SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ON THE LOCAL COMMUNITY LEVEL

Sa？etak Sustainable development starts with changes in our personal values and continues with the transfer of those changes to all areas of our life. Democracy, transparent behaviour and responsible management on national and local levels are the necessary foundation for the realisation of sustainable development. The participation of all social stakeholders in making decisions through advisory processes, dialogue and creation of partnerships is one of the key implementation tasks. A significant place in such a sustainable development concept is taken by special plans and strategic development documents of the local community, for which it is necessary to ensure the participation of all the parties interested in the decision-making processes, from the national and local authorities, civil society organisations to the business sector and promotion of dialogue and gaining of trust in order to develop social capital. In order for the local community to integrate it all in its system, it is necessary to make strategic thinking and planning with the aim of efficient connection of different sector policies, place concrete, realistic and measurable goals in medium and long-term plans and establish partner relations. This paper presents the results of the empirical research of the interested and informed public, including what their positions are with regard to the sustainable development principles and if they are applied and recognised in the process of creation and adoption of local community physical and development plans. A quality research on a target sample has been implemented by the deep interview method and participant observation. In the analysis of empirical material, the method of founded theory was used, and the quantification of qualitatively processed and encoded material was made. The majority of the examinees express a negative view and are of the opinion that the sustainable development principles are not sufficiently applied and recognised in the procedures of creating and adopting local community physical and development plans