Parallel public participation: An answer to inertia in decision-making

In the countries of Central and Eastern Europe public participation is a relatively new phenomenon that is being introduced to traditionally closed planning processes. In the face of inertia against the democratization of decision-making, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are beginning to play a critical, double role both in advocating the need for reform and in proactively establishing new practices in public participation. This article examines two case studies of environmental impact assessment (EIA) processes in the Czech Republic where, in response to this inertia, NGOs organized parallel public participation (PPP) programs alongside the formal EIA of proposals for a major tourism development at Rajcherov in South Bohemia and for an urban road development in Prerov in Northern Moravia. The article concludes that PPP can have a significant impact on EIA, and that it provides models of best practice that will help in the development of public participation in Central and Eastern Europe.