đź“Ť Gornja Lastva, TIVAT | May 16, 2026 | 7:00 PM
A Conversation on a Landscape Between Protection and Pressure
Sailing Club Delfin, in cooperation with the Cultural and Heritage Association Napredak Gornja Lastva, is organizing a public discussion titled “Defending Vrmac and the Final Days,” to be held on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at 7 PM, at the Josip Marković Cultural Centre in Gornja Lastva.
The discussion will be moderated by journalist and civic activist Brano Mandić. The panel will feature experts who have spent years researching and advocating for the protection of the Vrmac area:
• Željko Starčević, mountaineer, archaeologist, and speleologist (Agency for the Protection and Development of Orjen)
• Aleksandra Kapetanović, conservation architect (Centre for Sustainable Spatial Development Expeditio Kotor)
• Dr. Miloš Petričević, archaeologist (Public Institution “Museums” Kotor)
Vrmac is an area of exceptional natural and cultural value, administratively divided between the municipalities of Kotor and Tivat. A Protection Study has already been prepared as the basis for declaring a Nature Park, and a public consultation has been conducted. Yet formal protection is still pending — despite the fact that, as experts point out, what is missing most of all is political will.
In the meantime, pressures are growing stronger, particularly those related to construction. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the Kotor side of Vrmac lies within the UNESCO-protected area of Kotor, while the Tivat side falls within its buffer zone. The discussion will also address recent amendments to the Law on the Kotor Area, which more precisely define obligations related to spatial protection.
This is an opportunity to remind the public of Vrmac’s values — its rich natural heritage, archaeological sites, fortification legacy, and landscape integrity — while opening an honest conversation about the challenges and responsibilities of institutions and the community. Free shuttle van transport will be provided for all interested visitors, from Tivat town centre to Gornja Lastva. After the discussion, participants and guests will be welcomed to a special gastro experience “Heritage in the Pot,” along with a fitting music program in the spirit of Gornja Lastva’s atmosphere and tradition.