Various objects of cultural and artistic value in the world are exposed to smuggling and illegal trade every day.
With the disappearance of those objects, entire chapters of the history of mankind also disappear. This is written in the introduction of the document "Red List of Cultural Heritage for Southeast Europe" published in October 2021 by the International Network of Museums - ICOM.
Although Red Lists have been published by ICOM since 2000, this is the first dedicated to the region of Southeast Europe. That list also included three items from the Public Institution Museums and Galleries of Podgorica and another artifact from the area of Montenegro - Oktoih.
Items at risk of illegal traffic
The Red List is methodologically intended to identify and indicate the categories of items that are exposed to the risk of illegal traffic, counterfeiting and similar abuses. The goal of the publication, it was explained, is to help professionals in the field of art and cultural heritage, as well as law enforcement officials, as well as ordinary citizens in identifying objects and objects of cultural importance that are protected at the national or international legislative level.
The Red List of Cultural Heritage for Southeastern Europe shows objects that are at potential risk, but all are safe, i.e. in the possession and ownership of the parent institutions.
"It is important to emphasize that it is not a list that represents objects that are actually alienated or at increased risk, but about comparative examples that serve as an illustration for the types or categories of objects that may be at risk. The goal of the project is to contribute to the improvement of the visibility of the categories of objects that could be the target of such abuses", the director of the Museums and Galleries of Podgorica told "Vijesta" Vučić Ćetković.
ICOM's Red Lists are thus one of the most important instruments in the fight against the illicit traffic of cultural goods. They are internationally recognized and used in education, but also in raising awareness, and then in practice.
"To facilitate identification, the Red Lists illustrate the categories or types of objects of cultural significance that are likely to be found on the illegal market for a given region. The Red Lists are not lists of stolen items, and all images on the Red Lists are items listed in the collections of recognized institutions around the world. ICOM distributes the Red Lists to heritage experts, universities, auction houses, military forces, but mainly also to police and customs officials," the List's introduction reads.
October and three items from the Museum of Podgorica
In the latest publication, there were three cases from Montenegro. In the category of "Documents and maps" was found the book "Octoih" (pentogasnik to eight-vocal), which was printed in Cetinje, and whose fragments are preserved in the Dečani monastery. In the category "Archaeology - Vessels" there are "Roman clay goblet" and "Clay plate-plate", both from the time of Duklja, and in the category "Archaeology - history and sculpture" there is a "Silver bronze statuette", also from this period.
Besides "Oktoih", the objects are in the possession of the Podgorica Museums and Galleries, where they are kept, the director points out and adds that it is in the interest of cultural institutions to protect works of cultural and historical importance in all possible ways. Ćetković told "Vijesta" that as part of the cooperation between the JU Museums and Galleries of Podgorica, the former Ministry of Culture and ICOM, activities were carried out on the project of the Red List of Cultural Properties at Risk for Southeastern Europe.
"As part of this cooperation, we nominated eight items from the JU Museums and Galleries fund, which, I emphasize, are not in any way endangered or at risk of abuse, but represent a representative, i.e. significant, part of the cultural heritage of Montenegro, and in accordance with their importance in an adequate way and keep. Of the eight items that we nominated as illustrative examples of the types or categories of items that could potentially be at risk, three items were accepted and presented in the ICOM publication. All three items, we emphasize, are kept in the Museum's collections. They are not at risk of any kind of abuse, and there is no fear of their alienation, but they are included in the Red List only as illustrative or comparative examples", emphasizes Ćetković.
He notes that the public often misunderstands the purpose and importance of the list, so the objects found on it are considered alienated, that is, missing, while they are only at potential risk, although, Ćetković points out, not much greater than the others.
"All items included in the ICOM Red List for South-Eastern Europe are illustrative. The items from the JU Museums and Galleries funds, which are shown in the Red List, represent only comparative examples, that is, an indication of the types or categories of items that could potentially be exposed to the risk of illegal traffic of cultural goods and other risks in Southeastern Europe. None of the objects included in the ICOM Red List for Southeast Europe belongs to the category of alienated objects, because the identification of such objects was not the goal or the intention of this ICOM project. All objects marked with the list are owned by various museums in the area of Southeastern Europe. "Also, all the selected items represent a representative part of the cultural heritage, and because of their importance and value for cultural heritage, they were nominated to be on the list," says Ćetković.
The Customs Administration is aware of the existence of the Red List
Senior Program Advisor in the Sub-Directorate for Implementation and Harmonization at the World Customs Organization Marija Polner points out that ICOM is the main actor and the only non-governmental organization that consists of an expert network of six organizations recognized by the United Nations in the fight against illicit traffic in cultural goods.
"To respond to the illegal trade in cultural goods, customs need tools and knowledge. The new 'Red List for South-Eastern Europe - cultural heritage in danger' is not only an important item in raising awareness and exercises to control illegal trade in artefacts, but is another practical tool that will help customs in the field of protecting cultural heritage from alienation", she said. is the one for the ICOM list.
The printed material has recently arrived in Montenegro, Vučić Ćetković confirms to "Vijesta" and says that the distribution of the material to relevant institutions and organizations at the local and national level is underway, so it will soon arrive at the address of the Revenue and Customs Administration. When "Vijesti" asked the Revenue and Customs Administration whether they were familiar with the publication, they said that they were aware of its existence, but that they did not own it.
"Our electronic risk analysis system includes profiles for controlling cultural heritage items that are monitored in accordance with regulations," they answered.
The removal of cultural property (which includes objects of permanent historical, artistic, scientific, archaeological, anthropological, technical or other social importance), antiques and works of art is subject to special supervision, the Administration explains.
"Any person who transports cultural goods across the state border must have the appropriate authorization from the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports and is obliged to submit it to the customs authority. If a cultural asset registered in the Register of Cultural Assets of Montenegro, as well as antiques and works of art recognized as such by the Law on the Protection of Cultural Assets of Montenegro, is taken out, the person needs to have the appropriate permit from the Ministry of Culture and Sports, which approves its temporary removal", the answer was " News" from the Directorate's Public Relations Bureau.
The competent customs authority controls the goods and the submitted documentation, i.e. the compliance of the customs documentation with the issued permit and the submitted goods, they say and continue to remind the regulations of the Law on the Protection of Cultural Property.
"According to Article 52 of the Law, cultural property cannot be permanently taken abroad, except in the case of exchange. Cultural property can be temporarily taken abroad, for the purpose of presentation, expertise or implementation of technical protection measures. Approval for the permanent and temporary export of cultural property abroad is issued by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage with the prior opinion of the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Property and the competent parent institution of culture... Pursuant to Article 53 of this law, the Ministry is obliged to issue any decision approving or prohibiting the export of cultural property, with the appropriate with certified photo documentation, submit it to the Directorate for the Protection of Cultural Property, the Directorate of Revenue and Customs and the Police Directorate. The Administration for the Protection of Cultural Property is obliged to take into account whether the removed cultural property has been returned within a certain period and to determine the condition in which it was returned," they write in the answers.
The Administration says that the MPNKS continuously provides them with approvals, i.e. permits for the temporary or permanent display of works of art (paintings, sculptures, etc.).
"The administration further forwards them to the competent organizational unit, i.e. the customs office indicated in the approval for further jurisdiction and action. In case of any non-compliance of these permits with the customs documentation, i.e. the declared goods, the Administration informs the competent ministry", they emphasize in the answers.
To date, 17 documents have been published
Since its founding in 1946, ICOM has excelled in the fight against the illegal movement of cultural property and has used its network of experts to develop tools and best practices to help museum professionals protect heritage. In the event of a crisis, ICOM can also mobilize a global network of experts, according to the Red List.
"UNESCO recognizes that the ICOM Red Lists are an essential tool for combating illicit trade in cultural goods and raising awareness of our global responsibility to protect cultural heritage. This global responsibility requires constant efforts in relation to training, development and control of archives, but also the use of new and improvement of existing tools. ICOM is a key partner of UNESCO and through our joint cooperation we will continue to strengthen the implementation of the UNESCO Conventions from 1970", said the Director of the Sector for Culture and Emergencies at UNESCO. Lazarus Elondou Asomo.
Vučić Ćetković confirms that the activities of ICOM are monitored and implemented in the JU Museums and Galleries of Podgorica, but also that they are continuously implemented in cooperation with museum institutions at the international level.
"They are aimed at the challenges that museum employees face in their work, and include cooperation and communication in the profession, dissemination of knowledge and informing the public, training, development of professional standards, promotion of professional ethics, preservation of cultural heritage, fight against illegal trade and other activities from the museum profession", says Ćetković.
ICOM has been publishing Red Lists since 2000, detailing the categories of endangered cultural property from around the world. To date, 17 documents from 47 countries or regions on four continents have been published. The Red List of endangered cultural objects in Southeast Europe was created in cooperation with ICOM experts from Montenegro (Anastasia Miranović), Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, North Macedonia, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia, and it houses the facilities of relevant cultural institutions, to illustrate the types of cultural assets endangered throughout this region.
All objects marked with the list are owned by various museums in the area of Southeastern Europe. Also, all selected objects represent a representative part of cultural heritage, and because of their importance and value for cultural heritage, they were nominated to be on the list," says Vučić Ćetković.
Every person who transports cultural goods across the state border must have the appropriate authorization from the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports and is obliged to submit it to the customs authority. If a cultural asset registered in the Register of Cultural Assets of Montenegro, as well as antiques and works of art recognized as such by the Law on the Protection of Cultural Assets of Montenegro, is taken out, the person needs to have the appropriate permit from the Ministry of Culture and Sports, which approves its temporary removal", the answer was " News" from the Public Relations Bureau of the Revenue and Customs Administration
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