Podgorica, (MINA) – The Constitutional Court has rejected five constitutional appeals related to refusal to issue building permits in the area of the natural and cultural-historical region of ​​Kotor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

According to the press release by the Constitutional Court, the applicant claimed that at the time of submission of the request he had met the legal requirements for obtaining construction permits, but that his request was rejected under regulations adopted after the application had been submitted.

The Constitutional Court did not accept those arguments, upholding the position of the lower courts that the mere submission of a request for the issuance of a construction permit does not create an acquired right to obtain one, nor does the state have an obligation to issue it.

“The Constitutional Court noted that construction bans were introduced to protect the natural and cultural-historical area of ​​Kotor, which has been declared the UNESCO World Heritage Since in 1979, and that the protection of this area represents a legitimate public interest”, the press release said.

The Constitutional Court assessed that this particular case does not involve the retroactive application, but the fulfillment of international obligations that Montenegro assumed by ratifying the Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage.