From Global Agendas to Streets in Serbia: Evaluating the Impact of Smart Technologies and Spatial Governance on Public Open Spaces

Abstract

Global development frameworks, including the New Urban Agenda (NUA) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), advocate for safe, inclusive, and accessible public open spaces (POSs). However, their implementation in transitional post-socialist urban contexts requires balancing urban safety, technological innovation, and democratic use of public space. This paper examines how these global agendas are localized in Novi Sad, Serbia, investigating the relationship between international policy objectives and urban governance during times of crisis. A triangulated mixed-methods approach was employed, combining a structured survey of 1200 residents on perceptions of safety and smart-city surveillance, a media review of POS-related violence (2021–2026), and direct field observations of mass gatherings, including COVID-19-era events and subsequent major citizen protests. The findings indicate important differences between official approaches to spatial governance and citizens’ lived experience. While technological and spatial management measures supported urban safety objectives, surveys and field observation findings suggest that perceived safety remained closely associated with visible presence, public trust, and community organization. The study highlights the challenges of balancing urban safety, civil liberties, and democratic access to POS in transitional urban contexts, concluding that achieving the objectives of the NUA requires governance frameworks that integrate technological innovation with participatory and inclusive urban planning.