Digital sessions are the last nail in the coffin of citizens' participation in city planning

The new amendments to the Rulebook enable public sessions to take place electronically - just when they are most needed live.

Citizens are once again deprived of their voice in deciding their city. In the Official Gazette, an amendment to the Rulebook on the procedure for drawing up plans was published, according to which public sessions can be held electronically – and that precisely in cases where there is great public interest.

"In exceptional cases, when there is a great interest of the public in participating in the public session of the commission, the public session of the commission can be held electronically."
(Official Gazette 46/2025)

This is not a technical change, but a dangerous practice of introducing silence where there should be public dialogue. Until now, public meetings in city premises were a rare and precious opportunity for citizens to express their opinions directly and defend the public interest. They were a space of conflict of views - between citizens who defend greenery, public space and water and the City, which unquestioningly puts these resources at the disposal of investors.

In the digital format, the dialogue is muffled. Citizens lose the opportunity to have a say, their comments can be ignored or turned off at any time, and decision makers have complete control over what will be heard - and what won't.

The second amendment to the Rulebook concerns those sessions that will be held in city premises - citizens will be divided into smaller groups, which makes the concept of a public hearing completely meaningless, where we should hear each other.

What does this change mean in practice?

First of all: closing the space for public opposition to plans that deeply affect the lives of citizens - such as EXPO plan and extensions Belgrade on the water, but also many other plans of a smaller scale, but with a large impact on the environment.

• Public session for EXPO plan, which includes over 800 acres land and is planning a huge residential and commercial construction in the vicinity water sources, has already been postponed twice. Now it is clear that the entry into force of the new amendment is awaited - in order for the session to take place online, without the presence of citizens in the hall.
• Citizens have already sent a large number of objections, clearly stating that they do not want the construction to take place at the cost greenery, water and public budget - but now the opportunity to say it publicly and directly is being taken away from them.

A similar scenario is expected for Belgrade on water, whose public inspection lasts until June 19. Here, too, there is a clear danger that the digital session will serve solely as a formality - to satisfy the procedure and adopt the plan without real dialogue.

The public interest must not be excluded - neither literally nor politically

This change is not a question of efficiency, but an attempt to remove citizens from the decision-making process. There is no question of a "public debate" if the citizens have neither a voice nor a presence.

We call on the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure to urgently withdraw the amendment to the Regulations and ensure conditions for really participation of citizens in making plans.

Citizens must have the right to be present i included in decisions concerning their lives.