Kosovo’s Institute for Protection of Monuments has issued an order to halt restoration works at the Novoberdo castle after concerns that the company hired for the job wrongfully destroyed several parts of the fortress.

The Serbia-based company commissioned by UNESCO to do restoration works is said to have used an excavator during its operations which cultural heritage experts say is unacceptable.

Officials of Kosovo’s Institute for Protection of Monuments and UNESCO representatives visited the site and decided to halt the restoration efforts pending a concrete plan.

However, Luan Gashi, archeology expert at the Novoberdo fortress said a minor intervention using an excavator was part of the restoration plan. “The work is being carried out by UNESCO. The competencies are with Kosovo’s Institute for Protection of Monuments. Everything that is happening is controlled,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports issued a press statement saying it fully supports the decision of the Institute for Protection of Monuments. The Ministry said it will wait for a detailed report on the restoration works by the end of next week and that no works should be done in the meantime.