Even though the paving of a road in the Decani gorge –which leads to the mountains of this municipality and the border with Montenegro and partly passes through a special protected zone – was stopped in May last year, the Decani municipal authorities continued with the road construction.

The road works were continued despite the intervention of international organizations and contrary to the law on special protected zones. The US ambassador to Pristina, Philip Kosnett reacted on the occasion yesterday, expressing concern about the „disregard of the rule of law“.

Taking into account that the Visoki Decani Monastery is on UNESCO world heritage list, the construction of the road in Decani gorge represents a violation of not only the Kosovo law on special protected zones – which prohibits the construction of transit roads through the zones near the most important cultural and historical monuments – but it is also in complete contradiction with the UNESCO monuments protection standards.

Philip Kosnett reacted yesterday via Twitter, condemning the construction on the road in Decani gorge that was completed up to the edge of the special protected zone.

„Authorities in Decani continue, with encouragement from political allies, to demonstrate reckless disregard for rule of law. Road works are complete up to the edge of the Special Protected Zone with no by-pass road in sight. Transit roads through SPZs are illegal,” Kosnett tweeted.