Rosia Montana Inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List
After being postponed twice, the discussions about other sites stretching on, Rosia Montana‘s turn finally came yesterday and, after what seems to have been one of the easiest decisions of the current session, with no amendments or comments, it was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List! However, while it was one of the 13 sites accepted that day, it was the only one that was also added on the List of World Heritage in Danger, as one of only 52 total sites that currently have this status.
While many politicians are now trying to take credit, this is a success of the civil society. It’s a success of a movement started by a handful of locals who opposed the mining project and strengthened by an increasing number of NGOs, activists and protesters that joined their efforts over nearly two decades. Actually, it comes just a day shy of 19 years since the Rosia Montana Declaration was adopted. And, of course, close to eight years since the start of the massive protests of 2013, which, albeit following the “awakening” of 2012, truly marked the birth of the modern Romanian civil society, the cause becoming and remaining the one that nearly all the various groups that are such at odds with each other on so many other issues tend to agree on, joining hands again when needed even in recent years. After all, as one of the most notable protesters of 2012 and 2013 said back then, “it’s not we who save Rosia Montana, but Rosia Montana that saves us“.
Of course, as important as it may be, this is just another step and there are many obstacles yet to overcome… Possibly starting with the mayor, who was always a firm supporter of the mining project, blocked attempts to make the area no longer be a monotown and any Urban Plans allowing any other development, leaving the locals who disagreed with the project with very few options, and immediately reacted negatively to this decision. But the recommendations that came along with the inclusion, if followed, should go quite a long way towards finally giving that area a future.
And since I mentioned those recommendations, I’ll quote them here, taking them out of the draft decision:
“ICOMOS recommends that a reactive monitoring mission be invited to the property to establish a desired state of conservation and a programme of corrective measures to remove the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger.
ICOMOS additionally recommends that the State Party give urgent consideration to the following:
a) Halting approval of mining permits at the property,
b) Developing as soon as possible planning controls for the property, in the form of a General Urban Plan (Plan Urbanistic General) and a Zonal Urban Plan (Plan Urbanistic Zonal), that prevents further mining at the property and submit these in draft to the World Heritage Centre for review by ICOMOS,
c) Approving, submitting and implementing the management plan of the property, and augmenting through:
• An internationally supported conservation plan for the Roman remains,
• A management tourism strategy, to improve visitor management and interpretation and presentation of the site,
• The involvement of the stakeholders in the management of the property,
• A commitment for adequate human and financial resources for its implementation,
d) Developing an inspection and maintenance plan for the header ponds to ensure their long term stability,
e) Developing and implementing a monitoring programme for the property,
f) Submitting to the World Heritage Centre by 1 December 2022 a report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 46th session in 2023.“
