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Author: WeBalkans

Green Energy Days in Kosovo marked with 32 recommendations for sustainability

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BIRN Kosovo hosted a high-level conference in Prishtina/Priština on Thursday as part of its second edition of the Green Energy Days. BIRN also used the event to launch a new position paper on Kosovo’s National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) that included 32 concrete recommendations on how to move the country towards an energy efficient and 100% renewable economy.

 

Western Balkan countries, including Kosovo, have agreed to produce NECPs to help plan their energy futures in an integrated way that is in line with the European Union’s Energy Union policy. As part of the Sofia Declaration on the Green Agenda signed in 2020, they have also committed to ending the use of all fossil fuels by 2050 and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. While specific energy targets for 2030 have yet to be finalised, the position paper lays out clear proposals for decarbonisation, based on close market integration, flexible electricity generation, and electrification of Kosovo’s transport and heating sectors.

 

The high-level conference was held by BIRN Kosovo and its partners as part of the Green Energy Days, within the “Europeanisation of Kosovo’s Environmental Agenda” project that is supported by the European Union Office in Kosovo and implemented by Bankwatch, BIRN Kosovo, ERA Group and TV Mreža.

EU supports culture in Western Balkans with €8 million initiative

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The EU has launched a new initiative titled “Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans (CC4WBs)” which will promote peaceful relations and socio-economic development. The project will be implemented by UNESCO as well as the British Council and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation.

 

Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said “I am glad that, together with my colleague Commissioner Várhelyi, we could launch such an ambitious action of €8 million to support the cultural and creative sectors in the Western Balkans. Mainstreaming culture can lead to mutual understanding, peaceful cooperation and stability, as well as to economic benefits, especially in a region which is so rich in cultural heritage. I am committed to assisting the integration of the Western Balkans in all areas of my portfolio, and I wish great success to UNESCO and its partners in implementing this initiative.”

 

Education and research institutions, students and media professionals from independent media and networks, blogs and other producers of cultural content will be key to the initiative.

Support for digitalisation of SMEs in Bosnia and Herzegovina

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The European Union and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) are stepping up support for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in Bosnia and Herzegovina by launching the Go Digital in Bosnia and Herzegovina programme. The programme was launched on 19 May with an event held in Sarajevo and aims to help SMEs invest in the digitalisation of their businesses, alongside other investments to improve productivity, operational efficiency and resilience.
 
One of the elements of the programme will be a specialised credit line provided by the EBRD in cooperation with local financial institutions. The EU will provide grant incentives worth up to 15% of the total loan amount to make SME investments in digitalisation, automation, competitiveness and green technologies more affordable.  
The Head of the EU Delegation and EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Johann Sattler, explained that the EU4SMEs Programme is part of the EU’s assistance to support the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and the transition to a future-oriented economy. “SMEs are a key driver behind economic growth and development, and support for digitalisation will help businesses to be more competitive in local and international markets. The EU’s current Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance support to the green and digital transition amounts to some €50 million, and targets SMEs in particular. SMEs need to make full use of innovative technologies, skills and services, not only to grow on a more sustainable basis, but also to survive in the economy of the future.”  
The programme will be accompanied by activities from Germany’s GIZ, which will help to build an ecosystem for digitalisation, automation and innovation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including digital innovation hubs, in line with EU best practice.  
The new Go Digital in Bosnia and Herzegovina programme contributes directly to the European Commission’s Digital Agenda for the Western Balkans, which aims to support the transition of the private sector and help businesses fully secure the benefits of the digital transformation of the economy.

€3 million for renovation of school facilities in North Macedonia

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The Vice-Governor of the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) and the Minister of Education and Science of North Macedonia, Jeton Shaqiri, today signed a multi-donor grant agreement worth €3 million for the renovation of physical education facilities in primary and secondary schools, and acquisition of sports equipment. The grant comes from the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF), a joint initiative of the EU, financial organisations, bilateral donors and beneficiaries, and the main vehicle for implementation of the EU’s ambitious Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans.

 

The grant will benefit more than 52,000 students in North Macedonia and will increase the overall quality of physical education. The newly signed grant is part of a wider programme of investments in education infrastructure in North Macedonia, worth almost €65.8 million and carried out with national, bilateral donor, and CEB funding under the umbrella of the WBIF.

 

It brings the total WBIF grant contributions to €6 million, and complements €42.5 million in loans from the CEB, as well as €17.3 million in national contributions.

Winners of the 2022 “Most Roma Friendly Mayor” award announced

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Today, the European Commission announced the seven winners of the third edition of the award for “Most Roma Friendly Mayor” in the Western Balkans and Turkey. The award recognises those local authorities who believe in their citizens and treat them equally. It aims to change attitudes towards Roma inclusion and features local authorities who give power to Roma communities and listen to their needs. The award ceremony took place in the framework of Romani Week organised at the European Parliament (16-19 May) in the presence of MEP Romeo Franz with the Acting Director for the Western Balkans in the European Commission’s DG Neighbourhood and Enlargement (DG NEAR), Michela Matuella, handing out the awards.

 

Olivér Várhelyi, Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, said: “I think having the award ceremony during the European Parliament Romani Week is especially important. Not only does this award acknowledge the selected mayors’ outstanding work in breaking barriers between local authorities and Roma communities, but it also shows policymakers, activists and experts that a change is possible. I am truly inspired by this year’s winners’ dedication to empowering and mobilising Roma communities and strengthening their ability to engage in dialogue with public authorities. I am proud of every single one of them, and I hope that this award inspires others to follow their example.”

 

The main purpose of the Romani Week is to consolidate the commitment of the European Parliament and other institutions to fight against antigypsyism and to formulate this commitment into action. Celebrating the winners of the “Most Roma Friendly Mayor” award was an important moment of coming together under the umbrella of the EU Romani Week in person after two years of isolation. The award ceremony is the peak of the campaign in Brussels and aims to create strong synergies with the actions that took place across the Western Balkan and Turkey, but also the EU Member States at local and national level.

 

Of the estimated 10-12 million Roma living in Europe, about 1 million live in the Western Balkans and 2.8 million in Turkey. The full integration and inclusion of Roma people is a key priority for the EU and starts with boosting the dialogue with public authorities and project partners focused raising awareness in municipal administrations of Roma issues. Roma integration is also one of the conditions enlargement partners have to fulfil to become an EU Member State.

2022 ‘Green Energy Days’ in Kosovo

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As part of the ‘Europeanisation of Kosovo’s Environmental Agenda’ initiative, the 2022 Green Energy Days initiative are taking place between 16 and 22 May in Kosovo. The initiative is funded by the European Union Office in Kosovo and implemented by the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) Kosovo, CEE Bankwatch, ERA Group, and TV Mreža.

 

The initiative supports the proactive participation of Kosovo civil society, media and environmental activists in policy reform and decision-making on energy, the environment and public health. The aim of the project is to help Kosovo bring its environmental policies closer to EU legislation and to foster dialogue between civil society organisations, the media, activists and the public sector.

   

The Green Energy Days are being hosted by BIRN and its partners for the second time. The purpose of the multiday activity is to provide a necessary spotlight on the importance of energy efficiency, environmental protection and public health, especially to relevant officials. This year, the Green Energy Days will host numerous activities that will contribute to best green energy practices in Kosovo.

2022 Young European Heritage Makers competition announced

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Young European Heritage Makers is a competition for the young people of Europe, including young people from the Western Balkans. It is an opportunity for them to explore their surroundings, identify the most interesting parts of their heritage and present them to the rest of the world.  
This competition should encourage young people to understand the concept of heritage and express their views. This year’s theme is “Sustainable Heritage”.  
The competition is part of the European Heritage Days. With up to 70,000 events organised each year in the European states signatory to the European Cultural Convention and an estimated 30 million visitors, this joint action of the Council of Europe and of the European Commission is a unique example of a grass-roots initiative organised and shared by millions of people living in Europe.

EIB grant of up to €2.9 million to improve education in Montenegro

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A grant of up to €2.9 million will be provided to the government of Montenegro by the European Investment Bank (EIB), the bank of the European Union, to accelerate the modernisation of the national education system. It will be used for the upgrade, construction and reconstruction of pre-school, school and vocational school infrastructure in the country and will cover technical and advisory support for project preparation and the public procurement process, and for developing national monitoring and evaluation standards. It will accelerate upgrades that are expected to create an additional 2,070 school places across Montenegro, and 530 new full-time jobs.
 
The operation supports the ongoing modernisation of the national education system as part of the €18 million Montenegrin education programme, which the EIB agreed with Montenegro in 2019. The programme finances the procurement of modern equipment and the construction and renovation of public education infrastructure, including kindergartens, primary, secondary and vocational schools, as well as the provision of information and communications technology (ICT) equipment and school furniture. The grant stems from the Economic Resilience Initiative, which aims to support economic growth, job creation, social cohesion and the development of vital infrastructure projects in the Western Balkans.

The coal regions programme launches exchanges between Western Balkans and EU

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The coal regions exchange programme has launched six exchanges between areas in the Western Balkans and their EU counterparts. These provide an opportunity for these regions to start one-to-one dialogues and learn from each other’s experiences in moving away from coal as part of the transition to clean energy.

 

A total of 32 applications, representing a diverse geographic spread, were submitted for participation in the programme. Based on expert assessments, 14 of these have been grouped together to form six sets of exchange partners, who are currently preparing their exchanges. A further two sets were foreseen, each of them co-led by Ukrainian applicants, but have temporarily been put on hold.

 

Three exchanges will start in spring 2022, and the detailed planning and preparation of the other three will start in the second part of the year. Guided by dedicated exchange facilitators, programme participants are now developing precise roadmaps for their exchanges. These will feature either one or two in-person visits, which will be planned in advance through virtual interactions and discussions where the regions can solidify their relationship, ideally leading to fruitful cooperation beyond this programme.

 

The exchange programme is one of the key activities of the Initiative for coal regions in transition in the Western Balkans and Ukraine, which aims to help regions to move away from coal towards a carbon-neutral economy, ensuring this transition is just. It is managed by the European Commission and six collaborating international partners: the College of Europe in Natolin, the Energy Community Secretariat, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank, Poland’s National Fund for Environment Protection and Water Management, and the World Bank.

Introducing Herzegovinian garlic to the world

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A company from Bosnia and Herzegovina has become a regional market leader in garlic production with the support of an EU-funded project.

Over 300 sunny days a year and a land rich in limestone are just some of the features that distinguish the terrain around the town of Ljubinje in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina. Decades ago, the fields in Ljubinje were planted with Herzegovinian tobacco, which offered a decent living for the population of this region thanks to its quality. However, due to the decline in the domestic tobacco industry, farmers have had to diversify their product.

As the land is very fertile, they have not had much trouble doing that, focusing on garlic which has been produced and used in the region for centuries as a healthy ingredient for cooking, but also in fighting disease. The business opportunity offered by garlic was noticed by Farmavit, a company from the Ljubinje region who decided to try not only farming but also processing this product for distribution to wider markets.

“Analysis by world-famous institutions has shown that Herzegovinian garlic is ranked in the top five in the world in terms of quality and its impact on health.”

Modern technology for improving production

Stefan Šalvarica is the manager responsible for garlic production and processing at the company, which he joined in 2020. The company was founded in the year 2000, and at the beginning their focus was on the production of cattle food. However, seeing the potential for the production of a range of other crops, they decided to try something that would be more interesting and appeal to wider markets. “Analysis by world-famous institutions has shown that Herzegovinian garlic is ranked in the top five in the world in terms of quality and its impact on health,” says Stefan.

Today, Farmavit is the leading company for garlic production in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with most of their produce allocated for export, including to the EU. On the path to this success, they were also supported by the EU-funded, UNDP-implemented EU4 Business initiative. With this support, the company resolved a major issue with heat sources, as well as a problem with the steam generated in the thermal treatment process of garlic, which had made production more difficult. “With ventilation and air conditioning of our facility, we now get rid of steam in a few minutes. Also, in the past, a significant share of the work was done manually but now, with the help of new machines, the processes of filling, labelling and closing jars has been improved and accelerated,” explains Stefan.

The company has its own garlic plantations, but also buys certain quantities from its subcontractors in Herzegovina.  After the purchase, the garlic is sent for analysis before it is made into products available to customers on the shelves of supermarkets in Bosnia and Herzegovina under the “Scent of Herzegovina” brand.

“Thanks to the EU4Business project, we’ve succeeded in improving working conditions and productivity, reducing costs and offering unique products for our customers. As we’ve improved garlic production, our annual quantities has gone up by 10 tonnes.”

About the project

EU4Business is an EU project that aims to strengthen Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capacity for economic growth and employment by fostering competitiveness and innovation in selected sectors. It has a budget of €16.1 million: €15 million funded by the European Union and €1.1 million by the Federal Republic of Germany.

EU4Business is part of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)’s Local Development Strategies – Local Self-Government and Economic Development Programme in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Stefan further explains that they also produce garlic purée and marinades consisting of garlic with spices, olive and sunflower oil. In addition, thanks to the EU4Business project, they now produce so-called black garlic.Black garlic results from the process of fermenting fresh garlic. In this process of accelerated aging, the garlic changes colour and caramelises and its properties are enhanced. This type of garlic is highly valued on the world market and with the purchase of a fermentation machine, thanks to the support of the EU, the Farmavit company became the only producer of this type of garlic in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“Thanks to the support of the EU4Business project, we’ve succeeded in improving working conditions and productivity, reducing costs and offering unique products for our customers. As we’ve improved garlic production, our annual quantities has gone up by 10 tonnes,” says Stefan.

As well as plans for new marinades, and the placement of both black garlic and fresh garlic on the international market, the Farmavit company continues to invest in major plans to retain their market leader position. “We have invested additional funds of our own in the purchase of equipment that will help us in the production of gelatine capsules filled with garlic extract. We will be the first company in the region to produce dietary supplements of this type,” says Stefan with satisfaction.

The Farmavit company was supported through the EU4Business project with BAM 150,000, while the value of the investment totalled BAM 300,000.