“Anđela Radulović completed her bachelor studies at the Faculty of Legal Sciences at the University of Donja Gorica, after which she continued her two-year master’s studies at the same Faculty in the field of Justice and Public Administration – Criminal Law field. As a Global UGRAD scholar, she spent her third semester of bachelor academic studies at the University of Wisconsin in Eau Claire, USA. As a member of the “”Gavro Vuković”” team, she participated in the Regional Moot Court competition. She has recently completed a traineeship in the Political Section of the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, after which she took an oath before the Montenegrin Bar Association and has started her legal traineeship at the law office “Veselin D. Radulović”. She speaks English and uses Italian.”
Olta Shehu is a recent graduate of University of Medicine, Tirana, Albania, with a strong commitment to pursuing a career in psychiatry and advancing the field of mental health. Her interests lie at the intersection of clinical practice, mental health advocacy, and the broader social determinants that shape well-being. Beyond her medical background, Olta is actively engaged in community initiatives and youth-driven projects focused on empowerment, inclusion, and social development. She approaches mental health not only as a medical priority but also as a fundamental human right, advocating for equitable access to care, dignity, and support for all individuals. Her work is closely aligned with values of human rights and European integration, reflecting a dedication to fostering resilient, informed, and inclusive communities. Through her involvement in regional and international initiatives, she contributes to strengthening dialogue, civic engagement, and youth participation, particularly in contexts that support the Western Balkans’ path toward EU integration.
Interests: Business and Entrepreneurship, International Relations
Gjorgji is a dedicated professional currently pursuing his master’s degree in business law at the International Balkan University (IBU). With a background in law and a passion for empowering others, he serves as a career services specialist at IBU, where he provides valuable guidance to individuals navigating their professional paths. Known for his commitment to excellence, Gjorgji is dedicated to both his academic and professional pursuits. Outside of his studies and work, he enjoys staying informed about legal and business developments and is always eager to expand and share his knowledge
The municipalities of Bitola, Gevgelija, Gostivar, Kocani, Kriva Palanka, Kumanovo, Ohrid, and Veles have been selected to participate in the second phase of the EU-funded Regional Programme on Local Democracy in the Western Balkans (ReLOaD2) in North Macedonia.
The selected municipalities will be the primary recipients of financial assistance and technical support for this project. The project aims to enhance the capacities of municipalities and civil society organisations (CSOs) to engage in productive partnerships and contribute to improved service delivery and implementation of local priorities in line with municipal development strategies. Municipalities will be assisted in the introduction and institutionalisation of transparent mechanisms for financing CSOs from municipal budgets, which will ensure increased civic participation in decision-making processes and provision of public services.
The ReLOaD2 project team will work with local officials in implementing activities such as capacity building training to ensure full transparency in future funding of civil society from local budgets. The project will also promote youth engagement and support the implementation of youth initiatives to improve local economic perspectives.
The ReLOaD2 project is funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme.
EU funding has helped an entrepreneur from Bosnia and Herzegovina on her journey to build a business supporting the journeys of others
Azra Hodžić from Bosnia and Herzegovina has always been an enthusiastic traveller. Until the COVID-19 pandemic started, she travelled for business and for pleasure and visited numerous places. Travelling brings her joy, and a trip to Berlin a few years ago also became the unexpected starting point for a new business endeavour.
Azra was looking for a backpack that she could use on this trip but also when back home. She couldn’t find anything that would fit her specific needs, so as soon as she was back in Sarajevo she designed something that would serve her purpose, and sewed it together with her father.
”They all gave me compliments on the backpack and asked where I got it from. When I told them that I made it, a friend asked if I could make one for her.”
This first backpack that Azra designed and sewed with her father had a simple design, but it was just what she needed. It was immediately noticed by her colleagues at the company where she was working. “They all gave me compliments on the backpack and asked where I got it from. When I told them that I made it, a friend asked if I could make one for her,” says Azra.
After this first order, other requests followed, until Azra realised that this could be turned in to a good business. She launched a social media page where she advertised models in a range of designs. She also came up with a very creative idea how to call her business. Ranac means ‘backpack’ in Bosnian, and St stands for ‘saint’. That was the reason for the name of Azra’s company ST RANAC, but Azra also saw that when you connect the two words you get another meaning. Stranac in Bosnian means ‘foreigner’.
The business went well for two years, with Azra designing and her father sewing. But with a constant increase in orders, Azra had to find a solution to be able to expand further. She lacked proper business management training, equipment and support for marketing and advertising.
“Before, I could not buy a serious amount of raw material as I depended on cash flow. With the support from the EU, I moved to the next level. Now I can respond to higher demand from clients and am ready to become a big company “
About EU4Business
EU4Business aims to stimulate the development of entrepreneurship, export-oriented sectors, tourism and agriculture in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The programme is jointly funded by the European Union (€15 million from pre-accession funds) and the German government (€1.1 million). The project is implemented by GIZ (the German Corporation for International Cooperation), the International Labour Organisation and the United Nations Development Programme and will end in March 2022.
A friend told her about the EU4Business programme that supports young companies and aspiring entrepreneurs in business management and growth. Azra applied and received much-needed business management training, which lasted for over two months. She also received a new industrial sewing machine, which enables her father to produce more in a shorter period of time, and financial support to buy raw material in bulk in advance.
“Before, I could not buy a serious amount of raw material as I depended on cash flow. With the support from the EU, I moved to the next level. Now I can respond to higher demand from clients and am ready to become a big company,” says Azra.
As the world finds new ways to travel in the COVID-19 reality, Azra is expecting further growth of her business. She plans to increase her range of products and, in the near future, to offer employment for other people in her company. She has certainly had challenges, but with her passion and hard work – and a little help from the EU – she has managed to overcome them all.
Thirty-two internally displaced and returnee families in Prijedor in Bosnia and Herzegovina were handed the keys to their new homes, offering them stability and security for the future, after years of living in temporary accommodation. The homes were built as part of the Regional Housing Programme, a joint initiative of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia supporting peace, stability and reconciliation in the region. The EU is the biggest donor to this programme, providing €234 million, which represents over 80% of the total budget.
Over 25 years after the war, around 8,500 persons still live in temporary accommodation across Bosnia and Herzegovina. As part of the Regional Housing Programme, around 1,800 houses and apartments have been delivered to date to offer them a permanent home. The number is expected to reach 3,000 by the end of 2023.
More than 40 media professionals from online, TV and radio institutions from North Macedonia are now more committed to impartial reporting on gender issues and violence against women. This is thanks to the “Different discourse, better reality: Media in combating gender-based violence” capacity building programme funded by the EU and implemented by UN Women.
The programme encouraged partnership between journalists and gender experts on covering women’s rights and ending violence against women. As part of the training, the journalists were familiarised with new guidelines for gender-sensitive reporting in the media. The programme also included mentoring sessions in which journalists were given support to craft gender-sensitive stories. As a result, 15 journalists created articles related to the topic and published them through digital, radio, and television media. The programme was part of an EU-funded project called Implementing Norms, Changing Minds on ending violence against women.
The EU Civil Protection Mechanism continues to channel support to help combat unprecedented forest fires in the Western Balkans and the rest of the Mediterranean. Following requests from Albania, Greece, Italy, North Macedonia, and Turkey, the European Union has now helped mobilise 14 firefighting planes, three helicopters, some 1,300 rescuers and 250 vehicles. In Greece alone, nine planes, close to 1,000 fire fighters and 200 vehicles are currently being deployed. The latest offers over the weekend came from Austria, France, Germany, Poland, and Slovakia, who are sending ground firefighting units. This comes in addition to help already deployed last week to help fight forest fires in Albania, Italy,and North Macedonia.
Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, said “We are mobilising one of Europe’s biggest ever common firefighting operations as multiple fires affect several countries simultaneously. This shows the need to prioritise crisis response also at European level. The EU stands in full solidarity with Albania, Greece, Italy, North Macedonia, and Turkey, at this difficult time.”
In addition, the EU’s emergency Copernicus satellite is helping to provide damage assessment maps of the affected areas in Greece and North Macedonia. The European Union’s 24/7 Emergency Response Coordination Centre is in regular contact with the relevant national authorities to closely monitor the situation and channel the EU’s assistance.
At the beginning of August, five containers for screening patients for COVID-19 were handed over to healthcare facilities in Bihać and Velika Kladuša, in the North-West of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Cantonal Hospital in Bihać received three containers, while the Primary Health Care Clinics of Bihać and Velika Kladuša received one container each.
This donation will help the healthcare system in Bihać and Velika Kladuša better screen and triage persons accessing these facilities, ultimately contributing to preventing the spread of COVID-19 among the citizens of Una Sana Canton. The containers were provided by the EU-funded project on “Addressing COVID-19 challenges within the migrant and refugee response in the Western Balkans”. The project aims to support Western Balkan partners to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on mobility as well as migration governance. The project recognises the impact of the pandemic not only on migrants and refugees, but also on the healthcare systems of the communities hosting reception centres.
The project has so far provided around 260,000 pieces of personal protective equipment and over 11,000 litres of disinfectant to border and migration management authorities across the region. It has helped over 12,000 workers in daily contact with travellers, migrants and asylum seekers, and contributed to containing COVID-19 infections among over 20,000 people on the move.
Ambassador Oana Cristina Popa, the Head of the EU Delegation to Montenegro, visited the municipality of Tivat, where she met with local government representatives and EU project beneficiaries. The visit focused on the environmental sustainability of Tivat and Montenegro and Ms Popa pointed out that further investment in green solutions, with the support of the EU and civil society, will help Tivat attract more tourists and become an example of a green and sustainable municipality, not only in Montenegro, but also in the region and beyond.
“The EU has donated more than €2 million for projects in Tivat, which are mainly aimed at environmental protection, sustainable development and tourism. I learned more from the local authorities about how these projects bring benefits to the local population,“ said Ms Popa.
Together with Željko Komnenović, the mayor of the municipality of Tivat, Ambassador Popa paid a visit to Tivat Salina, where a new visitor centre will be built with European funds. The EU’s investments in the Salina have already helped preserve this nature reserve and develop their tourist offer, as well as protect migratory birds. Ms Popa also visited Župa sports hall, where state-of-the-art solar collectors funded by the EU provide domestic hot water heating.
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