kosovo and Metohija which were added to the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2006.[2]
“Battle” over the “ownership” of the cultural heritage in Kosovo and Metohija
Legal framework
The protection of cultural and religious sites in Kosovo has been guaranteed by the Constitution of Kosovo, the Law on Special Protective Zones, the Law on Historic Centre of Prizren, and the Law on the Village of Velika Hoča. These laws guarantee the preservation and protection of cultural and religious heritage: particularly Serbian Orthodox Monasteries, Churches, other religious sites, as well as historical and cultural sites of special significance for the Kosovo Serb community, as well as other communities in Kosovo.
As it appears, the real problem concerning Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo is not the legal framework itself, but rather its forced adoption and the opposition to its implementation. The laws on Prizren and Velika Hoča were both proposed by the government and prepared in consultation with the International Civilian Office. They were discussed together in the Parliament and because of their similarity received similar objections and amendments.
In short, under the existing legal framework in Kosovo, Serbian monasteries and churches in Kosovo belong to the Serbian Orthodox Church and no activities related to its property are possible without its concession.
These laws passed in 2012 only due to the international pressure and conditionality for gaining full independence. However, almost ten years after their adoption, the laws have still not been implemented. There are still continuing incidents of demolition, theft and vandalism against cultural and religious sites, Serb cultural heritage, as well as the lack of cooperation between local authorities and national government in the implementation of the laws. Implementation of the laws has either been boycotted or regularly by-passed by the local authorities. The major problem is illegal construction around the protected sites often caused by the municipal authorities. UN Security Council has also pointed to the limited financial and logistical support for implementation of the laws and lack of political commitment by municipal Prizren and Orahovac authorities.
Additional unrest among Serbian community was caused by the decision of the so-called Kosovo government to apply for membership in UNESCO.[3]But, thanks to the Republic of Serbia’s continuously advocating against any politicization or creation of any new divides within UNESCO itself, at the 38th session of the General Conference of UNESCO in 2015, the Draft Resolution on the admission of the so-called Republic of Kosovo was not adopted. This was the first time in UNESCO’s history that an application for membership was rejected, and it was also the first time that UNESCO considered a proposal that a part of the territory of its Member State, administered by the UN, be admitted to UNESCO’s full membership.
The state in the field
Unfortunately, this outcome didn’t make any changes in local authorities’ attitude towards Serbian heritage. Notwithstanding UNESCO’s reports and its requirements for full and permanent protection of the property in a secure and stable political environment, as well ensuring the adequate long-term administrative, regulatory protection and management of the properties, local authorities not only continue, but widen their demands. Namely, they start to request from UNESCO to remove four Orthodox monasteries in Kosovo from the list of the endangered heritage and to list them as Kosovo’s property![4]
The troika, which currently governs Kosovo, states in their latest letter about Visoki Decani Monastery sent to international addresses since March, which have also appeared on social networks and in the media, that they explained actions of Kosovo institutions „for the protection of cultural heritage and the promotion of cultural rights of all communities living in Kosovo“. Along with that, they demand the beginning of the process of changing the state party responsible for these four monuments, removing Serbia and making Kosovo the responsible signatory of the World Heritage List for the four monuments in question, as it has no actual or legal control over them, and accordingly it cannot fulfill its obligations to UNESCO.
They also request from UNESCO to review the “outdated” terminology, as UNESCO reports and documents still mention the “Autonomous Province of Kosovo” and “Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in Priština”.
All these demands were presented before the expected 44th session of the World Heritage Committee which took place in Fuzhou/China from 16-31 July 2021. Namely, the World Heritage Committee held the “Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage” of the 15-day convention was “Determining the world heritage list and the list of world heritage in danger”.
On the last day of the session, July 31st, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee unanimously decided to keep the Serbian cultural property, Medieval Monuments in Kosovo (Serbia), on the UNESCO World Heritage List in danger.[5] Due to poor management and preservation difficulties resulting from political instability, a group of medieval Serbian monasteries in Kosovo has been kept on the endangered heritage list. Committee also has listed the threats due to which the monuments were proclaimed as endangered heritage.[6] These are unclear legal status and legislative protection, lack of implementation of the management plan, difficulties in monitoring the facilities due to political instability and post-conflict situation, as well as the unsatisfactory state of conservation and maintenance. What is described as desirable is the full and permanent protection of the facilities, as well as a stable political environment. Also, a restoration and conservation plan and the implementation of a management plan are required.
This decision is very important to the Republic of Serbia. It confirms the quality of the continuous diplomatic battle for preserving its cultural property in Kosovo, which is under constant threat.
Conclusion
Serbian cultural and historical heritage in Kosovo, that has survived for centuries has been seriously endangered, and the cultural and historical monuments of Christian Orthodox architecture suffered enormous damage.
In order to renew and preserve the cultural heritage, great challenges stand before the international community, i.e. before the competent international organizations and institutions, but at the same time before the Republic of Serbia that has to be well prepared to continue its “battle” for preserving its heritage.
[1] See more about UNESCO at: https://en.unesco.org/
[2] UNESCO’s World Heritage List, a list of most valuable goods of world cultural and natural heritage, includes medieval monuments in Kosovo Dečani Monastery (2004), Patriarchate of Peć Monastery, Gračanica Monastery and the Church of Bogorodica Ljeviška (2006) (in the brackets are given the years of adding the monuments in the list of World Heritage).
[3] “Kosovo fails in bid to gain UNESCO membership”, Reuters, November 9, 2015, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-kosovo-serbia-unesco-idUSKCN0SY1CW20151109, accessed on 05/08/2021.
[4] “Serbia will do everything to protect Visoki Decani monastery”, Belgrade, 18 May 2021, https://www.srbija.gov.rs/vest/en/172798/serbia-will-do-everything-to-protect-visoki-decani-monastery.php, accessed on 05/08/2021.
[5] UNESKO: Srpska baština na Kosovu i Metohiji ostaje na listi ugroženih dobara, Politika, 31/07/2021, https://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/484609/UNESKO-Srpska-bastina-na-Kosovu-i-Metohiji-ostaje-na-listi-ugrozenih-dobara, accessed on 05/08/2021.
[6] Unesko u novoj odluci naveo sve razloge zbog kojih su srpski spomenici na Kosovu ugroženi, Kosovo onlajn, 02/08/2021, https://www.kosovo-online.com/vesti/drustvo/unesko-u-novoj-odluci-naveo-sve-razloge-zbog-kojih-su-srpski-spomenici-na-kosovu, accessed on 05/08/2021.