Rijeka Sava kao resurs u prostornom planiranju
From the spatial planning aspect the river Sava is the meeting area of numerous spatial, natural and economic determinants. Appropriate and purposeful planning has an inestimable importance due to the fact that it is the only way for the rational utilization of the river basin. It should be emphasized that rational utilization also includes the overall protection of mentioned area. Special attention should be dedicated to the problem of defining spatial plan borders, because of the specific characteristics of the area. Namely,current spatial plans of the river Sava basin are outlined in a way that Sava river is their border instead of their skeleton. That approach, induced by cross-border issues between the neighbouring countries, especially Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, disables the rational utilization, development and protection of the area. The preconditions of purposefully planning process of the Sava river are evaluation and determination of the common utilization of criteria and elements of the area. The latter refers to political circumstances since the river Sava flowsthroughseveral neighbouring countries. Consequently, it is a question of a spatial planning which, in case of the Sava river, has above-national importance because every faulty step jeopardizes balanced and sustainable development of a wide area. Taking into consideration the whole complexity of above mentioned, the main aim of this paper is to give contribution to the understanding of the spatial planning process in the way that planning, by itself, results in the sustainable management and development of the Sava river area.