Zagreb participatory budgeting project faces criticism

The third cycle of the “Give a proposal for a better neighborhood” participatory budgeting project in Zagreb has launched, involving 13 of the city’s 17 districts. Mayor Tomislav Tomašević noted that the number of participating districts has grown from four in the first year to 13 this year, with the budget increasing from approximately 300,000 euros to 1.7 million euros.

However, officials from the Sesvete, Brezovica, Gornja Dubrava, and Donja Dubrava districts are not participating. City council members Dina Dogan and Vedran Jerković have criticized the model, alleging that the project is funded by diverting money from the existing budgets of the city districts rather than using additional municipal funds. They argue this forces districts to abandon their own planned communal activities to fund the participatory projects.

District leaders from the non-participating areas, who are affiliated with the HDZ party, have called for the city to secure new, dedicated funds if the project is to be supported.