Vladimir Popović
Articles
Just green transitions reshaping spatial planning frameworks. Evidence from the Western Balkans
Europa XXI (2025) vol. 49, pp. 39-67 | 
Full text
doi: https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2025.49.10
Abstract
The Western Balkans faces unique challenges in pursuing of sustainable development, and to frame the actions put in place to face these challenges within the recent EU policy agenda is of ut termost importance. Aiming at shedding light on the matter, this contribution examines the role of the EU Just Green Transitions policy framework in reshaping spatial planning in the Western Balkans, a region marked by complex post-socialist legacies and geopolitical aspirations towards EU integration. Through a comparative analysis of Albania, North Macedonia, and Serbia, this study examines how domestic spatial governance frameworks and planning systems have adapted their instruments, policies, and institutional structures in response to EU-driven discourses. The collected evidence shows that, while Just Green Tran sitions narratives are increasingly present in climate and energy strategies, their integration into spatial planning remains fragmented, constrained by limited multilevel coordination and institutional capacity; planning instruments continue to reflect outdated paradigms, and the inclusion of a place-based approach to spatial justice remains minimal. This highlights the need for clearer legal mandates and the introduc t ion of participatory mechanisms to ensure that spatial planning supports equitable and context-sensitive green transformations in the Western Balkans, while contributing to the broader European integration agenda.
Keywords: spatial governance, planning systems, Just Green Transitions, European Union, Europeanisation, Western Balkans
[giancarlo.cotella@polito.it], Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning (DIST), Politecnico di Torino 39 Viale Mattioli, 10125 Turin: Italy
[anila_gjika@co-plan.org], Co-PLAN, Institute for Habitat Development Polis University, Department of Urban Planning and Environment
[erblin.berisha@polito.it], Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning (DIST), Politecnico di Torino 39 Viale Mattioli, 10125 Turin: Italy
[info@cea.org], Center for Economic Analyses Bul. Jane Sandanski 63/3; 1000 Skopje: North Macedonia
[vpopovic.za@gmail.com], Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade Studentski Trg 3/III, 11000 Belgrade: Serbia
[zora.zivanovic@gef.bg.ac.rs], Department for Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade Studentski Trg 3/III, 11000 Belgrade: Serbia
Citation
APA: Cotella, G., Bejko, A., Berisha, E., Nikolov, M., Popović, V., & Živanović, Z. (2025). Just green transitions reshaping spatial planning frameworks. Evidence from the Western Balkans. Europa XXI, 49, 39-67. https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2025.49.10
MLA: Cotella, Giancarlo, et al. "Just green transitions reshaping spatial planning frameworks. Evidence from the Western Balkans". Europa XXI, vol. 49, 2025, pp. 39-67. https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2025.49.10
Chicago: Cotella, Giancarlo, Bejko, Anila, Berisha, Erblin, Nikolov, Marjan, Popović, Vladimir, and Živanović, Zora. "Just green transitions reshaping spatial planning frameworks. Evidence from the Western Balkans". Europa XXI 49 (2025): 39-67. https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2025.49.10
Harvard: Cotella, G., Bejko, A., Berisha, E., Nikolov, M., Popović, V., & Živanović, Z. 2025. "Just green transitions reshaping spatial planning frameworks. Evidence from the Western Balkans". Europa XXI, vol. 49, pp. 39-67. https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2025.49.10
Transport Satisfaction and Opportunities for a Green Transition in the City of Kragujevac (Serbia)
Europa XXI (2025) vol. 49, pp. 8 | Full text
doi: https://doi.org/10.7.7163/Eu21.2025.49.8
Abstract
This study examines the prospects for a just and sustainable transition of the public transport system in Kragujevac, a mid-sized Serbian city facing increasing environmental, social, and mobility chal lenges. Positioned within the broader context of the Western Balkans’ alignment with the European Green Deal and Serbia’s decarbonisation commitments, the paper investigates how user perceptions, service satisfaction, and public acceptance influence the feasibility of introducing electric buses as a low-carbon mobility solution. Building on international and regional literature on just green transition and sustainable urban mobility, the study analyses primary survey data to evaluate users’ readiness for cleaner transport technologies and to identify service quality gaps that may hinder or facilitate this transition. The find ings demonstrate that public acceptance of electric buses is high, but that support for greener mobility is conditional on improvements in service frequency, reliability, comfort, and fare policy. These results underscore the need for an integrated transition strategy that combines technological innovation with so cial equity and service quality enhancements. The paper concludes by outlining theoretical contributions to just transition studies in mid-sized and post-socialist urban contexts, as well as practical implications for local policymakers, transport operators, and city planners. Limitations and directions for future re search in the Western Balkan region are also discussed.
Keywords: green transition, public transport, electric buses, questionnaire survey, service quality, travel satisfaction
[bojan.vracarevic@gef.bg.ac.rs], Department for Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade Studentski Trg 3/III, 11000 Belgrade: Serbia
[marija.jeftic@gef.bg.ac.rs], Department for Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade Studentski Trg 3/III, 11000 Belgrade: Serbia
[velimir.secerov@gef.bg.ac.rs], Department for Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade Studentski Trg 3/III, 11000 Belgrade: Serbia
[aleksandar.djordjevic@gef.bg.ac.rs], Department of Geographical Information Systems (GIS), Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade Studentski Trg 3/III, 11000 Belgrade: Serbia
[branko. protic@gef.bg.ac.rs], Department for Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade Studentski Trg 3/III, 11000 Belgrade: Serbia
[zora.zivanovic@gef.bg.ac.rs], Department for Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade Studentski Trg 3/III, 11000 Belgrade: Serbia
[teodora.nikolic@gef.bg.ac.rs], Department for Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade Studentski Trg 3/III, 11000 Belgrade: Serbia
[vpopovic.za@gmail.com], Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade Studentski Trg 3/III, 11000 Belgrade: Serbia
Citation
APA: Vračarević, B., Jeftić, M., Šećerov, V., Đorđević, A., Protić, B., Živanović, Z., Nikolić, T., & Popović, V. (2025). Transport Satisfaction and Opportunities for a Green Transition in the City of Kragujevac (Serbia). Europa XXI, 49, 8. https://doi.org/10.7.7163/Eu21.2025.49.8
MLA: Vračarević, Bojan, et al. "Transport Satisfaction and Opportunities for a Green Transition in the City of Kragujevac (Serbia)". Europa XXI, vol. 49, 2025, pp. 8. https://doi.org/10.7.7163/Eu21.2025.49.8
Chicago: Vračarević, Bojan, Jeftić, Marija, Šećerov, Velimir, Đorđević, Aleksandar, Protić, Branko, Živanović, Zora, Nikolić, Teodora, and Popović, Vladimir. "Transport Satisfaction and Opportunities for a Green Transition in the City of Kragujevac (Serbia)". Europa XXI 49 (2025): 8. https://doi.org/10.7.7163/Eu21.2025.49.8
Harvard: Vračarević, B., Jeftić, M., Šećerov, V., Đorđević, A., Protić, B., Živanović, Z., Nikolić, T., & Popović, V. 2025. "Transport Satisfaction and Opportunities for a Green Transition in the City of Kragujevac (Serbia)". Europa XXI, vol. 49, pp. 8. https://doi.org/10.7.7163/Eu21.2025.49.8