Promatrana s aspekta prostornog planiranja, rijeka Sava je prostor sučeljavanja određenih prostornih, prirodnih i gospodarskih odrednica. Pravilno i svrsishodno planiranje ima neprocjenjivo značenje upravo zato što se jedino na takav način prostor rijeke može urediti za racionalno korištenje. Valja istaknuti da racionalno korištenje podrazumijeva i zaštitu ukupnih vrijednosti ovoga prostora. Posebnu pozornost potrebno je posvetiti definiranju prostornog obuhvata plana takvoga specifičnog prostora. Naime, postojeći prostorni planovi koncipirani su na način da im je rijeka Sava granica, a ne okosnica. Takav pristup, potaknut transgraničnom problematikom susjednih država, poglavito Hrvatske i BiH, onemogućuje racionalno korištenje, razvoj i zaštitu prostora. Preduvjeti pravilnog procesa planiranja područja rijeke Save su vrjednovanje i određivanje zajedničkih kriterija i elemenata korištenja ovoga prostora. To posljednje odnosi se na političke okolnosti jer se radi o rijeci koja protječe kroz nekoliko susjednih država. Dakle, radi se o prostornom planiranju koje, u slučaju rijeke Save, ima nadnacionalnu važnost jer svaki pogrješan korak dovodi u opasnost uravnoteženi i održivi razvoj širega prostora. Uzimajući u obzir svu složenost navedene problematike, svrha je ovoga rada dati doprinos razumijevanju procesa prostornog planiranja na način da ono rezultira održivim upravljanjem i razvojem savskog prostora.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