SPATIAL PLAN OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA - UNACCEPTABLY SHORT DEADLINE FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

On April 5, the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure announced the beginning of the public debate on the Spatial Plan of the Republic of Serbia and the Report on the Strategic Assessment of the Plan's Impact on the Environment. The spatial plan will define the spatial development of Serbia until 2035. Public inspection lasts until May 5.

The Spatial Plan of the Republic of Serbia, as an umbrella document of spatial planning, establishes strategic commitments in all areas of importance for the development of our country, from mining to tourism. We believe that it is inappropriate for the Ministry to implement such an important document the legal minimum of 30 days for a public hearing. The Ministry had to have a more proactive approach to the public debate on the document that determines the guidelines for the development of Serbia in the next 15 years, instead of formally fulfilling the minimum legal requirements. We invite the Ministry to extend the deadline for public inspection and to open a broader social conversation about the Spatial Plan and thereby enable genuine public participation.

The Spatial Plan is drawn up at a time when there is still no national Development Plan, which should define the development priorities of the Republic of Serbia and with which the Spatial Plan should be harmonized. The development plan has not yet been adopted, so the question arises as to the expediency of creating a Spatial Plan. In the absence of clearly set development priorities, it is unacceptable to base the Spatial Plan on data and documents that have expired or simply do not exist. For example, the Spatial Plan states that it also contains the priorities of the National Investment Program until 2025, although, according to officially available information, the Government of the Republic of Serbia has never adopted such a document.

In the absence of a broader social dialogue on the Spatial Plan, civil society organizations and experts have started analysis and consultations on this document. On that occasion, on Thursday On April 29 at 12 noon, an online public event will be organized, during which all interested citizens will be able to hear the key findings of the analysis of the Spatial Plan, but also to share their opinion and comments. We invite you to join us on that occasion, and all information about the event itself will be available HERE

We also invite the general public, experts, other organizations and citizens to familiarize themselves with the content of the Spatial Plan, send their comments on the presented documents by May 5, 2021. Comments can be submitted to local self-government units or directly to the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, Department for Spatial Planning and Urbanism, at Nemanjina 22-26, 11000 Belgrade, as well as by e-mail at pprs@mgsi.gov.rs.

The public will be able to download and send on their behalf comments prepared by civil society organizations and experts during the analysis of the Spatial Plan. Comments can be downloaded HERE.

In Belgrade, April 27, 2021.

Belgrade Open School, Center for Cultural Decontamination, Ministry of Space, Regulatory Institute for Renewable Energy and Environment - RERI, Center for Biodiversity Research, Organization for Political Ecology Polekol, Right to Water Initiative, World Nature Organization WWF Adria, Young Researchers of Serbia, Center for Ecology and Sustainable Development - CEKOR, Association of Architects of Novi Sad, Environmental Protection Engineers, New Planning Practice