Starting in the 1990s, an increasing number of studies and reports have focused on examining the nature and characteristics of spatial planning in Europe. The geographical coverage of these comparative analyses broadened over time, paralleling the progression of EU integration. However, the Western Balkan countries were only vaguely mentioned within such studies, mostly due to their fragmentation and geopolitical instability. This paper analyses and compares spatial planning systems in the Western Balkan Region since the 1990s. More specifically, it presents an overview of the geographical and socio-economic situation, explores administrative and legal frameworks for spatial planning, analyses spatial planning instruments produced at each territorial level, and addresses future challenges. Through so doing this paper exposes the complexity of the subject and sets a base for further research.
Participation has been present in the Serbian legal framework in the domain of urban planning since the 1950s. Its scope and legal definition have evolved with the transition to democracy, markets and decentralised governance. In line with EU standards, Serbia introduced an additional level of participation in the form of early public inquiry in 2014. Still, participatory planning practice is often seen as a formality which lacks sufficient effect on the planning solution, and requires qualitative improvements in citizen and stakeholder involvement. The main aim of this paper is to suggest that the use of alternative methods of participation in the domains of informing, consultation and active participation may increase the effectiveness of participatory planning practice. Thus, this paper points out some examples of good practice, and argues for the importance of recognising the existing base of knowledge and expertise in order to respond to contemporary requirements in the field of urban planning. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 47014: The role and implementation of the National Spatial Plan and Regional Development Documents in Renewal of Strategic Research, Thinking and Governance in Serbia]
There is global interest in the smart city, not only as an operational concept, but also as a funding mechanism of the EU Cohesion Policy, joint programs, projects and initiatives. According to the EU Commission, a smart city is a place where traditional networks and services are made more efficient with the use of digital and communication technologies, for the benefit of its inhabitants and business. Urban governance, as an instrument of integrated urban development, has an important role as a decentralization criterion in improving the smart city?s performance in more developed countries and regions. At the same time, the countries of Southeast Europe that are not members of the EU (including Serbia) are lagging in this matter. Taken that the application of urban governance in the context of a smart city can be seen as a practical novelty in Serbia, this paper presents and discusses the existing state of the art in this field. The findings presented were derived from collaborative engagement within the INTERREG project CLEVER - Co-designing Smart Local Solutions for Exploiting Values and Enhancing Resilience, during 2018/2019.
In 2019, Serbia adopted its first national urban policy. This document was established through a communicative process during 2018–2019, formally encouraging urban governance as a practical innovation in Serbia’s planning doctrine. The main aim of this research is to explore institutional capacity development within a live setting of the policy formation process. The participants of this process are the primary subjects of the research. Data was collected through participatory events in four instances during the process. The concept of institutional capacity development is used in this paper as a basic framework to assess knowledge, relational and mobilisation capacity for urban governance. The main contribution of this paper is providing an understanding of the challenges and potentials for establishing urban governance practices in a post-socialist country planning context. Findings indicate an increase in the participants’ knowledge and understanding of governance instruments such that coordination and cooperation are continually unfolding. The identified challenges relate to the mobilisation capacity and fragility of institutions and resistance to change, while a need to deal with complexity and uncertainty remains present.
In the 50 years since the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) was launched, 727 sites in 131 countries have gained the status of biosphere reserve (BR). Golija-Studenica BR belongs to the group of BRs that have been active for the past 20 years. This BR is one of the most prominent protected areas and the first of its kind in Serbia. A balance between biodiversity conservation, as the primary goal of protection, and the promotion of sustainable profitable activities involving diverse actors has yet to be achieved. This research aims to provide a contextual understanding of changes in Golija-Studenica BR and draw lessons for future BR development. It relies on the experiential and practical knowledge of diverse stakeholders, including management bodies, the NGO sector and the local population itself. The methodology is based on a qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions. Research results show that the BR model is a subtle, time-reliant driver of change, with some unintentional side-effects. It brings about changes in how protected areas are managed, affects the economic behaviour of the local population, raises awareness about environmental issues, and has an impact on demographic trends and social change.
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