About the project

This project is implemented by CEE Bankwatch Network (Czech Republic), in cooperation with Ekosvest (North Macedonia), Sarajevo Open Center (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and Eko Dvogled (Bosnia and Herzegovina), as part of the broader Transport Policy Partnership supported by OSF Western Balkans.

Significant investments are reshaping transport networks and mobility across the Western Balkans. Transport accounts for 70 percent of the total grants in the Western Balkans Investment Framework and 56 percent of the public sector’s project portfolio. Major international financial institutions, including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB), hold substantial transport investments in the region. Yet civil society organizations and the communities most affected by these projects have little say in decisions about European transport corridors and spatial planning. Urban projects frequently overlook the mobility needs of women, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups.

This project brings together environmental organizations, urban planners, and gender and human rights defenders for country-level and regional exchanges, joint research, and advocacy with planners, financiers, and project promoters. Running from April to September 2026, it will organize two workshops in Sarajevo and Skopje, alongside a field visit to Corridor Vc highway sites in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The project will also produce a joint position paper with case studies to serve as the basis for targeted advocacy with EU and international decision-makers.

Local impact

At the national level, the project builds solidarity with communities affected by the Corridor Vc highway in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It creates a platform for citizens to voice their needs and share their visions for sustainable mobility in Sarajevo and Skopje. Through participatory approaches, the project promotes greater transparency, accountability, and civic dialogue in transport planning and implementation.

By strengthening the capacity of civil society organizations to engage with local and national institutions, the project supports more inclusive decision-making. It helps ensure that transport investments reflect the needs of all people, including those who are most vulnerable or underrepresented in planning processes.

Regional impact

The project facilitates cross-country skill-sharing and capacity-building to strengthen the ability of civil society in the Western Balkans to engage with decision-makers and influence transport policy, planning, and implementation. Joint advocacy positions will be communicated at key regional forums, including the EBRD annual meeting and the Transport Community Social Forum.

By building broad civil society alliances and contributing to more coordinated approaches to transport reform, the project supports the region’s decarbonization goals, just and inclusive development, improved connectivity, and EU integration.