SPATIAL PLAN OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA: REMARKS

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 order to bring this document closer to the general public and encourage them to participate in the debate on its adoption, together with other civil society organizations and experts, we organized analysis and consultations on this document. Also, we wrote set of remarks which citizens can download and send in their name and thus ensure participation in the public debate that will follow.