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EU Green Week 2022 in Serbia

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

The circular economy, zero pollution and biodiversity are the focus of this year’s EU Green Week, taking place in Serbia from 30 May to 5 June. The EU Green Week raises awareness of the most important issues in environmental protection.

 

During the celebration, a series of events and online activities will present the concrete results of the cooperation between Serbia, the European Union, its Member States and several international partners. Events are scheduled in all parts of Serbia including Belgrade, Čačak, Kruševac, Novi Sad, and Niš. A detailed agenda for the EU Green Week in Serbia can be found here.

 

Every year, the EU Green Week is an opportunity to debate European environmental policy with policy makers, leading environmentalists and stakeholders from Europe and beyond. This year almost 300 events are planned across Europe, with a specific focus this time round on the European Green Deal – the sustainable and transformative EU growth strategy, supporting a more efficient use of resources and EU ambitions to become climate neutral by 2050.

 

The activities are implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Ministry of European Integration, local governments, the embassies of Sweden and France, the United Nations Development Program, the Swedish Development Agency, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), KFW Bank, the European Investment Bank and many others.

 

The European Union is the world leader in environmental protection and is supporting Serbia on its path to a healthier environment. With over €400 million in non-refundable grants invested in environmental protection and climate action in Serbia, the EU is the largest donor in this area in the country.

Modernised Europe House opened in Podgorica

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The EU Info Centre in Podgorica has been renovated, modernised, and adapted to the new needs of the wider community, dedicated to the promotion of the European Union in Montenegro. It has now reopened as Europe House, with the ceremonial ribbon at its inauguration cut by the Ambassador of the European Union, Oana Cristina Popa, the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, David McAllister, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of European Affairs, Jovana Marović.

 

In her address, Ambassador Popa mentioned the hundreds of events that have been organised at the EU Info Centre, gathering thousands of people from different areas of society since it opened in 2014.

 

“It was the place to come to get to know the EU, its initiatives, policies, and projects. But times have changed. We have high hopes for this House. We want it to become a new hub for inspiring ideas, innovative thinking, networking and brainstorming. As we hope that the times of closed doors due to the pandemic are forever over, we hope that this space will connect people: people from all sides of the political and social spectrum. We hope it will give a much-needed impetus to the debate on European integration, our values, and our joint future together,” said Popa.

 

Europe House, designed by Stanislav Nikičević, is located next to Argentina Square. It is open to citizens, institutions, the media and non-governmental organisations who work on EU projects or wish to do so. In addition to events and campaigns dedicated to European standards, Europe House is also available for organising workshops, seminars, exhibitions, lectures, press conferences and other promotional events.

Jora Zeneli

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in YEA of the month.

YEA of the Month April 2022

Jora is an inspiring and bright young woman, determined to make a change in her community and for her generation. Jora is 18 years old and currently a senior at “Sami Frasheri” High School in Prishtina. She is passionate about science, music, technology, business, and community service. Over the years she has been involved in national and international organizations, holding numerous leadership roles as well as receiving certification from several institutes. Her contribution to sharing the values of volunteerism, human rights, and youth leadership has already caught the attention of many. We are with her every step of the way knowing that good things come to those who wake up, show up and take action!

Wildlife experience open for business

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in Stories.

The cross-border area between Montenegro and Serbia is ready to host nature-loving tourists with the support of the European Union.

Before the pandemic, Montenegro had over two million annual visitors and over seven million overnight stays a year, which can be considered as success for a country with a population of just 600,000. These visitors are mostly focused on the beautiful coastal regions for summer holidays or ski resorts in the North. However, Montenegro has also other very exciting wildlife tourism opportunities, in particular in the north-east region bordering Serbia, which is very little explored. The Centre for the Protection and Research of Birds (CZIP) NGO from Podgorica, along with partners from both Montenegro and Serbia, is working to open the area as a destination for wildlife-lovers.

Globally, wildlife and bird-watching has become an increasingly popular tourist activity, recognised as important as a tourist niche market. However, as a consequence of this area’s relatively remote position and poor transport connections, tourist infrastructure is underdeveloped here, despite it being the location of four national parks.

“As there was huge potential for tourism development, but also a need for support, we decided to take action to open this fairy-tale landscape for visitors.”

Meeting the need for tourism development

Lejla Abdić is an environmental activist and project manager at the Centre for the Protection and Research of Birds. She explains that she and her colleagues were well-aware that the region was underdeveloped in terms of tourism infrastructure and outdoor activities. “As there was huge potential for tourism development, but also a need for support, we decided to take action to open this fairy-tale landscape for visitors,” says Lejla.

With this aim, they applied to the Montenegro/ Serbia EU-funded cross-border cooperation call and were granted the funds for launching the so-called “Hoo project – Creation of Owl and Other Wildlife Experience.” As the bird population of the region is very rich, the main focus of their project was on activities related to bird-watching through mapping and signposting bird-watching trails. They are also working on training and motivating local people to engage in businesses related to wildlife tourism, and branding and promoting tourism products which were developed as part of the project.

“The region has unique wildlife tourism assets that haven’t been exploited yet, but soon they will be promoted locally and internationally, so that visitors can enjoy them.”

About the project

“The Hoo Project: Creation of Owl and Other Wildlife Experiences” started in February 2021. The main goal of the project is to encourage natural heritage-based wildlife tourism in the cross-border area between Serbia and Montenegro. The total value of the project is €262,029 and the planned duration of the project is 24 months. The project envisages, among other things, the establishment of two wildlife tourism itineraries, the training of tour guides for wildlife, birdwatching and study visits and the establishment of a digital platform to promote wildlife tourism in the region.

Lejla explains that the project area has a lot to offer to nature-loving tourists: owls, for example, have the charisma that provides exciting tourist experiences. But this area is also home to other similarly compelling birds, such as golden and imperial eagles, griffon vultures, and peregrine falcons, or rock partridges and black grouse, as well as rare bird species requiring larger natural forest complexes as their habitats. “The region has unique wildlife tourism assets that haven’t been exploited yet, but soon they will be promoted locally and internationally, so that visitors can enjoy them,” says Lejla.

Lejla further explains that the project is having an important succes in terms of cross-border cooperation. The partner organisations will be organising study tours and coordination activities with the aim of connecting communities, businesses and tour operators from both sides of the border. “At the end of the day, the development of the region is closely linked to cross-border cooperation,” she says.

New call for Young European Ambassadors is now open!

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The new Call for Applications for Young European Ambassadors was launched on 20 May at webalkans.eu

 

The Young European Ambassadors (YEA) platform is a creative network of young activists from across the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia). YEAs come from different backgrounds, yet they all share a common vision: the Western Balkans united in diversity. They learn about each other and the EU together, pursue creative projects, acquire new skills, connect via social media, and organise inspiring events – always driven by the idea that activism in youth is the most powerful force of social change.

 

The aims of the network are to share EU values; to raise awareness about the EU’s cooperation with its Western Balkan partners; to showcase the tangible results of this cooperation; to contribute to policy dialogue on various topics; and to help increase civic activism. A Young European Ambassador is a young activist who sees herself or himself as a good communicator, eager to share EU values, and to participate in projects and events related to EU integration, environment protection, human rights, arts and culture, and new technologies. All young people between 18 and 29 who are from the Western Balkans region are invited to apply.

 

Applications are open from 20 May until 30 June.

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.