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Author: WeBalkans

EIB supports Montenegro with €50 million loan for COVID-19 recovery

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The European Investment Bank (EIB), the lending arm of the European Union, will lend €50 million to the Investment and Development Fund of Montenegro (IDF) to support the faster recovery of the local economy from COVID-19 and help introduce energy-efficient practices among small businesses in the country. The EIB loan creates a new source of more affordable financing for Montenegrin companies operating in infrastructure, industry, transport, innovation, agriculture and tourism, some of the hardest-hit sectors.  
Funds will be available under favourable conditions to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) address their liquidity issues, support jobs, increase competitiveness and improve energy efficiency practices. The EIB loan is the latest of Team Europe’s support measures to accelerate the COVID-19 recovery of regional economies and effective climate action. It delivers much-needed climate and environmental sustainability financing for the Western Balkans to enable a faster transition to a sustainable, green and circular economy.  
This is the second loan signed with the IDF since the start of the pandemic, following a €50 million investment signed in September 2020 to support the COVID-19 recovery of over 150 Montenegrin small and medium enterprises. Including the loan signed today, the EIB and the IDF have signed six operations to date, unlocking €470 million of investments for the Montenegrin economy.

EU support increases protection for women survivors of violence in BiH

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Tenzila*, a 52-year-old from Zenica in the centre of Bosnia and Herzegovina, lived with physical and psychological violence for 15 years. Along with her two children, she decided to report the violence and ask for support from state institutions. Faced with a slow, time-consuming process, she struggled to get the help she needed.

 

“I was faced with a wall that was too big for me to climb on my own, so I reached out to the Center of Women’s Rights. They offered me the service of a “person of trust.” Even after the first conversation with this person, I felt supported and relieved. That conversation prompted me to get up and move forward. It made me feel like someone wanted to listen to me, while in all other institutions I was not accepted,” Tenzila explains.

 

At a time when such support to women wasn’t part of national legislation or recognised as a part of international standards and conventions, access to such a “person of trust” was offered by the Center of Women’s Rightsorganisation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The role of a person of trust is to ensure that the rights and interests of women who have reported violence are effectively represented at all proceedings, explains Meliha Sendić, President of the Center of Women’s Rights. Their free legal aid service consists of working on behalf of women who have experienced violence, mediating with the institutions that are part of the system of protection from violence. This and other services were part of the UN Women regional programme on ending violence against women, called“Implementing Norms, Changing Minds” and funded by the European Union.

 

In the meantime, Bosnia and Herzegovina has taken significant steps towards recognising the position of the “person of trust.” An amendment to the Law on Protection from Domestic Violence in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) prescribing the position of the “person of trust” was unanimously adopted by the House of Representatives of the FBiH Parliament at the beginning of this year. In July, the House of Peoples of the FBiH Parliament adopted the amendments to the FBiH Law on Protection from Domestic Violence, guaranteeing the rightsof women who have experienced violence to appoint a “person of trust” to be present in all proceedings and actions related to their case.

 

The Center of Women’s Rights worked on a draft proposal for amendments to the law, with the support of an expert group. This was also part of the “Implementing Norms, Changing Minds” programme and, thanks to its work, now more victims of violence can benefit from increased legal support.

 

*Name changed to protect the individual’s identity

EU supports the civil society regional actions in the Western Balkans

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The inaugural ceremony of the “Support to the promotion of Civil Society regional actions in the Western Balkans,” a regional project co-funded by the European Union, through IPA – Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, and implemented by the Western Balkans Fund (WBF), was held today in Tirana.

 

During the ceremony, the EU Ambassador to Tirana, H.E. Luigi Soreca, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Albania, H.E. Olta Xhaçka, the  North Macedonia Ambassador to Albania, H.E. Dancho Markovski, and the WBF Executive Director, Gjergj Murra delivered keynote speeches.

 

In his remarks, Mr. Soreca emphasized the importance of regional cooperation for the future of the Western Balkans. “The action that we kick off today is indeed designed to increase the participation of grassroots organisations in the regional cooperation, in view of good neighbourly relations and reconciliation. We consider civil society in the region as an essential and reliable partner, and we recognise the multiple roles civil society plays”, underlined Mr. Soreca.

 

The Western Balkans Fund has currently opened the application through its webpage https://wbfportal.org/applicant/. Eligible subjects from the WB6 can be awarded up to €15,000 in grants.

 

Civil Society organisations are the primary beneficiaries of EU/WBF joint action, but eligible potential grantees include associations, foundations, not-for-profit organisations, regional networks, local and regional public entities, or business associations. In four years of its existence, the Western Balkans Fund, as a regionally owned body created by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the region, has become a home for aggregated data and evidence that demonstrate the impact and value of regional cooperation on the communities it assists.  In the previous regional calls (2017-2020), the WBF attracted 890 applications from CSOs and other stakeholders, directly including 3,430 organizations, reaching out to more than 10,000 citizens.

A computer for every family

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in Stories.

An enthusiast from North Macedonia has enabled donations of over 1,200 computers to families in need. During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions on movement and closure of schools had a severe impact on children’s education and daily routines, as they had to attend classes from home. This situation also highlighted once more the gap between the children and families who have access to computers and the internet and those who don’t. Borche Stamenov from the town of Kavadarci in North Macedonia is one of the heroes who has contributed to reducing this gap for 1,200 families across the country who could not afford to buy a computer. His story started almost by accident.
Borche works at Bidat Informatika, a company from Kavadarci that provides software and hardware repair services. He explains that for years clients had been leaving their old computers at their store, so they could use them to train interns to fix them. In 2016, a woman came to Bidat Informatika and said she needed a computer but didn’t have the means to buy one. Borche had the idea of using spare parts to put together a computer for her. He and his colleague then delivered it to the woman’s home.

 “Witnessing the joy of the children, and the light in their eyes, I decided to continue this computer donation work and bring happiness to as many children as possible.”

A small donation that turned into a movement When visiting this home, Borche and his colleague met the woman’s three children who were overjoyed by Borche’s gift. “Witnessing the joy of the children, and the light in their eyes, I decided to continue this computer donation work and bring happiness to as many children as possible,” says Borche. Following this, Borche launched a “Donate Computer” social media page so he could reach more people who were willing to donate second-hand computers and more families who couldn’t afford a computer. As he had predicted, the families in need were numerous but, to his surprise, the number of interested donors was also high. First, 20 computers came from a local company, who were replacing their old computers. “We published this donation on our social media pages, and more donations kept on coming,” says Borche. The pace of his humanitarian mission picked up in the pandemic when the Ministry of Education of North Macedonia decided to move teaching online. As a result, hundreds of children and young adults from poor families and remote regions faced a daunting challenge. The numbers of donated computers accelerated during this year when from around 100 annually, Borche and his colleagues increased the amount of computers delivered to approximately 500. They had to launch a web page to better organise the flow of delivery from donors to people in need. He was helped by individuals who relayed messages to him from those in need, and by delivery companies such as Eko Logistic Servis which delivered the computers for free.

 “The EU was willing to provide us with around 140 computers and other pieces of IT equipment. This was marvellous and the biggest donation that we have received so far.”

About the initiative Doniraj Kompjuter (Donate Computer) is an initiative launched by Borche Stamenov from Kavadarci in North Macedonia. So far, the initiative has been able to deliver 1,200 computers to families in need all over North Macedonia. The hardware has been donated by private individuals, companies and institutions, including the EU delegation in Skopje who provided over 140 pieces of IT equipment from laptops and desktop computers to printers. Borche was contacted by the EU Delegation in Skopje, who were renewing their computers and other IT equipment, and had heard about his initiative. “The EU was willing to provide us with around 140 computers and other pieces of IT equipment. This was marvellous and the biggest donation that we have received so far,” says Borche. Contact with the EU Delegation in Skopje continued even after their donation. This year Borche received their European of the Year Special Award for Solidarity. His contribution was recognised in improving the lives of families in need of digital connectivity, which has been particularly acute during the heightened isolation and online learning of COVID times. Borche’s computers have reached virtually every region in Macedonia. He has received thankyou notes in various forms – from letters to videos. And he plans to continue. “I hope that in the near future there will be no more need for my contribution as the government or other institutions will enable every family in North Macedonia to own a new computer. But until then, I will keep on working on this,” he says.

EU Investigative Journalism Awards for 2021 announced in Serbia

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On November 16 at the EU info centre in Belgrade, Serbia, the winners of this year’s EU Awards for Investigative Journalism were announced, for stories published in Serbia in 2020.

 

The first prize for best investigative story went to Dina Djordjević for a series of articles on air pollution published by the Centre for Investigative Journalism CINS. Saša Dragojlo of BIRN and Dragana Pećo of KRIK were awarded second place, and BIRN journalist Natalija Jovanović won third place.

 

This year the competition received 28 applications, 26 of which fulfilled the conditions. Evaluation of the nominated stories was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, a jury consisting of Aleksandra Krstić, professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences, and Momir Turudić, editor of the weekly Vreme, selected 13 shortlisted stories. These were then evaluated by a jury consisting of Tatjana Lazarević, editor-in-chief of KosSev, Predrag Blagojević, founder and former editor-in-chief at Južne Vesti, and Tihomir Loza, executive director of the SEENPM network.

 

The EU Awards for Investigative Journalism in Serbia are part of an ongoing EU-funded project, titled “Strengthening Quality News and Independent Journalism in the Western Balkans and Turkey”. The project is implemented by the BIRN Hub in partnership with BIRN Albania, BIRN Serbia, Central European University, the Centre for Investigative Journalism of Montenegro, the European Broadcasting Union, the Independent Trade Union of Journalists and Media Workers, the International Federation of Journalists, the Media Association of South-East Europe, and Thomson Media.

EU provides additional €5 million for Corridor Vc in Bosnia and Herzegovina

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The European Investment Bank (EIB) – the lending arm of the EU – and the Ministry of Finance of Bosnia and Herzegovina have signed an agreement for a €5 million grant for the supervision of construction works for the Počitelj-Zvirovići subsection of Corridor Vc. The work is due to be completed in 2022 and will provide approximately 21 km of continuous motorway between Počitelj and Bijača on the southern border of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the European Union in Croatia. Corridor Vc is the highest priority transport network in Bosnia and Herzegovina and will contribute to more sustained economic development, regional trade and improved living conditions for those in the area along the route.  
Head of the EU Delegation and EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Johann Sattler, said, “The €5 million grant signed today represents another major step towards the completion of the vital Corridor Vc. Better links within the country will deepen economic and cross-border integration, as well as strengthening the development of local transnational Euroregions, creating a virtuous circle of economic growth and deeper European integration. The European Union has so far allocated more than €225 million for the construction of Corridor Vc. Our support will continue alongside the Economic and Investment Plan, which sets up a substantial investment package supporting connectivity in the region.”  
The Corridor Vc construction project is a collaboration between the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the European Union, the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. It is creating safer and better transport connections and opening up new employment and business opportunities in the country.

24 families receive new homes in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia

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This week, a further 24 families received keys to new homes in Vareš in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Bor in Serbia. The homes were built as part of the Regional Housing Programme (RHP) which continues to make steady progress towards its objective of providing homes to approximately 11,800 of the most vulnerable displaced and refugee families in the Western Balkans.

 

Keys were given to nine families in Vareš, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on 15 November. RHP beneficiary Josepka Pecirep and her son Tomislav were delighted to see their bright new apartment after a decade spent living in a damp basement. “We can finally feel the warmth of the sun,” said Josepka. “This is a moment that I will remember for as long as I live.” The following day, it was the turn of 15 families in Bor, Serbia, to celebrate the receipt of long-awaited homes.

 

This event was attended by Nicola Bertolini, Head of Cooperation at the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia, and representatives of Serbian authorities and other donors. Delivering the keys to the beneficiaries, Mr Bertolini said, “I am extremely happy that you have finally found a home. I also thank the City of Bor for participating in this project.”

 

The main donor to the RHP is the European Union, while other key donors include Germany, Italy, Norway, Switzerland and the United States of America.

EU, EBRD and Austria donate trees for a greener Western Balkans region

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With the aim of marking the results of the Green Economy Financing Facility (GEFF) programme and in a symbolic contribution to the fight against climate change, the EU, EBRD and and Austria have begun the planting of 1,000 trees in the six Western Balkan beneficiaries. The tree-planting started last week with lime trees in Podgorica in Montenegro and white pine in Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the coming weeks the campaign will continue in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia.

 

The GEFF is supported by the EBRD and co-financed through the EU-supported “Regional Energy Efficiency Programme” WBIF project and the Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance. It has supported over 9,000 households in the region to improve energy efficiency over the past four years with investments including new windows, insulation, and heat pumps. The programme offers specialised credit lines and grant resources and has financed green technology investments worth over €45 million.

 

Upon successful completion of the investments, households receive EU-funded incentive grants worth up to 20% of the loan amount, making these investments more affordable to citizens.

EU supports introduction of district heating in more municipalities in Kosovo

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An EU-funded technical assistance project worth €2 million was launched recently to support the preparation of a feasibility study for district heating in Kosovo based on renewable energy. The study will include cost-benefit analyses and an environmental and social impact assessment report and will cover the municipalities of Drenas/Glogovac,Ferizaj/Uroševac, Gjilan/Gnjilane, Kastriot/Obilić, Mitrovica, Peja/Peć , Prizren, and Zveçan/ Zvečan.

 

Currently, the heating systems in these municipalities are not suitable for collective residential and service sector buildings and they have a substantial negative impact on both air quality and public health. The feasibility study will consider the possibility of using environment-friendly and locally available primary energy sources with different technologies and distributing the heat through highly efficient district heating systems.

 

A team of international and national experts will support the Kosovo authorities to develop the plans which canfacilitate strategic investment. The main funding sources are expected to be loans from the European Investment Bank – the lending arm of the EU – and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). National contributions and technical and investment grants from the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) are expected to be blended with loan funds.

 

The WBIF is an EU-led donor investment platform that pools grants with implementing partner financing to support EU enlargement and socio-economic development in the region.

EU promotes cleaner air in Sarajevo

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Along with high-level officials from Sarajevo canton, the Head of the EU Delegation and EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Ambassador Johann Sattler, visited the student dormitory in Nedžarići to promote projects which will lead to cleaner air in Sarajevo.

 

The Nedžarići student dormitory is one of the 40 public buildings (including kindergartens, schools, and health facilities) in Sarajevo that will be part of the Green City Action Plan for Sarajevo Canton. The Plan includes work on the thermal insulation of facades, replacement of dilapidated windows and doors, installation of energy efficient lighting and improvement of heating systems. The project is supported with €2 million in grants from the European Union, €8 million in loans from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and €500,000 in grants from the Austrian government. The project is being implemented in close cooperation with the government of Sarajevo canton.

 

During the visit to Nedžarići, Ambassador Sattler said, “The EU is pleased to support the government of Sarajevo canton to reduce air pollution, but also to increase awareness of the role we, as inhabitants of Sarajevo, can play in ensuring cleaner air. Change is possible: we have seen other cities of the world who have made this change. What it requires is a plan, dedication, financial resources and then implementation. These are the important ingredients you need to have in order to move forward.”