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Author: WeBalkans

€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.

Golden embroidery reloaded

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Modern female entrepreneurship and an ancient Montenegrin craft are being interwoven with the support of the EU.

Montenegro’s golden embroidery has been used on traditional costumes for more than three centuries, but was at risk of being totally forgotten because of shifts in taste and a break in the transmission of the craft from older to younger generations. Another reason was that even where people wanted items made with golden embroidery, applying gold on already costly national costume or silk shirts was very expensive. However, the craft has recently been given a boost with an initiative from a local Montenegrin civil society organisation and the support of the European Union.

Biserka Raičević is in her 60s, and comes from a Montenegrin family that nurtures tradition, particularly in relation to handcrafts. Although she worked as an economist for most of her life, she also continued to practising as a hobby the traditional handcrafts that she learned as a young woman. However, until recently she had never tried golden embroidery, the peak of the Montenegrin handcraft tradition. That changed when she joined the workshop organised with the support of the EU-funded ReLoAD project.

“The work on golden embroidery requires lots of patience and very specific and demanding crafting skills.”

Reviving forgotten techniques

Biserka explains that she heard about the workshop from her husband who saw the call on social media and drew her attention to the opportunity, knowing her love for handcrafts. She wasn’t sure about applying as the work on golden embroidery is very demanding, as well as being expensive because of the gold thread used on the embroidery. However, she went ahead, driven by the feeling of respect and great love for tradition though the experience taught her that “work on golden embroidery requires what she describes as “lots of patience and very specific and demanding crafting skills”.

The training was organised through the EU-funded “Preservation and development of the traditional Montenegrin craft – gold embroidery” project and included women of different ages and social backgrounds. Older experts at the craft worked as trainers to pass their knowledge on. Alongside the training, the project also included support for communications and creating a marketing plan for promoting golden embroidery, as well as the launch of a publication that details the history and importance of the craft.

“This training was a huge inspiration for me. “

About the project

The “Preservation and development of the traditional Montenegrin craft – gold embroidery” project is implemented by the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development in cooperation with the Association of arts and crafts NIT. The project was supported by the Regional Programme for Local Democracy (ReLOaD), funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme.

The project aims to promote Montenegrin gold embroidery through the development of a marketing plan, improving the economic and social status of women through sharing gold embroidery skills, and popularising gold embroidery through cooperation with fashion designers.

“This training was a huge inspiration for me,” says Biserka, and with the skills she’d gained from the project, she decided to start a small business with the aim of presenting and providing access to these beautiful creations to more people. Designs that include golden embroidery are central to most of the products in her business, RB Ethno Fashion Hand Made, including designs of modern items for everyday use such as bags, scarves, or masks.

Apart from her production and sales activities, Biserka has also organised free workshops where she contributes to passing this skill on to other women from her community. “I believe that this tradition should live, so I am interested in as many young people as possible learning this technique,” she says.

Woman to the fore in fast evolving ICT services in Kosovo

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Closing the digital gender gap: more female representation in ICT is essential to this export-dominated sector.

The Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector in Kosovo is changing fast, mainly due to ever-increasing demand and the solutions that companies are providing. High levels of internet usage are yielding results for Kosovo, especially for its youth and emerging (ICT) businesses.

Eurostat reported in 2021 that 96% of the Kosovan population aged 16-74 had used the internet in the preceding three months, meaning that Kosovo ranks top in the region for internet use, and even few points higher than the European Union average. This context is a pre-condition for advancing the digital transformation of many services in society, but not necessarily only in Kosovo. Several companies based in and around the capital Pristina are providing ICT services for Europe and North America remotely. Indeed, some of them have no domestic clients at all, a feature reflected in a study by the ICT Association, STIKK, which confirms that over 90% of these services are exports.

“ICT was once considered a man’s job, but that is changing fast.”

Closing the digital gender gap

One effect of its welcomed growth is that it is offering jobs in an unemployment-stricken society, and that these jobs are stopping the emigration of Kosovo’s young demographic. The sector is also becoming more and more inclusive.

Women are finding themselves at the core of the sector, from technical positions in developing, to management and policy-making in ICT. One example is Iliriana Ibraj, who leads the business growth section of LinkPlus, one of the pioneer companies which has been exporting services for almost a decade.

“ICT was once considered a man’s job, but that is changing fast,” says Ibraj, who adds that she feels good being in the sector to be able to provide that different perspective. Women make up more than one third of her business’ total of 50 employees. “The increasing number of women in IT changes the mindset and stereotypes in the workplace but also in relation to clients where a perspective that doesn’t come from men can make a difference.”

The opportunities to change the ratio of girls participating in the sector start from education, where STEM (Science Technology Energy and Mathematics) subjects are experiencing a comeback as professions with employment potential. In addition to traditional universities, there are innovation centres, private initiatives, and international donors bringing STEM education to youth. Among them is the EU-funded project which supports the competitiveness of Kosovo’s ICT sector and has trained about 100 teachers and 1,000 students. The majority of the participants have been certified in web development, cyber security, and the programming languages required in the posts that ICT recruiters are looking to fill.

The other component where the project is working with the sector is to strengthen connections with companies based in the European Union.

“One of our strategies for growth comes from our belief that we can expand together with future partners within the EU.”

About the project

The overall objective of the EU Support for the Competitiveness of Kosovo’s ICT Sector project is to enhance the competitiveness of Kosovo’s digital and traditional businesses by supporting the expansion of Kosovo’s ICT sector, leading to growth and new job creation.

The project also aims to bridge the digital and business skills gap in a sustainable manner that meets the needs of the market and increases the competitiveness of Kosovo’s digital and t­­raditional businesses and to increase the export of Kosovan ICT businesses, and traditional businesses through the use of ICT.

ICT eliminates borders

Kosovo-based companies’ most popular export services include IT consulting, web design development, mobile solutions, and e-commerce. LinkPlus offers these services to clients operating within the EU but also to those across North American markets. The future looks bright for the company which is looking into cooperation with companies identified in recent business-to-business meetings.

“One of our strategies for growth comes from our belief that we can expand together with future partners within the EU,” she explains. “We’ve established initial contacts, with focus on sectors that we specialised in, and now we know more about the market and key players.” She says she is pleased with the initial introductions to present Kosovo’s investment potential, under which she includes Kosovo’s youth, climate for doing business, proximity to the EU, use of the euro as a currency, and the friendly relationships with clients which she sees as defining features of her society.

She said that she is also engaged in improving the position of women as a personal mission and uses the “DigiWomen” initiative, where she serves as a board member, as one platform joining up women in IT that can work as a role model. “The most important thing if we want to achieve gender equality is to lead by example in inspiring new generations: the change has to come from ourselves to make societies better.”

Old cheese recipe meets new clients

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Cheesemakers from Bosnia and Herzegovina increase their production and workforce with EU support.

When Tomislav Puđa was 20 years old, his father died, and Tomislav took up the family tradition of cheese making. The Puđa family specialise in the production of Livno cheese which is a hard cheese made from cow’s milk, sheep’s milk, or a mixture of the two. In the shape of a wheel, the cheese matures naturally under its rind for at least 60 days and has a robust flavour which can be slightly tangy. The recipe was introduced to the Livno region to match the taste of the imperial nobility in the time of Austro-Hungarian rule.

“My father always dreamed of our business growing bigger and having a small dairy. My brother and I decided to make this dream come true.”

From an artisanal cheese to a big company

Tomislav’s grandmother and grandfather had produced the cheese in small amounts in their cellar. In the 1970s, they decided to commercialise this product and sell it in the tourist region along the Adriatic coast. Although the quantities were not large, sales were good enough to make a living for the family. Tomislav’s father continued this tradition, and Tomislav helped.

“My father always dreamed of our business growing bigger and having a small dairy. My brother and I decided to make this dream come true,” says Tomislav.

The Puđa Eco Cheese dairy was founded in 2003, and has been growing ever since. Today, the dairy produces a dozen different types of cheese, and has won a number of international quality awards, most notably a gold medal from the International Cheese Fair held in Austria in 2014.

In 2019, guided by the idea of modernising the production process and strengthening the dairy’s long-term position on the domestic and foreign markets, the Puđas’ company responded to a public call for grants published within the EU4Business project, funded by the European Union and the German government and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the German development cooperation organisation, GIZ. Thanks to the EU4Business project, the dairy replaced obsolete cheese barrels with larger and modern ones, procured cutting and weighing machines and new shelves in the ripening facilities, and installed systems for maintaining the microclimate in the dairy. Construction work has also contributed to improving the overall quality of the production process in the dairy.

The total value of this investment amounted to over €380,000, of which the European Union provided nearly €150,000 in grants. The modern equipment has improved workflow and quality, reduced production costs, and contributed to increased productivity. “Modern technology has reduced errors to a minimum which is important to us in terms of quality continuity. One thing we saw right off is that the new equipment has better milk utilisation, meaning that today we get more cheese with the same amount of milk. As a result, our market competitiveness has now improved,” says Tomislav. The improvements achieved through the EU4Business project also mean new opportunities for expanding the production and marketing of cheese outside the borders of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“People are our greatest asset. With the new machines, our workers have better working conditions and they can do their job faster and more easily.”

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

Nearly 40 people work in the dairy, including seven people employed thanks to the EU4Business investment. New hires increased production levels, but also ensured better product quality control. As Tomislav says, “People are our greatest asset. With the new machines, our workers have better working conditions and they can do their job faster and more easily”.

YEAs in Albania meet Roma youth

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An event organised as part of International Roma Day included ten Young European Ambassadors and ten young people from the Roma community in Albania. With Tirana the European Youth Capital in 2022, the purpose of the meeting was to bring attention to Roma youth who are studying and contributing to the community in Albania.

 

Discussion focused on daily challenges and the way young Roma deal with them in Albania. Other topics included the work that has been done to improve the access of Roma people to basic rights, education and employment. It was concluded that although there have been improvements in terms of Roma integration and the protection of human rights, there is still a lot to do and the challenges remain real.

 

Finally, the participants discussed and agreed on future cooperation on the further empowerment of Roma youth in Albania.

YEA participate in debate on women empowerment in Belgrade

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The hybrid EU4Balkans mini festival took place in Belgrade at the end of March. The event was part of the cooperation activities organised by the European Commission’s Directorate General for Regional and Urban Policy and the organisers of the Balkan Trafik festival. Through debate, cultural events, and meetings with Serbia’s Deputy Minister of Culture and Media, the event covered a range of important issues such as youth employment, inclusion and the development of rural areas in the Western Balkans.

 

The debate included the Young European Ambassadors (YEAs) and focused on women’s empowerment with participants emphasising that empowering women entails giving them the means and skills to thrive, to be independent and to change society.

 

EU4Balkans events aim to raise visibility on interregional cooperation as part of the IPA instrument for Pre-accession Assistance and the positive impact of EU Enlargement Policies.