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Author: WeBalkans

Serbian military doctors and staff join EU Training Mission in Somalia

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Six Serbian military doctors and staff will be joining the EU Training Mission in Somalia (EUTM S). The Mission was launched in 2010, with the aim of strengthening Somali federal defence institutions through training, mentoring and advice. It consists of approximately 200 personnel from seven EU Member States, plus Serbia.

 

EU ambassador to Serbia, Emanuele Giaufret, thanked the Serbian soldiers who will leave on mission, wishing them good luck. He said: “We are grateful and proud to be able to count on Serbia in our civilian and military missions and operations. Freedom, democracy and security come at a high price, and Serbian personnel is filling the key roles essential for the success of such missions. EU soldiers have the privilege of being in the safe hands of the Serbian medical team. We hope our partnership will grow and deepen, for the sake of expanding global security and stability.”

 

The role of Serbia’s medical contingent as part of this mission is treatment, evacuation, resupply, and functions essential to the maintenance of the health of the force. It includes the provision of first aid, immediate lifesaving measures, and triage. Additionally, it will contribute to the health and well-being of the unit through guidance in the prevention of disease, non-battle injuries, and operational stress.

EIB supports Bosnian SMEs with €20 million

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The European Investment Bank (EIB), the bank of the European Union, has signed a €20 million loan under its new branch, EIB Global. Through Intesa Sanpaolo Banka BiH, the loan aims to foster youth employment, gender equality and socially inclusive practices among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-caps (companies with a capitalisation of between €2 million and €10 million).

 

These funds will enable Intesa Sanpaolo BiH to on-lend to local companies that are committed to improving the social impact of their businesses and creating long-term leadership and employment opportunities for women, young people and segments of the population that face higher entry barriers in the labour market.

 

This innovative loan includes a performance-based reward mechanism for companies that meet specific targets to foster leadership, employment and professional development opportunities for women, young people and vulnerable groups (e.g. people with disabilities, refugees, etc.). Under this incentive scheme, tailor-made social impact objectives will be agreed with each company benefiting from the EIB financing. A financial reward, matching the level of social impact generated, will be distributed to those who meet these targets.

 

The reward mechanism will be financed via a €3.3 million grant provided under the EIB’s Economic Resilience Initiative Fund, aimed at boosting job creation and sustainable and inclusive private sector growth. A comprehensive technical assistance programme will be created to support the project’s implementation and the achievement of the social impact objectives agreed with SMEs and mid-caps.

 

This will be the sixth cooperation between the EIB and Intesa Sanpaolo BiH in support of the private sector in BiH which has resulted in the disbursement of over €238 million and provided support to 339 companies so far. To date, the EIB has provided €860 million to the private sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has helped sustain close to 100,000 jobs.

New master’s programmes join Erasmus Mundus catalogue

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Twenty-seven new Erasmus Mundus joint master’s programmes will offer scholarships to students from the Western Balkans and elsewhere around the world. These are the first under Erasmus+ for 2021-2027.

 

The first intake of students will start this year and these newly-selected programmes make a total of more than 170 programmes available in the Erasmus Mundus catalogue. Almost €127 million has been invested in these new programmes, with support for over 2,000 scholarships for students from all over the world. During the 17 years of Erasmus Mundus joint master’s programmes, more than 28,000 students from 195 countries have been awarded scholarships to study in 566 programmes.

 

Joint programmes blend the best teaching from different universities, often combining different faculties and disciplines. Students study in two or more partner universities over two years. Most of them also have a company or organisation placement to gain practical experience. Students therefore graduate with the right skills and international outlook to equip them for a career as practitioners, administrators or researchers in key and/or niche sectors.

Works begin on North Macedonia – Albania electricity transmission line

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On 17 February, works commenced on the 400 kV transmission line that starts from the Bitola 2 transformer station and connects the power transmission systems of North Macedonia and Albania. The project has exceptional regional strategic and capital value as it completes the process of connecting North Macedonia to the power transmission systems of all the neighbouring countries, adding to the five 400 kV interconnections already operational – two connections with Greece and one each with Bulgaria, Kosovo and Serbia.  
This transmission line is part of the larger capital project of €50 million for the interconnection of North Macedonia with Albania, including the construction of a transformer station near Ohrid which started in August, as well as the expansion of the Bitola 2 400/110 kV transformer station. In the context of the entire east-west power chain, the Bitola-Elbasan interconnection transmission line is the key link in the transit of electricity from Bulgaria through North Macedonia and Albania to Italy.  
The new transmission line will provide improved and affordable energy supply to residents and businesses in North Macedonia by normalising voltage levels, stabilising load flow and frequency fluctuations, and decreasing technical losses in the overall transmission system. This Western Balkans Investment Framework project is expected to be completed in 2023.

The future of Europe in a mural

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The Delegation of the European Union to Serbia, in cooperation with the New Moment New Ideas company and in partnership with the Novi Sad city council for culture and the Novi Sad 2022 Foundation, is inviting artists to apply to Paint Me the Future of Europe. For this initiative in Novi Sad, this year’s European Capital of Culture, artists must be between 18 and 35 and be from Serbia, elsewhere in the Western Balkans or Europe.  
Through the mural and active engagement in other cultural activities in Novi Sad, the selected artists will demonstrate their artistic excellence, their ability to reflect on socially engaging topics, and their vision of the European continent’s future. Artists wishing to take part in Paint Me the Future of Europe should apply with a short resume, a portfolio, and a sketch of their vision of the theme, using the form at futureofeurope.newmoment.com. The website offers other details about applying for the initiative and the events around the preparation and creation of the mural.  
Applications will be accepted until 18 March. The eight selected artists will paint a wall together across the Petrovaradin Fortress during a stay in Novi Sad from 18 April to 9 May. The mural will be officially unveiled as part of Europe Day celebrations on 9 May.

Ringing the changes

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How Montenegrin children are helping to protect biodiversity through bird-ringing. Bird-ringing, or bird banding, is an important way of gathering information on the migration routes of bird species, their stopover sites, wintering areas and migration speeds. This helps keep track of the movements of birds and their life history, from longevity, causes of death and fidelity to birthplaces, to nesting sites and mates. The wealth of data gathered helps build up a picture of each population, and whether they are struggling or thriving – invaluable information for protecting our bird populations and biodiversity.   The Centre for Bird Protection and Research (CZIP), a Montenegrin NGO, believes this scientific activity can also be a lot of fun and they decided to involve the general public, including children. “We realised that a lot of citizens in Montenegro think of science as something that is really complicated, that they cannot get any information on…So we decided to get them involved and prove them otherwise!” says Nevena Petković from CZIP. Bird-ringing helps us understand migrating species Bird-ringing involves catching birds with the help of a special net, attaching a small metal ring around one of their legs, and ideally recording the bird’s species, age, sex, wing length, weight and condition – which is important for species determination as well as understanding its readiness to continue migration. Rings have a reference code inscribed on them that allows that particular bird to be uniquely identified if it is caught again. “We always say that our bird-ringing stations are where birds can get a Montenegrin passport without any cost, or stress or visa. We want to make them feel safe and provide proper protection,” smiles Nevena.  She explains that the most important purpose of bird-ringing is protecting the birds’ habitats. When CZIP has information on migration, their scientists can also identify where the birds rest, eat or nest, and take the necessary lobbying or advocacy action to protect these habitats.

“We wanted to make science available to citizens so that everyone can participate, contribute and learn something new at the same time.”  

Bringing science closer to children So far, the project has involved hundreds of schoolchildren and adults from all over Montenegro in bird-ringing activities. “Through this project we are trying to focus mostly on youngsters and we are working a lot with schoolchildren because schools in Montenegro lack environmental presentations and children do not get enough education on these subjects, so we are trying to have as many workshops as we can,” Nevena says. “We wanted to make science available to citizens so that everyone can participate, contribute and learn something new at the same time.”

“The EU support is crucial to this project as without those funds we could not get the necessary equipment, engage licensed bird-ringers, and provide transport and accommodation for hundreds of children and other citizens who have participated in the bird-ringing activity.”

About the project The objectives of the EU-funded BIOdiversity VALues – BIOVAL project are to raise awareness about nature protection among citizens, to support biodiversity monitoring and to change citizen behaviour, involving young people and their teachers. The main activities include the development and distribution of educational and promotional material; events such as exhibitions, field trips, clean-ups, planting, etc.; and organisation of workshops in schools, schools in nature, young research camps, and biodiversity competitions and quizzes. The EU has provided over €80,000 in support to the project. The total duration of the project is 18 months. CZIP’s bird-ringing activities involving the public are being implemented as part of the EU-funded BIOdiversity VALues – BIOVAL project. Involving citizens in bird-ringing has additional costs such as for transport. Nevena explains: “The EU support is crucial to this project as without those funds we could not get the necessary equipment, engage licensed bird-ringers, and provide transport and accommodation for the hundreds of children and other citizens who have participated in the bird-ringing activity.” Another BIOVAL project activity is Bubo Night when data is collected on the Eurasian eagle owl (Bubo bubo) using a methodology that involves visiting pre-selected wildlife locations at night, listening to owl sounds and recording key data in a specific format. Nevena says: “We hope to continue with similar projects and activities. This project has already had a positive impact on increasing the awareness of citizens, particularly children, on the protection of wildlife and bird habitat.”

European Commission launches €3.2 billion investment to advance sustainable connectivity in the Western Balkans

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The European Commission today unveiled a substantial €3.2 billion investment package to support 21 transport, digital, climate and energy connectivity projects in the Western Balkans. This is the first major package of projects under the EU’s ambitious Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans, which the Commission adopted in October 2020 and which will put into action the EU Global Gateway strategy in this region. The projects will bring tangible benefits to all six partners in the region.

 

EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, said: “With this major investment package we are accelerating the delivery of the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans on the ground. We have identified these flagship projects in close cooperation with our partners. Better and more sustainable connections in transport, digital infrastructure and renewable energy will boost the economy, drive the green and digital transition of the region and bring a host of opportunities for people and businesses in the Western Balkans and across the EU. These investments will also speed up the integration of the region, in line with its clear European perspective.” 

 

Over the next years, the Economic and Investment Plan is set to mobilise up to €30 billion of investments, as a combination of grants, preferential loans and guarantees. The Plan will help close the development gap between the EU and the region and support the post-pandemic economic recovery.

 

The projects in this first package cover the Plan’s priority sectors:

 

-Sustainable transport: Construction of major road and railway connections[1] in the region, including the Mediterranean, East-West, and Rhine-Danube corridors and the rail corridor between Skopje in North Macedonia and the Bulgarian border. These projects will facilitate regional trade, reduce travel times and spur sustainable economic growth.

 

-Clean energy: Development of renewable energy sources with the construction of solar power plants and the Trans-Balkan Electricity Transmission Corridor, which will be instrumental for a successful clean energy transition in the region and will contribute to phasing-out of coal use.

 

-Environment & climate: Construction of wastewater treatment plants, which will help to safeguard the environment, health and welfare of the people in the Western Balkans.

 

-Digital: Development of rural broadband infrastructure to ensure universal access

 

-Human development: Construction of a new building of a university children’s hospital to increase its capacity and to include new diagnostic and treatment technologies.

 

Implementation will start soon after signing agreements with international financial institutions, expected during 2022 and 2023.

Europe Houses in North Macedonia turn one!

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The first birthdays of the Europe Houses in Kriva Palanka and Strumica were celebrated with full-day programmes attended by EU Ambassador to North Macedonia, David Geer, Ambassadors from several Member States and Young European Ambassadors.

 

Inaugurated in February 2021, the first youth hubs funded by the EU outside Skopje have so far organised around 330 events in Kriva Palanka and Strumica engaging more than 11,000 young people in promoting a clean environment, healthy lifestyles, increased participation of young people in society and their greater mobility through Erasmus + as well as other topics of concern for young people.

 

The past 12 months were also marked by cultural exchange activities and film screenings – often involving embassies and organisations from EU Member States – along with music and theatre performances and the promotion of young talent.

Montenegro and EU discuss rule of law challenges and steps forward

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At the 11th meeting of the EU-Montenegro Sub-Committee on Justice, Freedom and Security, European Union officials and representatives of relevant Montenegrin institutions discussed the most important developments, key challenges and steps forward in the rule of law reforms.

 

The meeting took place online over 15 and 16 February and considered the activities undertaken in the context of Montenegro’s EU accession negotiations in the key policy areas of the rule of law under chapters 23 and 24 of the EU acquis. This includes judicial reform, fundamental rights, the fight against corruption and organised crime, judicial cooperation, cooperation to tackle drugs and fight terrorism, and migration and border management.

 

Michael Miller, Head of the Montenegro and Serbia Unit at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (NEAR) addressed the Sub-Committee meeting on behalf of the European Commission. He said that the Commission welcomed the renewed efforts of Montenegro’s authorities to streamline the negotiation process in the area of the rule of law and fundamental rights: “The priority for further overall progress in the accession negotiations, and before moving towards the provisional closure of other chapters, remains the fulfilment of the rule of law interim benchmarks set under chapters 23 and 24. In this regard, the focus should be on delivering concrete results in the key areas of media freedom, the fight against corruption and organised crime, and judicial reforms.”

 

The Sub-Committee meeting was part of the regular policy dialogue between the EU and Montenegro, held within the Stabilisation and Association Agreement.

Twelve village houses handed over to RHP beneficiaries in Serbia

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The deeds to 12 village houses were handed over to refugee families in the municipality of Vrbas in Serbia. The houses were purchased within the Regional Housing Programme in Serbia.

 

Thanking all RHP stakeholders for her newly purchased house, Mirjana Šišić said, “The house has new woodwork. In front of the house, there’s a bench where I’ll sit when the weather is nice. Behind the house, there’s a beautiful garden, where I’ll plant vegetables and flowers. The house is habitable, and that’s all I need.”

 

The event where the deeds were handed over was attended by municipal representatives alongside Nemanja Starović, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Derek George, Deputy Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of Switzerland in Serbia; Vladimir Cucić, the Serbian Commissioner for Refugees and Migration, and Violeta Samardžić, representing UNHCR. They also took the opportunity to visit an RHP building in Vrbas where 14 apartments re currently under construction.

 

The European Union is the largest donor of the Regional Housing Programme, with other key donors being Germany, Italy, Norway, Switzerland and the United States of America.