More than four years after the walls of the Old Town in Ulcinj collapsed on the southern side, the timeline for reconstructing the ancient fortress’ ramparts remains uncertain.

The Secretariat for Culture and Social Affairs of the Municipality of Ulcinj emphasized the significance of conducting necessary studies to preserve the cultural and historical heritage. Meanwhile, the Directorate for the Protection of Cultural Heritage noted that the project, prepared according to the provided conservation conditions, has yet to receive their approval.

Previously, the Ministry of Finance confirmed the allocation of 30,000 euros to the Municipality of Ulcinj for developing a conservation project.

However, the southernmost city reported that the development of the conservation project could not commence since the preparations revealed remains of old tombs and potentially a necropolis at the site of the collapsed walls, complicating the entire endeavor.

Current Acting Secretary for Culture and Social Affairs Merita Subašić Šabanović confirmed that the conservation project is still in the initial stages.

“The project ‘Development of a conservation project for rehabilitation and implementation of rehabilitation measures on the collapsed part of the southern ramparts of the Old Town of Ulcinj’ is currently in the early implementation phase. Before we can develop the project itself, geological surveys of the site must be conducted, followed by archaeological studies. Only after these assessments can we begin the conservation project for rehabilitation and necessary measures. Since this is a cultural and historical asset within our municipality, it is essential to comply with all the previously stated research to safeguard our cultural and historical heritage,” Subašić Šabanović explained in response to “Vijesti”‘s inquiry regarding the project’s progress.

The Old Town’s southern walls collapsed in January 2021 due to heavy rains and the accumulation of rubble and waste.

“In addition to the ramparts, erosion is impacting archaeological layers from the time when the city thrived, dating back to the 4th century BC up to the conclusion of Ottoman rule. The profile created by the wall’s collapse revealed archaeological layers, as well as remains of tomb structures. Walled tombs can also be seen west of the newly constructed building, indicating the presence of a necropolis in the area,” stated the then Secretary for Culture, Sports, Youth, and Social Affairs, Artan Cobaj.

The Directorate for the Protection of Cultural Heritage reported that after being informed of the ramparts’ collapse, their expert team visited the site in January 2021 to assess the damage. They informed all relevant institutions about the situation and highlighted the urgent nature of the issue while requesting assistance in initiating necessary procedures.

The Administration reiterated that at the request of the Municipality of Ulcinj, they issued conservation conditions on May 24, 2021, for developing urban planning and technical criteria aimed at rehabilitating the collapsed section of the southern rampart wall, located on cadastral parcel no. 2360/1 and 3606/3 KO Ulcinj.

“Regrettably, despite our systematic efforts to address this situation, as evidenced by the Administration’s documents and multiple urgent requests directed to the Municipality of Ulcinj, we inform you that, so far, the project prepared per the issued conservation conditions has not been submitted to the Administration for approval,” the Administration’s response to “Vijesti” indicated.

The Ministry of Finance, along with the Directorate for Cultural Heritage, previously announced through their annual Program for the Protection and Preservation of Cultural Property for 2022 that they allocated 30,000 euros to the Municipality of Ulcinj to carry out the project “Development of a conservation project for rehabilitation and implementation of rehabilitation measures on the collapsed part of the southern ramparts of the Old Town of Ulcinj.” They reminded that the owner-holder of a cultural property is duty-bound, per the provisions of the Law on the Protection of Cultural Property, to preserve, maintain appropriately, and ensure the timely implementation of prescribed protection measures, which also applies to the walls of the Old Town of Ulcinj.

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