Montenegro Urged to Designate Wartime Mass Graves as National Heritage

An initiative asks Montenegro's Cultural Heritage Administration to declare caves in Cetinje and Nikšić as cultural heritage sites. These natural caves are located in areas like Kunov Prisoje and Kuline. They are significant historically, memorially, and sacredly. The caves are hidden mass graves from World War II, formed by political and ideological violence. They remind us that brutal violence must not be the answer to differences.

Today's Montenegro is based on anti-fascist values. It aims to adopt principles of freedom, democracy, rule of law, and human rights, like the European Union. Across the EU and globally, sites of mass suffering receive state protection, often with UNESCO's help.

These caves represent a difficult past. They should become places of remembrance, reconciliation, and social unity. Making these sites cultural heritage will encourage dialogue about memory and a better European future. They have cultural, social, and educational value, tied to past violence.

Even with disturbing "dissonant heritage," society can learn understanding. Remains of victims are still in the caves, and police actions are ongoing. Human rights activist Aleksandar Saša Zeković made this statement. He also noted that August 23 is the European Day of Remembrance for victims of totalitarian regimes.