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Culture and Regional Development Borislav Stojkov in the Balkan’s Post-war Era

1 Introduction

The birth of the new is generating a which point out the paths of future number of turmoils, most of them initiated integration and cultural and economic co- by the national or ethnical ideology or the operation. The most prominent role cultural essence of national communities. After all, this was also established in the in the process of spatial, The intellectual or cultural elite is more European Spatial Development Perspec- economic and political than often delivering ideas that move tives – ESDP (agreed in Potsdam 1999) integration should be people towards the “cul-de-sac” of their which reflected this fact by supporting the given to culture due to destiny. The climax of these turmoils idea with a clear statement such as: “It is its spiritual powers. generally depends on the level of cultural important to spread cultural life (…) in Cultures that dominated flexibility and national transparency where particular by supporting the development for some time on the great European cultures, French and of cultural facilities, upgrading public Balkans are today German above all, offer a historic example spaces and reviving commemorative sites, largely considered of powerful and active openness together which are important for the identity of the among the grand with flexible behaviour, closing many population.”1 European cultures. circles of a strong union. The contemporary tendency of the European Union is towards The most prominent role in the process of the East and Southeast European countries spatial, economic and political integration where they are still coping with specific could be given to culture due to its spiritual problems and fallacies of their economic powers, either as a matter of its history and and cultural features and still insur- tradition or as a matter of existing spiritual mountable borders, separating nations forces tending to a common goal but physically, administratively and psychol- insisting on a regional identity. The existing ogically, too. countries on the Balkan Peninsula (Yugoslavia, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, The focal point of the Balkans is somewhere FYR Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and between the Danube, Balkan-Carpathian Herzegovina) have too much in common mountain ranges, the Dinaride mountain to be easily overlooked but also such range and the Skopje valley, i.e. the hard an abundance of diversities not to be core of the Balkan peninsula. Recent neglected for the future integrative regional wars during the 1990s within former socialist republics of Yugoslavia scenario. “The Levantine world of Balkan have precisely delimited the focal point, an towns (...) had its manner of thinking and of area now recovering in a new and still singing its particular way of everyday life, unstable young democratic framework, its virtues and sins, and a strange closeness divided with impermeable state borders. in relations between people, despite their affiliation to different religions and ethnic Several options can take place now in order groups. That world has been remembered to soften barriers and frontiers in this as decadent, decaying, fraught with deep region but the most prominent one is the layers of inherited distinctive features, with cultural option. The reason for this is something dark in its character and its multifaceted. Culture encompasses the fateful commitments”2 That world is horizontal (geographical) and vertical supported by the material achievements of (historical) dimension; it has a character of specific advantages, forms and tastes, but unlimited spread in space and time, declining in respect of the western cultural regardless of political and administrative tides. limitations. The Balkans is a good example for this. In spite of numerous borders In spite of this authentic culture and Prof. Dr. Borislav Stojkov and conflicts around those borders to cultural diversity, together with cultural University of gain territory, regardless of religious, links connecting Balkans with Europe Faculty of Geography anthropological and ethnical differences, through intrinsic connections and axes, Institute for Spatial Planning Studentski trg 3/III open is a new and still neglected chance for regardless of the variety of traditions and 11000 Belgrade mentality, it is possible to determine the future development and co-operation Yugoslavia common cultural denominators and codes of this last circle to the European Union. E-Mail: [email protected] Borislav Stojkov: 222 Culture and Regional Development in the Balkan’s Post-war Era

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The countries of the Balkans

2 Cultural axes as spines from history to future integration

The historical overview of the Balkan Empire, Austrian-Hungarian Monarchy Peninsula, and particularly the river and Venice had all poured in this region, Danube as the northern borderline and a each leaving its material (cities, military connection to Central Europe give proof fortresses, palaces, bridges, artifacts, etc.) that this region is one of several cradles of as well as spiritual traces (folk tales, European culture. Traces of the Neolithic language, folk customs, art). Cultures that culture along the left and right banks of dominated for some time on the Balkans (1) Danube, on the Yugoslav and Romanian European Commission: ESDP are today largely considered among the European Spatial Develop- side, and numerous remnants of diverse grand European cultures. Albeit this fact ment Perspectives. – Luxem- cultures are testimonies that this space had bourg 1999, pp. 30 refers to the important link between the always been very attractive for conquerors Balkans and Europe and the opportunity to (2) but very inspirational and creative as well. bring together all Balkans’ states. Great Samardzic, Radomir: On Urban Civilization in the Balkans from Numerous wars and conflicts have divided European cultures and their paths are today XV to XIX Century. – Belgrade people in this region at least as much politically neutral and that is much more 1984, pp. 9 culture and its traces have connected them. acceptable and suitable for the realization (3) Culture of the Eastern Rome (Byzantine) of the integration idea within the region A spinal Balkan axis, a valley of navigable potentials starting has moved towards West Europe and Asia and externally towards the West. Traces from the point where the river Minor and Central Asia, but, at the same of grand European cultures and their Velika Morava meets Danube, further to the South along time, there had been emerging and broad paths do not recognize modern rivers Juzna Morava, Vardar vanishing cultures of diverse ethnic groups borderlines, but they spread freely along and Axios all the way to the such as Dacians, Illyrians, Thracians and certain geographical and historical axes, Aegean Sea (part of the corri- dor X) Visigoths. Cultures of West Rome, Ottoman such as Informationen zur Raumentwicklung Heft 4/5.2002 223

– the Danubian axis connecting Balkans the cultural pedigree of the Danube with Mitteleuropa (Central Europe), region in a specific way – the Adriatic axis connecting Balkans • Values created as an integral part and a The great opportunity of with Western Europe, product of social processes of modern the Balkans future – the Central Balkans’ axis (Morava- times, new nations, political codes and integration will Vardar-Axios) as a central spine of borderlines, physical and spiritual concentrate along axes Balkans, and patterns of a modern man experiencing such as Danubian, – the Black Sea axis connecting Balkans and utilizing the Danube and its Adriatic, Moravsko- with Middle East. environment in the spirit of technical Vadarska and Black Sea and technological achievements of We will deal here with only two of them: axes, along which modern civilization, contemplating all Danubian and Adriatic. specific forms of its ups and downs and idiosyncrasies, intersected cultures are reflecting development, identity, spatial developing. The Danubian Axis organization, landscapes, architecture, The Danube river as the axis of “German- urban patterns, land use and cultural Hungarian - Slavic - Romanic - Hebraic- patterns in the Danube space. Mitteleuropa polemically confronted with Cultural values of the Danubian space, 4 the German Reich” , the Danube as historical and modern, represent inevitable German, Austrian, Hungarian, Croatian, landmarks, this region’s spatial planning, Serbian, Romanian, etc., the river belong- comprising mentality quintessence, and ing to everybody and nobody, absolutely that what we call “genius loci”. The and incrementally, creates a symbol common interest in identifying cultural of numerous cultural identities, often values, however, represents a possibility of confronted and very rarely mutually increasing attractiveness of the space as a defined. The cultural co-operation along whole and for the purpose of activating the Danube axis is tightly connected with a qualitative economic activities and tourism collective feeling of territorial belonging to as a particular activity with immense Mitteleuropa in a historic and geographic commercial potentials.5 sense, where multiple historic processes and ethnic assimilation resulted in the The Adriatic Axis ascent of similar identification patterns. On the other hand the Adriatic axis The awareness of specific landscapes, designates a border belt between European typical urbomorphology and abundant Union and the Balkan Peninsula with its cultural and natural heritage is a sensible northern part (Slovenian coast) belonging starting point for establishing stable more to the Central Europe. This is the area relations among neighbouring countries where Roman, Venetian, Ragusian6 and stimulating their co-operation and future Viennese cultures crossed with modern integration. It is the cultural co-operation Italian, Slovenian, Croatian, Bosnian, based on the cultural diversity and regional Montenegrian and Albanian cultures. identity, and above all, based on the historical cultural paths, which do not The remnants of these great European recognize today’s borders, that represents cultures and their intersection with the (4) first and unavoidable step towards spatial contemporary ones are more than evident Magris, Claudio: The Danube. – Zagreb 1989 integration of Danubian countries. today, reflected in urban matrices and the architecture of Adriatic towns. Numerous (5) The Danubian space represents the best similarities in urban identity of Ancona and Stojkov, Borislav: Cultural Va- example of cultural patterns impact on the lues as a Basis for Spatial Inte- Zadar, Pesaro and Split, Dubrovnik, Kotor spatial organization and development. In gration of Danubian Countries. and Trebinje, Durres and similar towns in – Belgrade 2000, pp. 3 this respect we recognize two groups of Puglia, associate common historical roots cultural values: (6) with their military, merchant and cultural Ragusa (Dubrovnik today) • Values formed throughout the history in backgrounds. But more than remnants in used to be very influential trade the context of long-standing European and cultural generator between stone, some serious remnants of common XVI–XVIII century, making a borders, states and nations, cultural belongings exist in mentality, language, noticeable impact to Bosnian, paths neutral in relation to nowadays Montenegrian and Serbian arts (especially music), food and drinks, towns and their urban culture political and other divisions, which are folklore, etc., associating to linking ele- (well known Ragusain sculp- in need of mutual nurture as a part of tors, churches, painters and ments among the nations living in the architects, poets and trouba- the universal significance and global region today. dours). cultural heritage, and which could increase the level of attractiveness i.e. Borislav Stojkov: 224 Culture and Regional Development in the Balkan’s Post-war Era

The Mediterranean spirit, as a “spiritus level of 50-60 % of urban population but communalis” with intrinsic marks on elité indicates a long period in the past where Share of rural population culture (music, paintings, architecture, development of civil society and civil in countries of the Balkan lifestyle) and also on mass culture (fashion, awareness was withhold or stopped by the popular music, sports, etc.), represents a domination of the great European forces In % of field for serious research, encompassing such as Ottoman Empire (which, for total population 1996 urban and rural fringe of this region. example, was dominant in this region from

Albania 62.7 Networking and a potential co-operation of the first half of the 15th century until the 51.0 towns in southern part of the Adriatic belt, beginning of the 20th) or Austrian- Bulgaria 29.3 connecting Dubrovnik (), Trebinje Hungarian Monarchy and its domination Croatia 35.6 (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Hercegnovi and since the first half of 18th until the Greece 41.3 Macedonia 40.1 Kotor (Montenegro), Durres and Skoder beginning of the 20th century. The period Romania 44.9 (Albania) and Bari (Italy), only in terms of of communist rule during the second half of Yugoslavia 43.5 cultural heritage and interwoven cultural the 20th century also meant restraining the traces and paths of Roman, Venetian and civil values. Source: National yearbooks for authentic local cultures, could open a 1996 Only during the 1990s arises public prosperous perspective of cultural and all awareness and revitalization of the civil other kinds of co-operation along the tradition – there where it had existed Adriatic axis. before. Where civil tradition existed in Connecting and comparing, in reference to lesser scope (part of , Bosnia culture but also functionally, the Danubian and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, and the Adriatic axes, could be one of the Albania) initial steps of the young major tasks for the future of the Balkans in democracies often envisage the searching the post-war era. This is emphasized by the for the civil identity, which can easily be fact that along the Danube and the Adriatic transformed into raw nationalism, even the same cultural powers had reigned in chauvinism, as a protective impulse from the past, leaving similar or same remnants the invasion of external cultural patterns. and assets of material and spiritual The post-war era in the Balkans has culture, among which some have been several important cultural occurrences and basically incorporated in contemporary patterns, which promise a perspective of national cultural matrices of Croats, Serbs, good co-operation and integration into the Montenegrians, Bosnians or Albanians: a European family of states and regions. numerous words in their languages, similar motifs in national or regional ethno and popular music, recognizable style elements in architecture or town structure, 3 The levels of formulation common tradition in food culture or even of culture in Balkan area in social behaviour. The recognition of these common or similar elements is a Today’s situation in the Balkans reveals trend, especially amongst young people all ethnic diversity of this region and territorial around Balkans. dispersion of ethnic groups. This implies at the same time great cultural diversity as The after-war period in the Balkans, which well as dispersal of various national is almost equivalent to the post communist cultures over the Balkan Peninsula states. period, in this region’s countries denotes The spreading of influences, emerging as two evident trends in cultural sense, cultural frameworks in territories along the namely Danube is so immense that it is sometimes – the trend of national recognition and accepted only with disbelief.7 Romanian identification, and ethnos and Romanian culture can be – the trend of distinctiveness of European found in Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria; affiliation and searching of European population of the cross-border regions in character and criteria. these countries marks their affiliation to the These two trends are often confronted, Romanian culture and nation by cultural especially in countries with younger and affirmation and identification. In similar ephemeral civic background such as manner Serbian ethnos and culture are (7) Kurtovic-Folic, Nadja: The Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, found in Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania Cultural and Spiritual Status of Macedonia, to some extent Romania, and Hungary, confirming their culture the Danube Area in Serbia and Greece and Croatia. The feeble civic through written documents, folklore art, Europe. – Belgrade 1998, pp. 14 background represents the urbanization spiritual life, festivals, etc. Just as well Informationen zur Raumentwicklung Heft 4/5.2002 225

Bulgarian and Macedonian ethnos have Urban physical structure, as a mani- their enclaves in neighbouring countries, festation of the cultural and style pattern in and even mixing with Turkish ethnos and every society, today in Balkan countries cultures from the southeast. Albanian shows a lack of defined and articulated ethnos is deeply infiltrated within Serbia in style. Today, cities are developing without Kosovo and Metohija and dominant in the form and clear inner structure, abandoned space with profound and vast traces of under the attacks of building entrepreneurs Serbian culture.8 and with no clear housing policy; they Cultural patterns of these nations are directly reflect the social and economic developing on three levels: situation. Elite architectural models are taken from the West, without national style – elite culture level, recognition, with mass housing without – mass culture level, any order submitted to individual tastes – level of traditional folkloric, more or less and interests. The domination of the illegal autochthonous culture. construction in Albania, Macedonia, Elite culture is generated in urban centres, Serbia, Montenegro or Bulgaria represents mainly those with the highest rank in the at the same time the decline of the regional urban centres hierarchy. Hence, today, tradition and endangers the regional although under difficult financial and integration because of the housing and Balkans’ urban matrices economic conditions Belgrade, Bucharest, employment irregularities. without form or style Sofia, Ohrid, and other big cities, A village as an important element of the Source: B. Stojkov, Obnova organize art festivals (film, music, theater), Pristine, 1996, IAUS, Belgrade settlement structure is mostly a consumer they launch artists in various arts (design, of the mass culture and it is a creator of the architecture, painting, music) they revive regional or local in some cases even tradition of cultural manifestations at the autochthonous folk culture, especially in European level, and thus they try to keep in the regions with dominant and deeply touch with the European centres of greater traditional rural structure. tradition and greater economic potentials. The provocative term “autochthonous” But, urban centres are also generators of (pure, native, indigenous) is used to mass culture, as a mean of spreading enlighten the fact that in the Balkans still their wider influence and consequently exist patches in high mountain zones of empowering material basis for other forms East Serbia and Northwest Bulgaria, of culture through tax policies, there where Northern Montenegro and Northern this policy is adequately oriented. In the era Albania where people keep their very deep of the fast commercialization various types tribal tradition, in some cases as deep as of mass culture supported by the money of from the X century9, in terms of their rituals, the “nouveau riche élite” are aggressively singing, social behaviour, tradition, spreading, and they correspond to their carefully hidden and saved from all cultural pattern. Numerous festivals of exogenous influences throughout the national, regional or local character gather history. This Balkans’ phenomena known a huge number of people, idols of the popular music dominate the mass media as Old Balkanic type has been elaborated in some studies but is still standing in and in public and so they crack some but shadows even in the particular countries. very fixed regional and national barriers (connection through the clan affiliation, Analysis of the situation in the Balkans religion or mentality). today indicates a serious economic, social and ecological crisis in rural settlements, In this way, Croatian mass culture is very i.e. a lack of adequate policies, for cultural widely acclaimed in Serbia and vice versa, protection, which could help them gain a Serbian in Bulgaria, Greek in Macedonia higher quality of living. and Serbia and vice versa, etc. These are directions of one-way or two-way To cherish native culture, folklore and to communications but very narrowly di- connect it with other cultures on the (8) rected, which point out the possibilities but regional or even cross border grounds, Krstic, Branislav: Kosovo also the fallacies of the mass culture of local therefore can be assumed as a good receipt izmedju istorijskog i etnickog character on the urban scenes of Balkan for regional development as well as a mean prava. – Belgrade 1994 countries. Equal meaning and effects have of achieving integration at the wider (9) also other, external cultural patterns, Balkans’ framework. Similar folklore roots Vlahovic, Petar: Srbija – stanovnistvo, geografija. – Bel- American above all. in Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Macedonia, grade 2000 Borislav Stojkov: 226 Culture and Regional Development in the Balkan’s Post-war Era

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro or 4 The Iron Gate area as an example Albania, familiar ethnographical features for cultural cross-border activities (costumes, folklore tradition, food) and the traditional hospitality are all important A typical example of culture and its factors that could be employed through potentials for connecting post-war- special programmes, whether for tourism, countries in the Balkans are several three- or economic development and cultural border zones, usually oriented around exchange. some grand geographical issue, river or mountain. Binding patterns of rural cultural belts have their own natural, geographical links and Among such examples is the three-border paths and often stretch regardless of zone connecting regions of Eastern Serbia administrative borders. This is the case (part of Branicevo and Zajecar districts), between Northern Albania, Montenegro, Western Romania (Caras-Severin and Macedonia, South Serbia with Kosovo and Mehedinti counties) and Northwest Greece, or the case of the rural culture of Bulgaria (the Vidin county), all of them Vlachian, border regions between Bulgaria, oriented around the Danube. The inter- Romania and East Serbia, culture of specific connection of the Danubian regions Islamic origin in the three-border zone through joint cultural activities and actions, between Bosnia, Montenegro and Serbia beside all other activities, has been initiated rural culture of Banat between Romania by experts from Serbia, Romania and and Serbia, or rural culture of Bunjevac Bulgaria, supported by European Union between Croatia, Serbia and Hungary. It is experts and the Pact for Stability of the evident that Serbia, due to its central South East Europe. position in this constellation, surrounded The Iron Gate idea is founded on many by seven states draws most influences and historical, ethnical and cultural links interconnections with its neighbours. among the people from the three sides living now at the periphery of their Possible cross-border cultural co-operation in Balkans countries, turning backs to each other instead of using their common cultural roots and tradition. The Iron Gate Project has triggered the cultural co-operation between Kladovo (Serbia), Turnu-Severin (Romania) and Vidin (Bulgaria) as pivotal locations, enabling the exchange and the future flow of ideas and artistic and scientific capacities. This should be envisaged as a worthy initial effort to overcome the present hampered communication and interaction between the lagging border regions and communities of the three countries. The expected cultural park (ARCHEM – Archeology, Ethnology, Music) embedded in the exceptional and thrilling historical and archeological settings along the Danube with remnants of Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and Austrian cultures, would represent the foundation for unfolding various cultural contents. This could denote the correlation of researches (seminars, workshops) with practical and artistic performances making it potential European tourist destination. The skeleton of the project is synthesized in the river Danube as a European grand axis and issue, and an organic bound between the Danube and the different cultures grouping around Source: Borislav Stojkov, based on Adriatic Conference – Proceedings, 1999 it from Neolithic ages up to today. Informationen zur Raumentwicklung Heft 4/5.2002 227

The practical problem for developing the The region encompassed by the VISION Iron Gate Project is the inherited isolation PLANET document represents one of the of the local communities during five oldest scenes of the birth of the European decades of communist regime and their culture. The central part of this region is the inertia together with commands expected Balkan Peninsula with numerous traces from the state centres instead of local and testimonies of creation, development initiatives. and disappearance of many cultures since the Bronze and Iron Age, through Celtic, Illyric, Thracian and Dacian cultures. The Greek colonization had left many traces in 5 Cultural heritage as an important South Italy and along the Black Sea coast. element of an integrated strategy Southern and Western parts of this region for the spatial integration of the were parts of the great Roman empire post-war Balkans and later the great Byzantine empire leaving profound cultural traces in Greece, The political, economical, social and Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria cultural situation in the Balkans nowadays and Romania. Christian orthodox and is determined in numerous ways. The main Ottoman culture have in their own fact remains that this region has been ways inherited, developed and deformed an intersection point of many powerful Byzantine legacy.11 empires and cultures, among them most At the other end of this region strong important ones: Greek, Roman, Byzantine, influences were made by the styles of Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian. This Western Europe: Roman, Gothic, Renais- region is also a border between Eastern and sance and Baroque. Italy, Germany, Czech Western Christian church and as such it has Republic, Hungary, northern parts of Serbia been a battlefield of many large conflicts are among those who accepted, developed throughout the history, some effects and modulated these cultural influences. In being felt even today. Wars and conquers these parts of Europe many traces of these have continuously caused demographic influences are still present. movements, reshaping the borders but also influencing the birth and decay of various A particular meaning in this region is cultural patterns. Today’s structure in this attributed to historical cities, i.e. cities region, consisting of seven states, and with preserved as a whole, although they may a still present political and economical contain some traces of other cultures. Many instability, strives for the model of centuries have left deep marks on these the so-called spatial integration i.e. cities despite of many destructions, wars, integration through the key spatial fires and earthquakes. elements and resources among which Great and powerful empires who reigned in cultural values have the equal key position these regions during shorter or longer along with infrastructure, traffic, economic periods gave a relative meaning to development, settlement network and borders between states, and thus many natural assets. architectural and art schools that existed The expert team that elaborated “Strategies here had a cross border character, i.e. of Spatial Integration of the CADSES artist have worked in several countries Countries”10 has concluded that cultural transferring styles and shapes. Serbia is the heritage includes monuments, groups (10) best example for this transfer because it VISION PLANET Strategies for of buildings (complexes) as well as contains Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, or Integrated Spatial Develop- locations of historical, archeological, ment of the Central European, Baroque styles with some of its top displays. Danubian and Adriatic Area – artistic, scientific, societal or technological The VISION PLANET team believed that Background Report. – importance. At the same time, cultural 2000. This document was a this fact opens up serious possibilities heritage in this part of Europe should result of the VISION PLANET for international co-operation in research, Project, coordinated by the Fe- be understood as a concept beyond deral Office for Building and analysis, maintenance of the cultural architectural heritage and should not be Regional Planning (Bundesamt heritage and its utilization for tourism.12 für Bauwesen und Raumord- preoccupied only with the past. Cultural nung – BBR), Bonn. heritage (past and present) represents a Beside the high appreciation for the urban (11) corner stone of the regional, national and values, great importance was given to the See VISION Planet Strategies; European identity, which means that rural heritage due to the fact that villages cit. and agriculture in this region have played spatial planning ought to approach this (12) subject in a very complex and sensitive way. an important role throughout the history. Ibid. Borislav Stojkov: 228 Culture and Regional Development in the Balkan’s Post-war Era

Rural architecture, folklore arts and handi- It is assessed as necessary to establish crafts in everyday life still represent the legal and professional arrangements for living trace of particular cultures that preserving the collective memory of all survived the longest, they are part of the nations and nationalities, ethnical and economical basis as well as an instrument religious groups who created specific of the local and regional identification. cultural heritage in countries such as Unfortunately, during communism the Balkan ones. period of collectivization in the villages has The legal protection is important and significantly endangered these values, necessary but it cannot be applied to all especially those of the religious origin in assets because of practical and financial Romania or Bulgaria. reasons. Therefore, very important is At the end, the intrinsic question of cultural the education and enlightenment of the heritage from the communist period population which could result in a change remains open. It has left an enormous of individual attitudes toward cultural and architectural stock with specific features. natural assets. Particularly important is the Mistakes from the past should not be protection of the rural architecture, folklore repeated, therefore all values should be art and traditional handicrafts, which can treated from the aesthetic and practical help improving the economic basis of rural point of view, and not from the ideological. communities and local / regional identity.14 Subsequently, even new architectural Finally, the Strategies recommend that values ought to be preserved because private capital and public private partner- they become part of common historical ship ought to take a special position in the inheritance.13 restructuring, maintenance and utilization of the cultural heritage. Ways of utilization should be carefully defined within the 6 Cultural heritage in the future privatization contracts with improved of the Balkans – next steps forward systematic control and supervision. Parallel to the elaboration of the Strategies, In the guidelines and principles for the which encompassed twelve countries of the future the Strategies define a series of Central, East and Southeast Europe, a positions with regard to the cultural document “Spatial Planning Priorities for heritage emphasizing importance of Southeast Europe”, i.e. the Balkan Region15 equally treating the past and present as was made. This document has emphasized corner stones of the regional and national the importance of culture and cultural identity. For this purpose it is suggested policy as one of the priorities of the spatial that countries from this region protect their development and of spatial integration of cultural heritage on cultural but also on the Balkan countries. With a claim that “the economic basis that understands carefully cultural policy within the framework of the defined normative instruments as well as a new Europe concentrates particularly on treatment at all spatial planning levels. the exploitation of the cultural heritage as a Beside the protection of the cultural factor of spatial development (...)”, and (13) Ibid. heritage a special attention is recom- further “the character of intergovernmental mended to the so-called transnational dimension, international cooperation and (14) Ibid. paths of Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and of spatial enlargement, sought through Ottoman cultures, which would provide culture is evident”.16 (15) protection of the special character of This project was carried out un- Among the general principles and der an acronym ESTIA (Euro- various social communities and their objectives for cultural policies of the Balkan pean Space and Territorial features. Integration Alternatives), coor- space, the ESTIA document emphasizes dinated by Aristotle University Furthermore, the establishment of strong the spatial development of the area and in (Professor Gri- goris Kafkalas) and Poseidon scientific and administrative criteria for the corresponding enlargement of the University in Athens (Professor identification of the structures that re- European space with the balanced cultural Panagiotis Getimis). present historical or art heritage is re- development and the provision of equal (16) commended. It is also recommended that opportunities of access to the cultural Spatial Planning Priorities for Southeast Europe.– Thessalo- legal regulations be moved from the goods, and also active strategies for the niki 2000, pp. 91 protection of the buildings towards the integrated conservation in areas where protection of cultural complexes and areas (17) urban and rural cultural heritage is Ibid., pp. 92 (in an integrative way). threatened or downgraded.17 Informationen zur Raumentwicklung Heft 4/5.2002 229

It is obvious that both documents, VISION The history is also abused for similar PLANET and ESTIA, give a paramount role reasons. For the future of expected co- of culture and cultural heritage to the future operation and integration of the Balkan regional development of the Balkan area countries, oriented towards the European and to possible ways of co-operation and Union, and for the reasons of the present integration. This also considers the cultural state in the whole region of the Southeast diversity as an important factor in the Europe, the most convenient starting point integration processes between countries18 seems to be culture, i.e. cultural paths, but with some critical issues or fallacies in assets and activities in spite of these practical actions in the region. obvious fallacies with present national (18) Eser, Thiemo W.: The role of The after-war period, or the post- cultures. The idea of parks of culture along the Danube might be one of positive cultural diversity in the Euro- communism period, is also the period of pean Spatial Development 20 national reidentification and reaffirmation, guidelines for the future of the region. The Perspective”. – Belgrade 2000, pp. 200 where Balkan nations cope with some soft cultural tissue and its international territorial problems using culture as an orientation might be an initial trigger for (19) other important projects in the future of the Krstic, Branislav: Kosovo instrument. The conflict between Greece izmedju istorijskog i etnickog and FYR Macedonia is the conflict of post-war Balkans in co-operation with prava; cit. identity for the Northern Greece using the already integrated European countries and their political, economic and cultural (20) same name, argumented by history and Kulturparks, Erbe und Enter- culture. The harsh confrontation between powers. tainment. – St. Pölten 2000 Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija is basically grounded on the Serbian cultural standpoint and on the Albanian ethnical standpoint.19 Some of the tensions between Albanians and RO1 Macedonians are generated by cultural (linguistic) differences, etc. The issue of national identification is commanded by cultural circles which more then often RO2 misuse and abuse the culture and many RO4 facets as tool(s) for their objectives.

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BG6 YU2 BG4 YU3 Cultural Monuments and Sites in the Balkans YU4 BG3

AL1 Butrinti Ruins BG1 Ivanovo Churches BG7 YU1 BG2 Thracian Cemetery BG3 Bojana Church BG9 BG4 Thracian Tomb BG5 “The Horseman“ of Madara BG6 Old City of Nesebar MK1 BG7 Rila Monastery GR2 GR1 Meteora Monasteries GR3 GR10 Dephni Monastery GR10 Nes Moni Monastery GR10 Oslos Loukas Monastery GR11 Archaeological Site of Delos GR1 GR12 Archaeological Site of Pythegorion and Heraion AL1 GR13 Medieval City of Rhodes GR2 Byzantine & early-Christian Monuments of Thessaloniki GR10 GR3 Mount Athos GR4 Archaeological Site of Delphi GR4 GR10 GR12 GR5 Temple of Epikourion Apollo GR9 GR6 Archaeological Site of Olympia GR10 GR7 Mystras Region GR11 GR8 GR8 Archaeological Site of Epidaurus GR6 GR5 GR9 Acropolis of Athens GR13 MK1 Region & Lake of Ohrid GR7 RO1 North Moldavia Monasteries RO2 Church in Biertan

Natural Monuments and Sites BG8 Marshes of Srebarna BG9 Pirin National Park Cultural Hertiage RO4 Danube Delta Natural Heritage YU1 Gulf and Region of Kotor YU4 Durmitor National Park Source: UNESCO