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Author: WeBalkans

On the trail of the endangered Balkan lynx

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in Stories.

A team of North Macedonian journalists win prestigious EU award for their investigation into risks facing endangered lynx.

The Balkan lynx is a type of wild cat classified as a critically endangered species. Only around 45 of the species are now believed to roam in the region. Yet illegal poaching, landscape degradation and construction activities are posing grave threats to the region’s largest cat.

The Balkan lynx can be found in North Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo. While hunting or harming any Balkan lynx is strictly forbidden by the law in all three countries, an investigation found that the situation is very different in practice. A team of journalists from Macedonian MOF radio concluded that the animal is in fact very poorly protected and in grave danger of extinction.

Their investigation lasted for several months and resulted in a story titled “Following the Balkan lynx’s footsteps – an investigative story in two parts”. The story paints a grim picture of the Balkan lynx’s situation of constant risk from illegal hunting. The investigative team found stuffed lynx on the walls of restaurants near the animal’s habitat, lynx kept in cages as an attraction, and suspicions of police officials involved in hunting. In addition, the investigation showed that apart from poaching threats, Balkan lynx are also endangered by illegal waste dumping, and construction activities such as roads and hydropower plants in and around natural or national parks.

”In our region we have great legislation on paper, but often this legislation is not implemented properly.”

Recognition of efforts

The journalist team that conducted and published the investigative story was made up of Bojan Shashevski, Daniel Evrosimoski, Emilija Petreska and Jasmina Jakimova. Jasmina explains that their inspiration came from wanting to tell a story on a rarely reported topic, and also to investigate whether the laws regarding the protection of nature and wildlife were being implemented properly. “In our region we have great legislation on paper, but often this legislation is not implemented properly,” she says.

The story was a great success in terms of feedback from readers and also won the EU Award for Investigative Journalism for North Macedonia in 2021. The award was given through the EU-funded project called “Strengthening Quality News and Independent Journalism in the Western Balkans and Turkey,” and the jury described the article as a product of outstanding research.

At the award ceremony, Emilija Petreska from Radio MOF said, “It is disappointing that even after more than a year since we published the story, the institutions have not reacted to the findings…. What kind of future do we have in mind if we continue to destroy eco-systems, to destroy the living environment of the Balkan lynx and the natural heritage we have, and – by that – destroy ourselves?”.

“The award was very important to us, not because of the money, but because of the recognition: it is a great feeling when your efforts are recognised”

About the project

The goal of the EU-funded project on “Strengthening Quality News and Independent Journalism in the Western Balkans and Turkey” is to enhance trust among citizens in the media and create a safe environment for journalists to produce independent news content, through training, mentoring, technical and financial support, and publishing. The project has run since 2019 in the EU candidate and potential candidate countries of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey.

Jasmina explains that being from a small media organisation, her team was surprised when they were told that they won the first prize. “The award was very important to us not because of the money, but because of recognition: it is a great feeling when your efforts are recognised,” she says.

The EU investigative journalism awards have the overall goal of celebrating and promoting the outstanding achievements of investigative journalists from the Western Balkan countries and Turkey, as well as improving the visibility of quality investigative journalism among the public in these countries.

Media integrity in the age of disinformation

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Marking the 30th anniversary of the start of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and at a time of Russian aggression against Ukraine, the European External Action Service has brought together leading international journalists and young journalists from the Western Balkans in cooperation with the EU Delegation to BiH to discuss media integrity in the age of disinformation.

 

A panel composed of some of the most reputable international journalists, who have made an inerasable mark on journalism in the last 30 years, joined the Sarajevo discussion. They connected from multiple cities across Europe: Christiane Amanpour (CNN) and Rémy Ourdan (Le Monde) from Ukraine, Javier Espinosa (El Mundo) from Madrid, Roger Cohen (The New York Times) from Paris, and Ed Vulliamy (The Guardian and Observer) from London, while Aida Čerkez (former Associated Press correspondent from BiH) and Nadina Maličbegović (Al Jazeera Balkans) were in Sarajevo together with Filip Lukić (N1 Belgrade) who moderated the discussion.

 

Participants discussed the challenges of war reporting, the role of new technologies, ethics and professionalism, disinformation, media manipulation and the safety of journalists. Information manipulation and disinformation are also a challenge in times of peace, where they aim to antagonise and polarise societies, deepen tensions, deceive the public and ultimately destabilise societies and democracy.

 

Twenty young journalists from the Western Balkans region travelled to Sarajevo to participate in this discussion, as a part of a broader study visit aiming to give them a chance to learn from top experts in the profession, but also from each other. This project is a part of the efforts of the EEAS Stratcom Western Balkans Task Force to raise awareness of – and build resilience to – information manipulation and disinformation, in order to support the capacity of Western Balkan societies to deal with the disinformation challenge. Investing in media freedom and professional journalism is a significant part of addressing disinformation, as it helps building well-informed societies and stronger democracies.

 

The event took place in Sarajevo and online on 7 April. The session was streamed globally and received significant attention in local and regional media, with several TV stations broadcasting it live.

WBF signs contracts with the winners of the first regional grant scheme

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In the presence of more than 100 distinguished guests, the Western Balkans Fund (WBF) welcomed the 30 winners of the First Regional Grant Scheme co-funded by the European Union. The selected proposals are funded through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance by the “Support to the promotion of Civil Society regional actions in the Western Balkans” project.

 

H.E. Alexis Hupin, Chargé d’Affaires at the European Union Delegation to Albania, spoke on behalf of the European Union. He said, “The EU is actually a project that started based on an idea of good neighbourly relations. If we go fast forward to EU 2022, the turn of events next door, the war in Ukraine, has once more shed light on the importance of good neighbourly relations, respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

 

The application process for the first co-funded call for proposals was launched on 8 November 2021 and 207 projects were submitted including almost 750 stakeholders. The evaluation process was conducted in the first months of this year with the help of external experts. The 30 winning projects target flagship issues such as the green and digital economy, human rights, gender equality, education, research, and cultural cooperation.

 

The Western Balkans Fund is an international organisation established in 2017 by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Western Balkans region. Prior to the co-funded grant scheme, the WBF launched three other successful calls for proposals, funding 68 projects with a total of 10,000 direct beneficiaries.

Global Cultural Relations Programme participants announced

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The Cultural Relations Platform has announced the participants in the Global Cultural Relations Programme (GCRP) 2022. The 40 cultural changemakers and innovators selected for the Global Cultural Relations Programme 2022 were chosen from over 2,000 applications to take part in the Cultural Relations Platform’s flagship training programme for creative professionals from around the world. They span 40 nationalities, including from the Western Balkans, and numerous sectors – including the performing arts, music, audio visual, cultural heritage and the visual arts.

 

As part of the GCRP programme, from 10-13 May the participants will have an opportunity to network, share experiences and ideas, build their skills in international cultural relations and develop a collaborative international cultural project.

 

The Cultural Relations Platform is an EU-funded project that connects cultural practitioners worldwide for dialogue, exchange and co-operation. It also provides expertise to the European Union in the field of international cultural relations.

TAIEX supports local governments in Montenegro in the fight against marine pollution

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According to the UN environment programme, the equivalent of one garbage truck of plastic is dumped into the ocean every minute. This harms not only the marine ecosystem, but also humans through microplastics in the food chain.

 

On 10-11 April, the European Commission’s Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (TAIEX) instrument and the Municipality of Budva organised a workshop on plastic waste management for all municipalities on the Montenegrin coast. Representatives of central institutions and the NGO sector also joined the event to exchange ideas with EU experts from Slovenia and Belgium.

 

Participants agreed that more incentives for recycling should be introduced to counter the problem in the Adriatic. They also exchanged ideas on how to motivate citizens to reduce the use of disposable plastic.

 

Christof Delatter, Head of the Strategy and Policy Department at the Flanders Waste Management Agency, demonstrated how Belgium achieved a reduction in household waste production through a mix of legislative incentives and communication campaigns. Štefan Trdan from the Water Institute of Slovenia explained the importance of collecting data related to waste management and showed how municipalities can make use of it in communication actions oriented towards lasting and sustainable results.

 

The event in Budva launched the second phase of the TAIEX initiative offering strategic support to local authorities in the Western Balkans and working directly with both local and regional authorities to share best EU public policy practices. More local workshops and expert missions, also on environmental topics, will be taking place soon.

€1.9 million for greater cooperation between Serbia and North Macedonia

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A second public call for the improvement of cross-border cooperation between Serbia and North Macedonia was presented at an online conference by representatives of the Serbian Ministry for European Integration, the Operational Structure of the Serbia – North Macedonia Cross-border Cooperation Programme 2016–2020, and the Ministry of Local Self-Government of North Macedonia, in cooperation with the Serbian Ministry of Finance.

 

Serbia’s Assistant Minister of European Integration, Mihajilo Dašić, said at the online conference that the Serbia – North Macedonia Programme has enabled existing capacities to be upgraded and has paved the way for cooperation which had been lacking, improving the quality of life in local and border areas through the application of innovative and sustainable solutions to common issues.

 

The conference included the presentation of seven projects that were implemented within the first call, such as “Seeds of Inclusion – social enterprises for economic development and social inclusion,” “Improvement and protection of human health and environment by reducing the risk of pollution through efficient waste management,” and “Less garbage, fewer risks, better health”.

 

Project proposals for the second cycle of the Serbia – North Macedonia Cross-border Cooperation Programme, which provides for almost €1.9 million for the promotion of employment, workers’ mobility, social and cultural inclusion, as well as the development of tourism, cultural and natural heritage of the two countries, can be submitted until 8 June.

New grants for civil society to strengthen participatory democracy

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The European Union has launched a Call for Proposals under the new programme worth €18 million for strengthening participatory democracies and the EU integration process in the Western Balkans and Turkey. The call under the new EU Civil Society Facility and Media Programme for the Western Balkans and Turkey for 2021-2023 aims at enhancing regional cooperation, good neighbourly relations and reconciliation.

 

Under this call for proposals, a number of long-term grants will be awarded to create and support regional thematic networks of civil society organisations (CSOs) aiming to improve coalition- and capacity-building for increased impact by CSOs on relevant sector reforms. The call also sets out a vision for sub-granting to grassroots organisations across the region through the networks. The call covers the following areas:

  -Good governance, rule of law and anti-corruption -Human rights, anti-discrimination and intercultural dialogue -Green and digital transition -Media freedom and freedom of expression, including countering disinformation and misinformation -Small-scale projects in support of good neighbourly relations between Serbia and Kosovo -Quality journalism

 

The priorities of the call are aligned with the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans which aims to spur the recovery of the region through supporting socio-economic development and implementation of reforms required to move forward on the EU path, and bringing the Western Balkans closer to the EU Single Market. It provides the region with assistance through investments and initiatives in the fields of transport, energy, digital transition, the green agenda, support to the private sector, economic integration, innovation and support to human capital development.

€12 million for Serbia from EU Solidarity Fund

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On 13 April, Jadranka Joksimović – the Minister of European Integration and National Coordinator for the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance – signed on behalf of the Republic of Serbia the Trust Agreement by which the European Union is providing the country a grant of around €12 million. The funding comes from the EU Solidarity Fund and is for financing urgent activities in the fight against Covid-19, as well as for implementing other measures to help the Serbian health system recover by covering some of the costs incurred during the public health crisis resulting from the pandemic.

 

EU Ambassador to Serbia, Emanuele Giaufret, described the grant as “another expression of our commitment to supporting Serbia to fight the pandemic”. He said: “In the fight against Covid, the EU has stood side by side with Serbia from the beginning. We financed cargo flights to transport medical goods; we financed medical workers, and significantly helped Serbia to buy vaccines; and Serbia received ambulances and protective masks. For over 20 years, the EU has invested more than €516 million in Serbia’s health sector. Many of the hospitals around the country are financed by the EU.”

 

Following a 2021 European Commission decision, the European Union Solidarity Fund has provided €530 million for the fight against Covid-19. The money has gone to 17 member states and three countries with candidate status. Serbia was provided with funds for the purchase of disinfectants, personal protective equipment and medical equipment at the beginning of the pandemic.

EU in Kosovo marks World Heritage Day

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Marking the International Day for Monuments and Sites, also known as World Heritage Day, on 19 April, the Head of the EU Office and EU Special Representative in Kosovo, Ambassador Tomáš Szunyog, visited the Ulpiana Archaeological Park, which is now benefiting from an EU-funded project worth €1 million.

 

The Ulpiana Archaeological Park, managed by the Kosovo Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and its Archaeological Institute (AIK), has enjoyed the support of numerous international organisations and diplomatic offices and embassies in Kosovo, whose representatives joined the visit. “Marking World Heritage Day is important because it reminds us of the diversity of our common cultural heritage, its vulnerability, and the efforts required for its protection and preservation,” said Ambassador Szunyog.

 

The European Archaeological Mission in Kosovo: from Ulpiana to Iustiniana Secunda project was launched on 14 December 2021. It uses the results of previous EU-funded geophysical surveys of a greater Ulpiana area and over the next three years will contribute to further archaeological research and excavations, and preservation of finds. The project is implemented by the Institute of Archaeology of the French École Normale Supérieure – one of the most experienced institutes in archaeology in the Mediterranean and Central Asia – in close partnership with the MCYS and AIK.

   

The EU has supported the protection and preservation of cultural heritage sites in Kosovo, including kulla/ kulafortified houses and religious sites and monuments, since 2000. It has thus far invested more than €14.7 million in this field.

 

The EU remains the largest provider of financial assistance to Kosovo.

YEAs in Skopje join the “Block the hatred. Share the love!” campaign

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At the Josip Broz Tito High School in Skopje, a creative event was held for young people as part of the “Block the Hatred. Share the Love!” campaign run jointly by the European Union and the Council of Europe. The event aimed to raise awareness among young people about the various forms of hate speech and discrimination that target specific communities and individuals, as well as to promote different ways of fighting hate speech. These include spreading positive messages of acceptance and respect for diversity through the creativity of street art and music.

 

The event included Young European Ambassadors from North Macedonia, and the YEA Co-ordinator for North Macedonia – also one of the “No Hate” Ambassadors for the campaign – Dona Srdikj, shared her empowering message in support of a diverse society, without hate speech and discrimination.

 

This awareness-raising initiative will be extended online through social media channels and elsewhere, as well as through public events. The campaign involves prominent public figures, institutions and human rights activists who promote diversity and equality in local communities and in the region through personal storytelling, testimonies and the exchange of good practice.

 

The campaign is implemented within the Promotion of Diversity and Equality in North Macedonia initiative which is part of the Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022 programme run jointly by the European Union and the Council of Europe.