Edita Lugavić, adviser to the Mayor of the Municipality of Banovići. Photo: Foto Rizvić.
Edita Lugavić, adviser to the Mayor of the Municipality of Banovići. Photo: Foto Rizvić.
The Municipality of Banovići has been selected as one of the four local self-government units for the implementation of activities under the BiH SuTra programme. The primary objective of the programme is to facilitate the sustainable transition of Bosnia and Herzegovina by creating and implementing effective measures and regulations at the local level, thus improving living conditions for citizens in municipalities and cities located in mining regions. We talked to the Edita Lugavić, adviser to the Mayor of the Municipality of Banovići, who is involved in the programme, who provided short and to the point answers to our questions related to the sustainable transition of the community. This is the last of four Q&As that has been published on the BiH SuTra website.
How do you plan to address potential economic challenges that may arise when implementing the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, such as job displacement and the need for new skills development?
Considering that the municipality of Banovići is a mining town predominantly characterized by small farms, there are plans to foster large-scale agriculture with the help of international investors on the degraded mining areas.
What steps would you take to foster collaboration between local government agencies, coal mines, businesses, and community organizations to maximize the effectiveness of the transition process?
The cooperation between the local government, RMU (i.e. the mining organization), and the non-governmental sector shows effective coordination.
How do you plan to communicate and involve young people in the Green Agenda, considering their unique perspectives and potential long-term impact on the community?
Young people in Banovići can participate in the Green Agenda by leveraging grants to establish their own small businesses.
How can tourism be an opportunity and a response to develop a green and fair
society?
Tourism presents a significant challenge for us, given our abundant tourist potential. With support from international funding sources, we are optimistic that tourism development in Banovići will ascend to new heights.
As part of the BiH SuTra programme, the preparation of the Transition Plan for the Municipality of Banovići is underway. The plan will incorporate suggestions from community members gathered through an online survey. Could you provide insights into the current stage of the preparation of the Transition Plan, and share any challenges and opportunities encountered during this process?
Developing the transition plan is complex and demanding, as there is considerable interest, particularly due to two critical issues facing Banovići: water supply and sewerage, as well as heating infrastructure.
The transition plans are underway
Transition plans for all four local self-government units (Banovići, Breza, Ugljevik, and Živinice) will be comprehensive and participatory documents aimed at achieving visions that were defined in 2023. These plans set ambitious yet achievable long-term goals (until 2050), medium-term goals (until 2035), and short-term goals (3 years), along with measures to enhance societal sustainability and improve environmental and living conditions in Bosnia and Herzegovina's coal-rich regions.
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