The Republic of Serbia has been a participant in the ‘Regional Program for Cultural and Natural Heritage of Southeastern Europe of the Council of Europe’ since 2003, with the aim of valorizing cultural and natural heritage as an element of the region's identity, as well as a factor for political cooperation through harmonized sustainable cultural heritage development policies. In 2011, based on the decision of the Council of Ministers of Southeast Europe, the project continued under the name ‘Ljubljana Process II – Rehabilitation of Shared Heritage’.

The goal of Ljubljana Process II is to ensure the application of management instruments for high-quality heritage rehabilitation through the development of the IPRR/SAAH methodology, the integration of intersectoral practices, the development of regional cooperation, and the establishment of sustainable financing mechanisms. Technical and financial support for the Ljubljana Process is provided by the Council of Europe (Directorate for Democratic Governance, Culture, and Diversity of the Council of Europe) and the European Commission (Directorate for Enlargement).

The Ljubljana Process II is supported by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), an international regional organization based in Sarajevo, through the Regional Working Group for Culture and Society established in September 2010, whose work is technically coordinated by the Secretariat in Cetinje. The program is simultaneously implemented in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Romania, and Montenegro, as well as in Kosovo in accordance with the Government's Decision on the participation of Kosovo institution representatives in regional meetings in accordance with UN Resolution 1244.

The Management Plan for the spatial cultural-historical unit of Senje Mine (Senjski Rudnik in Serbien) aims to enable efficient management, protection, and rehabilitation of this area, as well as to establish sustainable principles for the rehabilitation and economic development of the region. It addresses key issues of management and legal regime, economic potentials, and principles of rehabilitation for the Senje Mine cultural-historical unit.

The part concerning the protection of the spatial cultural-historical unit of Senje Mine was prepared by Đorđe Milovanović from the Cultural Heritage Preservation Institute Kragujevac, the analysis of economic potentials of Senje Mine was prepared by Ms. Kristina Mikić, MBS/GKE, and the analysis of legal aspects and management of Senje Mine was prepared by lawyer Predrag Dikić and Miloš Milošević from the Kragujevac City Assembly.

The plan was created in accordance with the principles of a participatory process for the development of such management documents and, as such, should provide a framework for management and assist in coordinating actions that will contribute to the integrated protection and preservation of this area.

As Senje Mine is the first pilot project for sustainable development, based on a strong orientation towards service-oriented activities, primarily cultural activities, creative industries, and tourism, special attention has been given to the consideration and evaluation of the potential of this site for the economic rehabilitation of local communities and the region in which it is located.

We take this opportunity to thank Prof. Dr. Gojko Rikalović from the Faculty of Economics, University of Belgrade, and Marko Grković, Director of the Cultural Heritage Preservation Institute Kragujevac, for their valuable suggestions, as well as Asja Drača-Munetan from the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia, Estela Radonjić-Živković, and Nenad Laibespergen from the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of Serbia for their assistance in the realization of the project.