The citizens’ group “Za Plan” today submitted a proposed initiative entitled “Za grad zajedno” (“For a Shared City”) to the Mayor of the City of Banja Luka and the City Assembly, calling for citizens and the professional community to be genuinely involved in the planning, development and reconstruction of public and green spaces throughout the city.

The proposal is the result of several months of fieldwork, conversations with citizens, public forums and participatory workshops held in neighbourhoods across Banja Luka, as well as consultations with experts from the Faculty of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy at the University of Banja Luka.

The message we heard throughout this process was clear: citizens want to know what is being planned in their neighbourhoods and to have an opportunity to express their needs before final decisions are made. They do not want to learn about a new playground, park, square or riverfront development only after the project has already been designed or construction machinery has arrived on site.

Through the “Za grad zajedno” (“For a Shared City”) initiative, we are therefore calling for citizens to be given the opportunity to participate at an early stage, when they can still influence how a public space will look and how it will be used. We propose public presentations, forums and other forms of consultation before preliminary design concepts are developed, alongside the clear and systematic involvement of the professional community.

For important public and green spaces, we propose organising open urban planning and architectural design competitions, with independent professional evaluation of the proposed solutions. We believe that decisions about spaces that belong to everyone should not be made by a small number of people without consulting those who will use them on a daily basis.

We want Banja Luka to continue developing, but in a planned and high-quality manner and in the interests of the people who live here. Good public space planning is not only about construction; it also means preserving greenery, creating space for everyday life, social interaction and movement, and ensuring access to nature.

We call on the Mayor, as the authorised proposer, to consider the initiative and launch the procedure for amendments and additions to the existing Decision on Spatial Planning and Construction Land of the City of Banja Luka. We also expect the City Assembly to consider and decide on the proposed amendments in accordance with its responsibilities.

In accordance with Article 105 of the Statute of the City of Banja Luka, we have requested that the City inform us of the actions taken and its position on the initiative within 30 days.

It is now up to the City to demonstrate whether it genuinely wants citizens and the professional community to be partners in shaping Banja Luka, or whether decisions about public space will continue to be made without them.

For a Shared City!