North Macedonia asks UNESCO for six‑year extension to protect Ohrid World Heritage site

The government of North Macedonia has asked UNESCO to grant a six‑year deadline to address the shortcomings identified in a draft decision concerning the protection of the Ohrid region, a World Heritage site shared with Albania. The draft proposes placing the site on UNESCO’s List of World Heritage in Danger, with a final decision expected on 22 July at the 48th session in Busan, South Korea.

Prime Minister Christian Micic said the country cannot remedy in two years what has been neglected for three and a half decades, noting more than 4,800 illegal constructions, including the controversial Miјалков hotel, remain and that previous governments have failed to act. The six‑year extension is presented as a last chance to implement preservation measures.