Andorra Confident UNESCO Bid Will Overcome Buffer Zone Court Setback

**Title:** Government Confident UNESCO Heritage Bid Can Overcome Buffer Zone Setback **Summary:** Culture Minister Mònica Bonell states the Casa de la Vall protection issue will be resolved within weeks, averting risk to Andorra's candidacy.

**Body:** Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Mònica Bonell has expressed confidence that Andorra's transnational UNESCO World Heritage candidacy remains on track despite a court ruling annulling protective buffer zones around Casa de la Vall and Sant Esteve church. Speaking to reporters this week, she said the government plans to restart the process soon, ensuring individual notifications to affected property owners, and expects resolution within 15 days to a month.

The Batllia tribunal last week invalidated the government's decree solely on procedural grounds: neighbours were not personally informed of the procedure's start. It did not rule on their substantive objections, such as plans for a theatre in the rear plaza of Casa de la Vall. The government, lacking direct access to owners' addresses held by communes—Andorra la Vella cited data protection in refusing to share them—had relied on the comú for communications.

Bonell emphasised that core preparatory work is complete, requiring only this formal step to be repeated. Officials aim to reissue the decree in coming days ahead of UNESCO experts' site visit this autumn, potentially earlier. Without approved buffers for all sites, the assessment risks a negative outcome, as candidacy coordinator Joan Reguant warned in March 2019 and experts reiterated this week.

The "Material Witnesses to the Construction of the Pyrenean State: The Co-Principality of Andorra" bid, submitted to UNESCO in February last year after seven years of collaboration with Spain and France, features 12 monuments from the Middle Ages to the early modern period. Andorra's ten include Sant Joan de Caselles, Sant Romà de les Bons, Sant Martí de la Cortinada, Sant Climent de Pal, Santa Coloma, Sant Serni de Nagol, Sant Miquel d'Engolasters, the Roc d'Enclar site, Roureda de la Margineda, and Casa de la Vall. France contributes Foix Castle, Spain the Seo de Urgell cathedral complex. All Andorran buffers were initially approved, some urgently, but the latest ruling has reopened the issue for these two key sites. Neighbours could challenge anew, prompting the court to address merits.