Open City Mostar Festival opened its doors on 1 September with a classical music performance and a rock concert. For three weeks, the festival will bring exhibitions and public discussions to this city in the south of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The festival supports the culture and tourism sectors, which have been badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as using culture to promote dialogue and inclusivity and bring down the barriers dividing communities in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and the region.
EU Special Representative and Head of the EU Delegation to BiH Johann Sattler commented that cultural events can be a powerful medium to demonstrate that there is more that people have in common than that divides them. Such events also offer new ways of thinking and opportunities to understand different perspectives.
Funded by the EU, the Open City Festival is organised by the Mostar Rock School in cooperation with the City of Mostar. In addition to musical acts, and theatrical and audio-visual performances, discussions on the future of the city, ecology and BiH’s EU path also feature in the programme.
The European Investment Bank (EIB), the lending arm of the European Union, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will finance a project to modernise urban transport in the city of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Initially, this will cover the purchase of 15 new trams to replace the existing outdated tram fleet. The overall modernisation of the public transport network includes replacement of city’s trolley buses as well as construction of new roads.
The EIB has already allocated €40 million for this project, which will help with air pollution, traffic congestion and safety tackle – some of the daily challenges faced by people in Sarajevo. More efficient and reliable public transportation will encourage a shift from private to public transport, improving for the quality of city life and the environment alike.
To date, the EIB has invested €1.6 billion in the modernisation of transport infrastructure in the country, contributing to the construction of safer modern roads, primarily along Corridor Vc – a major north-south transit road in the Western Balkans through Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Young people from the Western Balkans attended a five-day summer school to discuss the region’s future by looking into history. The main aim of this initiative was to allow participants to examine the legacies and historical narratives of the Western Balkans through a critical lens. At the same time, the summer school provided participants with an open and safe space for dialogue.
The summer school enriched young students’ knowledge and understanding of the past and encouraged them to explore topics of regional reconciliation and peacebuilding. They learned how to start social campaigns in their home communities and to address issues relevant to their peers. They were also helped to develop the skills that are vital to active citizenship, intercultural learning and dialogue, and solidarity in society.
The summer school that took place in Kovačica, Serbia is part of the “Challenge History – React for the Future” project, which welcomed participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. The project is supported by the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) and co-financed by the European Union.
The Council of the European Union has recommended that the EU Member States gradually lift the travel restrictions at the EU external borders for residents of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia, starting from 30 August 2021.
At the same time, it decided to revoke such recommendation for Kosovo and North Macedonia.
The EU Member States retain the discretion to lift the temporary restrictions on non-essential travel to the EU for fully vaccinated travellers.
Albania and North Macedonia started construction works on the first electricity interconnector between the two countries. The project is financed by the European Union (EU) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and is part of the EU’s initiative to establish an East-West electricity transmission corridor between Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, and Italy. The section between Bulgaria and North Macedonia, financed by the EBRD, has already been completed, and a new 400kV line between Albania and Montenegro as well as a submarine cable between Italy and Montenegro is also operational.
The new transmission line will provide improved and affordable energy supply to residents and businesses in North Macedonia by standardising voltage levels, stabilising load flow and frequency fluctuations, and decreasing technical losses in the overall transmission system. This project is important for the integration of European electricity markets and is a Project of Energy Community Interest (PECI) since 2013. It is included in the Strategy for Energy Development of North Macedonia until 2040 and is funded under the EU’s Connectivity Agenda.
The project, financed through the EU-led Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF), is expected to be completed in 2023.
With EU support, two university professors are taking their digital identity company beyond Serbia
Miloš Milovanović is an IT professor at the University of Belgrade and cofounder of IT company Blinking. He has done many things during his career: he was a musician, a radio host, and a postman, he worked briefly in construction before becoming a university professor, and finally he became an entrepreneur. The only thing that has remained constant is his love for technology and interest in how it can change the world. As a scientist, he has devoted his research to digital identity and biometrics. Eventually, he and his friend and fellow professor, MiroslavMinović , decided to establish a company that could enable society to perform the ultimate digital shift.
Their idea to start a company came from the conclusion that the current model of manually acquiring data and documents on physical premises or through insecure and unverified digital channels is flawed and outdated. During the process of applying for a service, for example, people often leave copies of their data or documents in the hands of each person their application passes through. Miloš and Miroslav knew that this model was prone to breach, identity theft, and misuse of private data and is costly in terms of individuals’ and organisations’ time and money. They therefore worked to produce a reliable, secure, and simple way to confirm identity.
“For years now, companies have been looking for a way to turn their business towards digital interaction, but they lacked adequate solutions.”
Ending the queues in front of the banks
In 2017, university professors Miloš and Miroslav found themselves wondering when the queues in front of bank branches would disappear and people would really start to finish things “with a click”. Miloš says that they basically just developed something that they wanted to use themselves. “For years now, companies have been looking for a way to turn their business towards digital interaction, but they lacked adequate solutions,” he explains.
He goes on to describe how, although there was a perceived clear need for the product in the market, also recognised by big decision makers, there was reluctance to introduce the product. “They were simply not ready,” he says, so the two men took alternative action to get the market used to digital ID. One approach was to introduce the technology piece by piece; the other was promoting the benefits of the technology in lectures and presentations to influence companies and other stakeholders to use the product.
Eventually, all their efforts paid off and Blinking is now the leading company in Serbia for digital identity verification and one of the leading companies in the region. But their ambitions did not stop there, they wanted to increase their regional sales and enter the EU and global market. For this they needed support, which came from the EU-funded PowerUP programme which was launched to support Western Balkan Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to build resilience to COVID-19 and expand their market presence.
“PowerUP was a very good programme where we got very useful information and skills. The most important part for us related to international growth beyond the Western Balkans.”
About the project
PowerUP is afree programme designed for SMEs and start-ups who are looking for new ways to attract customers and adapt their business models, and who are interested in outside investment. The programme was launched by the World Bank in November 2020 and is funded by the EU under the Western Balkans Enterprise Development and Innovation Facility (WB EDIF), with leading consulting company, Deloitte, supporting its implementation. Over 200 other companies from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia participated in the programme, receiving training aimed at supporting companies’ further growth, ability to attract investment and crisis resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The EU-funded PowerUP programme supported Blinking to upgrade numerous skills: from people management, to better addressing customers and marketing. “PowerUP was a very good programme where we got very useful information and skills. The most important part for us related to international growth beyond the Western Balkans,” says Miloš.
Blinking currently has 30 full-time employees and other external associates. “When it comes to the future, we want to build something long-lasting. But one of the things I know well is that we need to be patient. We also need to continue to believe that even if you come from the Western Balkans you can become an important international player in this market. That is why we are investing, improving and developing new products, some of which will see the light of day by the end of the year. So follow us on social media networks for the latest updates,” says Miloš.
This month the Young European Ambassadors (YEA) network celebrates its first birthday. During their first year, the YEAs have initiated and participated in events and activities such as webinars, youth activism campaigns, and the EXIT and Balkan Trafik festivals. They have used these activities to promote issues including media literacy, gender equality, youth empowerment, and environment protection. To mark the first anniversary, the Young European Ambassadors have produced a short video that covers the main activities of their one-year journey.
The YEA network launched in August 2020 with 60 change-makers from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. The network promotes diversity while sharing a common vision: learning about one another and the European Union, pursuing creative projects, acquiring new skills, organising inspiring events – always guided by the idea that youth activism is the most powerful tool for social change.
The YEAs are now a well-known network, sharing information with their peers about opportunities offered by the EU – from education and skills development, to travel, advocacy, and much more. This next generation of young leaders isinspiring change within their communities and across the Western Balkan region and the EU.
Non-Governmental Organisations from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia gathered young people from these countries as part of a youth exchange programme supported by the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO). The gathering took place from 10 to 15 August in Krujë, Albania where young people had an opportunity to learn about peacebuilding and conflict resolution in society. The participants also explored topics such as identity, prejudice, stereotypes, and intercultural diversity.
“We believe that this is a journey, on which I as a young person can get to know my own self and to realise who I want to be, what kind of a person I want to be, what beliefs and what values I want to live, what kind of a society I want to live in, and how I as an individual can contribute to creating it,”said Ms Ljijana Šotra, a project representative from the Balkans, Let’s Get Up! organisation.
The exchange was implemented as part of the “P.A.C.E. – Peace and Conflict Education” project supported by RYCO and co-financed by the European Union.
The Tokyo Games are not over. The Paralympic Games in Tokyo began on 24 August, and 20 Serbian athletes are competing in archery, athletics, cycling, powerlifting, swimming, table tennis, and taekwondo. The European Union delegation to Serbia is a proud partner of the Serbian Paralympic team, covering the costs of transporting the athletes, their coaches and staff to Tokyo, and supporting the Serbian Paralympic Committee in performing its duties and promoting sports for all in Serbia.
On the eve of the departure of the Serbian Paralympic team to Tokyo, Ambassador Sem Fabrizi said, “I am very proud of the European Union’s partnership with the Serbian Paralympic Movement. They are amazing athletes who have overcome extremely complex challenges in order to achieve great results. I am sure that they will achieve great results also in Tokyo and that they will make us proud, and we hope that they will return with medals.”
The history of the Paralympic Games dates back to 1948, when as part of the recovery of Second World War veterans with spinal injuries, Sir Ludwig Gutmann organised a shooting competition. It has been an international competition since 1952, and since 1960 it has been held in the same city as the Olympic Games.
With a new decision by the European Commission, COVID certificates issued by North Macedonia – as well as Turkey and Ukraine – will be accepted in the EU under the same conditions as the EU Digital COVID Certificate. At the same time, North Macedonia, Turkey and Ukraine have agreed to accept the EU Digital COVID Certificate for travel from the EU to their countries. Their participation in the EU’s Digital COVID Certificate will thus facilitate safe travel to and from the EU.
Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, commented, “As we fight the pandemic together, our partners are also an integral part of opening up safely together. I welcome Ukraine, North Macedonia and Turkey in our Digital COVID Certificate system and look forward to more of our neighbours connecting soon.”
The decision entered into force on 20 August.
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