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Europa Nostra Report on the Proposed Kalemegdan-Ušće Cable-Car Project in Belgrade - Serbia

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Europa Nostra Report on the Proposed Kalemegdan-Ušće Cable-Car Project in Belgrade - Serbia EUROPA NOSTRA REPORT ON THE PROPOSED KALEMEGDAN-UŠĆE CABLE-CAR PROJECT IN BELGRADE - SERBIA Photo credits: Europa Nostra, 2019 Based on the High-level Delegation mission to Belgrade on 4 - 10 May 2019 endorsed by the Europa Nostra Board and Europa Nostra Council at their meetings on 18-19 June 2019 in Athens July 2019 Brussels - The Hague - Belgrade 1 Table of Contents REPORT ABOUT THE KALEMEGDAN-UŠĆE CABLE-CAR PROJECT IN BELGRADE - SERBIA 1 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 3 2. Description ....................................................................................................................................... 5 2.1 The Site ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Historical Phases .................................................................................................................................................. 7 2.3 Significance of the Site........................................................................................................................................ 8 3. About the cable-car project Kalemegdan-Ušće ....................................................................... 16 4. 10 Key Observations and Concerns ........................................................................................... 18 I. Need to preserve an irreplaceable cultural and natural heritage site ............................................ 18 II. Need to avoid irreversible damage to the authenticity and integrity of the multi-layered heritage ......................................................................................................................................................................... 18 III. Unclear rationale of the cable-car project ............................................................................................... 19 IV. Lack of serious Heritage Impact Assessment ......................................................................................... 19 V. Nomination to the UNESCO World Heritage List is under threat .................................................... 20 VI. Incompatibility of the cable-car project with present legislation, urban planning documents and international conventions .................................................................................................... 21 VII. Undue pressures on heritage institutions and bypassing of professional bodies ................. 21 VIII. Lack of transparency and consultations with professional bodies ............................................ 22 IX. Criticism from experts, civil society, public institutions, citizens and media ........................... 22 X. Not an isolated case of unsatisfactory heritage protection ................................................................ 23 5. 7 Main Recommendations ........................................................................................................... 25 I. Reconsider all questionable planning documents, measures and permits ................................... 25 II. Prepare a thorough Heritage Impact Assessment of the cable-car project ................................. 25 III. Invest efforts and expertise for a successful nomination of the Belgrade Fortress for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List ............................................................................................. 25 IV. Ensure systemic heritage research, restoration, maintenance and presentation enhancing knowledge and attractiveness of the site ....................................................................................................... 26 V. Find suitable, less costly, non-invasive alternatives ............................................................................. 26 VI. Provide for transparency and due involvement of experts and citizens .................................... 26 VII. Treat heritage as the country’s key asset for sustainable long-term development and strengthen heritage protection and management system....................................................................... 27 Annex I Meetings and sites visits ...................................................................................................... 28 Annex II Relevant legal aspects ......................................................................................................... 31 Annex III About the campaign against the cable-car project .......................................................... 35 Annex IV A selection of related media coverage .............................................................................. 43 Annex V The authors of this report / Europa Nostra group of experts ......................................... 45 2 1. INTRODUCTION This Report was prepared by Europa Nostra as a result of a scope mission to Belgrade, which took place on 4-10 May 2019. The mission aimed at meeting and discussing with Serbian authorities, various professional institutions and NGOs about the proposed construction of a cable-car at the Belgrade Fortress. Image 1. Europa Nostra Delegation in Belgrade on 6 May 2019 From left to right: Guy Clausse, Katarina Maksimov, Jelena Mijić, Goran Tomka, Luka Knežević Strika, Višnja Kisić, Fani Mallouchou-Tufan, Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović, Laurent Lévi-Strauss, Ksenija Radovanović, Irina Subotić, Paolo Vitti / Photo credits: Europa Nostra, 2019 The Belgrade Fortress is a first grade listed heritage site and monument of Serbia (monument of highest level of State protection). It is also a valuable record of Europe's history, since it witnesses building phases of the Roman, Byzantine, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Ottoman and Habsburg Periods. The environment context is also unique and significantly well preserved. The Belgrade Fortress is also included in the tentative list for potential future inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List, as part of the transnational nomination for the "Frontiers of the Roman Empire". In March 2019, after more than 100 trees were cut in the Kalemegdan and Ušće Parks in order to start the planned archaeological investigations and construction works in the area, Europa Nostra Serbia together with other Serbian professional associations and institutions alarmed Europa Nostra about the devastating consequences of the project. The Board of Europa Nostra immediately expressed concerns about the threat to cultural heritage represented by the construction of the cable-car and decided to send a High- Level Delegation to Belgrade. The mission took place from 4 to 10 May 2019. 3 The Europa Nostra Delegation was composed of the following members: Dr Guy Clausse (Luxembourg), economist, Executive Vice President (acting as Head of Delegation) Dr Laurent Lévi-Strauss (France), policy and heritage expert, Board Member Prof. Dr Fani Mallouchou-Tufano (Greece), archaeologist and conservator, Council Member Prof. Dr Paolo Vitti (Italy), architect-conservator and historian, Board Member Prof. Dr Isik Aydemir (Turkey) architect, Scientific Committee Member Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović (Serbia / The Netherlands), expert in international and European law and policy, Secretary General Upon special invitation by Europa Nostra, Luca Jahier (Italy), President of the European Economic and Social Committee, and Magda Herbowska (Poland), Head of his Cabinet, joined the Delegation’s visit to Belgrade on 6-7 May 2019. The Europa Nostra Delegation benefitted from the expert support and advice of: Prof. Emer. Dr Irina Subotić (Serbia) art historian, Vice-President of Europa Nostra, President of Europa Nostra Serbia and Lecturer at the UNESCO Chair in Cultural Policy and Management, at the University of Arts in Belgrade Ass. prof. dr Višnja Kisić (Serbia), heritage management and policy expert, Secretary General of Europa Nostra Serbia and Lecturer at the UNESCO Chair in Cultural Policy and Management at the University of Arts in Belgrade Ass. prof. dr Goran Tomka (Serbia), cultural tourism and cultural policy expert, Faculty of Sport and Tourism Novi Sad and Lecturer at the UNESCO Chair in Cultural Policy and Management, at the University of Arts in Belgrade. During its mission to Belgrade, the Europa Nostra Delegation held site visits and meetings with NGOs and professional bodies as well as with public institutions and Ministries concerned. The Delegation also had a meeting with the Prime Minister of Serbia (for the full programme see Annex I). The collaborative spirit of all interlocutors and their openness to discuss the different aspects of this controversial project were much appreciated by the Delegation. The Europa Nostra Delegation assessed that the cable-car project is questionable from the point of view of its compliance with the law and that it will irreversibly affect the authenticity, integrity, vistas and diverse historic layers of the Belgrade Fortress. At the same time, it will disperse public funds for an investment with unclear rationale from the point of view of its urban and social benefits. For these reasons, Europa Nostra Serbia has nominated the Belgrade Fortress for the next “7 Most Endangered List” which will be examined by the Advisory Panel in November 2019. The final selection will be made by the Europa Nostra Board and it will be announced in spring 2020 by Europa Nostra in partnership with the European Investment
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