What is planned for Avala and Kosmaj?

On the notice board of the City appeared a plan that includes the entire area of ​​Avala and Kosmaj, that is, a large natural area on which some activities are planned, and the higher-order plans that this plan should limit are outdated, that is, their validity period has expired, or they are not nor adopted. 

The plan for Avala and Kosmaj, as written in the report, should be determined long term the concept of organization, arrangement, protection and use of this landscape. What is the long-term vision for one of the few wooded and nature-rich areas in the administrative area of ​​Belgrade? Well, we're not sure. 

The plan refers to several higher-order plans, including the PP of the Republic of Serbia, whose time frame was until 2020. So, once again, individual zones are being planned without an adopted umbrella, strategic document, this time at the republican level. The plan also relies on the Regional Spatial Plan of the Administrative Area of ​​Belgrade, which was last reviewed in 2011, the Nature Protection Program of the RS, which expired in 2023, and working versions Tourism Development Strategy 2020-2025, which will apparently cease to be valid even before it is adopted. In other words, there is no strategic-development document that considers the current physical-ecological, economic and social needs of a certain territorial unit, and therefore there are no clearly defined principles and goals of spatial development at the republican or administrative level.

This type of plan (PPPPN) is adopted for all areas that require a special regime of organization, most often because of their natural, cultural-historical and ambient values, exploitation of mineral resources, utilization of tourist potential and utilization of hydro potential. The plan for PIO Avala-Kosmaj contains almost all aspects that qualify a certain area for a special purpose, so in the textual part of the plan there are words about the protection and improvement of the natural values ​​of the area, the protection of cultural and historical assets that are included in the scope of the plan, development tourism, construction of settlements and transport infrastructure, and the graphic attachment identifies the zone of exploration of mineral raw materials. It is difficult to imagine that all the mentioned capacities can be used without limiting or conflicting with each other, especially bearing in mind that an adequate umbrella document that would define priority planning solutions for the development of this area does not exist. 

In addition, the study for early public inspection is incomplete, since it does not contain an assessment of the existing situation, marked boundaries of the construction area, proposals for nature protection mechanisms, environmental protection measures, etc. 

In the absence of this key information, it is difficult to understand what the planning effects will be. What does tourist content mean in the zone of protected natural areas? How will they affect biodiversity, natural resources and protected natural and cultural assets in the area of ​​this plan? Is there a possibility to "unintentionally" degrade another Monument to fallen fighters, since this plan does not recognize it as a cultural asset? What are the threatened and degraded areas and what is the plan for their restoration and protection? What exactly is the mineral exploration plan? In what way will the local communities develop considering that they are almost not involved at all in the development of the planning solution? Does this development refer to the creation of jobs in newly planned tourist complexes or to the constructive direction of their skills and knowledge with the aim of even and sustainable development? Regardless of the fact that it is an early public review, that is, the presented planning solution is not final, it should offer answers to these questions at least on a conceptual (not only declarative) level.

The PPPPN landscape of exceptional features Avala-Kosmaj is open for early public inspection until February 2nd, and we invite you to view the documentation on our website Where is the plan and write comments, if you have them.