UNESCO delays endangered listing for Ohrid, NGOs outraged

July 14 - UNESCO has postponed designating the Ohrid region as endangered, defying expert findings and civil society appeals warning of unchecked environmental and urban degradation.

At its Paris session, the World Heritage Committee adopted a North Macedonian amendment delaying action until February 2026. Authorities must now report back on protection efforts.

The move sparked backlash from 39 NGOs across North Macedonia and Albania. “UNESCO just rewarded two decades of inaction,” they said. “Ohrid is in freefall—this delay enables more destruction.”

UNESCO missions in 2017, 2020, and 2024 confirmed Ohrid meets all criteria for endangered status. Key threats include illegal construction, tourism overreach, and major infrastructure projects like highways and rail links.

Critics say the decision shields government inaction and undermines the convention’s credibility. “Ohrid is being gutted by corruption,” said activist Iskra Stojkovska. “And UNESCO blinked.”

If listed, Ohrid would trigger mandatory corrective measures and unlock international funding. Instead, the region faces no binding requirements.

UNESCO called for urgent action to protect key sites, including Studenchishte Marsh, but activists say past warnings have been ignored.

Ohrid was declared a World Heritage site in 1979, with the Albanian section added in 2019. Its status now hangs by a thread.