Protection of archaeological heritage and development of its socio-economic potential require a holistic approach, involving the public, private, and non-governmental sectors, as well as cooperation among various stakeholders. The aim of this article is to identify the most important factors that affect the preservation of the archaeological heritage and form the basis for its socio-economic development. The study uses thematic literature, analysis of the legal framework, criminal cases, documents and statistics, survey and interview materials, as well as elements of qualitative content analysis.