< Back to situations

Get alerts on this situation

We’ll email you as it develops, and you can follow the whole thread from day one.

Unsubscribe anytime.

[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE]

2 clusters · 19 sources · 8 days · First seen 10 days ago · Last updated 2 days ago

Categories: CULTURE · POLITICS

Western Balkans urban planning controversies

Entities: Danijel Ferić · Daniel Ferić · Tivat · Jovan Brinić · Banja Luka

Overview

In late July 2026, residents of the Borovje‑South neighbourhood in Zagreb lodged more than 1,000 objections to a draft plan that would replace a large green area with 11 residential blocks. The local initiative demanded an immediate pause, new environmental and traffic studies, and direct resident involvement. The protest escalated when a city employee confronted the group’s spokesperson with a shouted rebuke.

A week later, municipal authorities in Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia‑Herzegovina launched or advanced their own spatial and urban plans. Montenegro entered the pre‑public participation phase for a new 2040 spatial plan in Tivat. In Croatia, a draft plan for the Kožino area near Zadar sparked opposition over forest preservation and school facilities, while Pula faced infrastructure‑related design issues. Bosnia‑Herzegovina’s capital, Banja Luka, continued processing public comments on a replacement of its 1975 plan, a process projected to take another year and a half.

On 29 July, Banja Luka held a second public hearing on its draft urban plan, receiving about 400 comments from citizens, NGOs and experts; officials said reviewing them will take roughly a year and a half. In Kožino, the city council approved a 12.3‑ha zoning proposal after a four‑year procedure, earmarking a school, sports facilities and a park while keeping at least 60 % of the area green. A small group of critics continues to demand protection of an existing forested park and school sports hall. These developments reinforce a regional pattern of authorities moving forward with long‑term planning while local communities increasingly demand participation and protection of existing spaces.

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[○ 1 SOURCE] The Kožino urban plan covers 12.3 hectares west of the historic core and includes a school, church, social facilities, an elderly home, sports‑recreation zones and public parks, with no new housing or (reject if incomplete)
[○ 1 SOURCE] At least 60 % of each parcel in the Kožino plan must remain green.
[○ 1 SOURCE] Tivat’s new Spatial Plan will be valid until 2040 and is currently in the public participation phase.
[○ 1 SOURCE] Banja Luka’s draft Urban Plan received about 400 comments during the second public hearing.
[○ 1 SOURCE] The current governing Urban Plan for Banja Luka dates from 1975 and is considered outdated.
[○ 1 SOURCE] Street Fojba in Pula is ready to be included in the city’s road‑building program.
[○ 1 SOURCE] Residents of Kožino have formally requested a postponement of the council vote on the urban plan, citing concerns over forest cutting and lack of a school hall.
[○ 1 SOURCE] The new Tivat spatial plan covering development until 2040 has begun a pre‑public participation phase. (Official statements from Tivat vice‑president Jovan Brinić.)

Timeline

2 days ago

[CULTURE] 12 sources
Banja Luka and Kožino urban plans encounter public scrutiny
Banja Luka’s delayed urban plan faces hundreds of public comments, while Kožino near Zadar pushes a new zoning scheme that locals dispute over green space and school facilities.
10 days ago

[POLITICS] 7 sources
Zagreb Borovje residents protest urban plan, incident with city official
In Zagreb's Borovje, residents filed over 1,000 objections to a plan for 11 new residential blocks on the last green space, demanding a pause, further studies and resident input; a city employee later shouted “

Sources

dan.co.me · dubrovniknet.hr · dulist.hr · ezadar.net.hr · ezadar.rtl.hr · glasistre.hr · impulsportal.net · index.hr · jutarnji.hr · n1info.hr · portalanalitika.me · radiotivat.com · tvzonaplus.rs · vecernji.hr · vijesti.hrt.hr · vijesti.me · zadarskilist.hr · zenit.ba · zvornicki.ba

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history