On May 19, the informal group of citizens "For the Plan" organized a focus group in Banja Luka with representatives of the professional community, university professors, civil society organizations, and citizens, to open a discussion on a more transparent and professional approach to the development of green and other public spaces in the city, including the area along the banks of the Vrbas River.

During the discussion, the participants pointed out numerous problems in the field of urban planning and protection of public space, emphasizing that the long-standing failure to adopt the new Urban Plan of Banja Luka has contributed to unplanned construction, the reduction of green spaces, and the adoption of solutions that are more focused on profit than on the quality of life of citizens.

Representatives of the professional community and civil society organizations expressed an almost unanimous opinion that decisions on the development and construction of public spaces must not be made without a transparent process, professional evaluation, and citizen involvement.

During the discussion, the need to establish mechanisms that would enable greater participation of the public and professionals in making decisions that have long-term consequences for the appearance of the city, the quality of life of citizens, and the protection of the natural environment and biodiversity was particularly emphasized.

As one of the possible models for improving existing procedures, the need to amend the Decision on the Regulation of Urban Construction Land of the City of Banja Luka was highlighted, so that in the future regulation, reconstruction and construction of green and other public areas, public competitions for conceptual designs would be mandatory, with the inclusion of the professional public in the process of selecting the best solutions.

It was concluded that public space must remain a space of public interest, and that its planning and regulation requires a responsible, transparent, and participatory approach.

NGG "Za Plan" announced that in the coming period, it will continue activities aimed at advocating for institutional changes that would enable greater participation of citizens and the professional public in urban planning processes in Banja Luka.