Citizen’s initiative for Borik

“Citizen’s initiative for Borik” emerged as reaction to the neglect of Borik citizens’ objections to the “Draft of amendments to part of the Borik Housing Settlement Regulatory Plan” which were provided during the public insight and public debate on the mentioned draft. In this Draft it was planned to build an Orthodox temple with an accompanying building of more than 1,000 m² instead of the playground and public green areas alongside Bulevar vojvode Zivojin Mišić. When it was clear that the city authorities would not take into account the numerous citizens complaints and abandon the planned changes in the regulatory plan, and that citizens do not want to give up their intention to preserve this area, together with the citizens of Borik, we initiated a Citizen’s Initiative in order to declare the “Decision on the amendments to part of the Borik Housing Settlement Regulatory Plan” null and void.

Regarding the Borik citizens’ interests, what it is primarily considered is the neglect of the children needs and of the protection of children’s rights, the lack of parking space which would be even more pronounced by the construction of the church, the need for noise reduction, and the need to adjust to the consequences of climate change. Besides, the need for the construction of an Orthodox church in the mentioned location is very questionable, since there are already three churches in a kilometer radius, and it is planned the construction of two more churches in the Borik settlement.

In addition, the planned amendments to the regulatory plan were in contradiction with the objectives and activities of the Spatial Plan of the City of Banja Luka, the City Development Strategy, the Banja Luka 2008-2020 Urban Plan Proposal, the Local Environmental Action Plan, and the valid Regulatory Plan of the housing settlement Borik.

Although the Assembly of the city of Banja Luka rejected the demands of the Citizen’s initiative for Borik at the first session on this subject, the members of the Citizen’s initiative filed a complaint to the Republic of Srpska Supreme Court, which decided on our behalf. After that, at the second session, the Assembly unanimously accepted the Citizen’s initiative for Borik demands.

Citizen’s initiative for Borik is the first civil initiative implemented in Banja Luka, and the first one conducted to its conclusion in the Republic of Srpska. Through this Citizen’s initiative 5,510 signatures of citizens of Banja Luka were collected within seven days.