Industrial cities in transition: Problem areas

Abstract

The complex transitional process of the central and eastern European countries from the centrally-planned economy towards the market economy has been characterized by numerous conflicts and dramatic changes, particularly in the production sector. Taking into consideration that industry had the dominant significance in the economic structure shortly before the collapse of communism, the primary focus of the reforms was directed towards its restructuring. Therefore, the deindustrialization, as the process of the economic, social, spatial and ecological changes connected with the reduction of the productive activities, has been an integral part of the transitional process in these countries. While some regions/cities reacted positively on the changes and had the advantage in the newly created circumstances, others faced with serious problems, weakened their position considerably in the local and regional frames. Thus, the spatial structure of industry was also modified on different levels of the territorial hierarchy. The uncompetitive economic base, spoiled environment, together with other unfavourable factors in many-structural industrial centers/regions has slowed down the exceeding of the structural lacks by taking them into a phase of stagnation or regression. In comparison with other post-socialist countries, the transitional process in Serbia was marked by a series of uniqueness as due to different historical heritage, circumstances in which the process had begun so due to applied policies of adapting and restructuring. .