2021 SME Serbia Factsheet
This factsheet provides information on performance and challenges faced by SMEs in Serbia in recent years.
Author: WeBalkans
Film excellence recognised with awards at Kosovo’s EU Film Festival
The European Union Film Festival in Kosovo concluded with an award ceremony at Kino Armata in Pristina in the presence of film lovers and Juan Biurrun, the Deputy Head of the Political, Press and Information section of the EU Office in Kosovo. The best actress award was given to Eli Gashi for her role in the short film “A manual for breaking up”. Redon Kika’s documentary “I have never been on an airplane” won best short documentary, with the best short film award going to Loreta Berbatovci for “Daniel”.
The festival started on 21 July and lasted for nine days, during which Kosovars had a chance to enjoy both local and international movies. Screenings were organised online and in Priština/ Prishtina, North Mitrovica and Gjakova/Djakovica.
The European Film Festival is one of the most important events of European and world cinematography. With a tradition spanning over 30 years, the festival is held annually and is supported by the European Union and organised and supervised by CineEuropa.
EU supports workshop on writing stories on war crime victims’ experiences
Ten participants from Albania, Bosnia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia attended BIRN’s three-day workshop on producing high-quality stories about the past centred on the experiences of war crime victims. The “Youth Memory Transfer” workshop held in Tuzla, Bosnia, from 25-29 July provided ten young people from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia with comprehensive training on fact-checking, storytelling and transitional justice reporting.
The workshop started with talks given by Marija Ristić, BIRN’s Regional Director, and Lamija Grebo, BIRN journalist, who shared with participants how to tell a story in compelling way while at the same time covering journalistic ethics and standards related to the reporting of war crimes, the culture of remembrance and other sensitive topics. The last day of the workshop was dedicated to interviews with survivors of the 1992-5 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. After two days of preparations, group assignments and lessons, the participants interviewed ten people who had survived wartime atrocities from the Tuzla and Podrinje area.
This workshop is part of the Balkan Transitional Justice programme that aims to broaden public understanding of transitional justice issues in the former Yugoslavia, and is supported by RYCO within the fourth open call for project proposals co-financed by the European Union.
Ambassador Fabrizi met with Serbian Paralympians in training
The Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, Ambassador Sem Fabrizi, and the President of the Paralympic Committee of Serbia, Zoran Mićović, visited athletes training for the Tokyo Paralympic Games, which are to start on 24 August. Serbia’s delegation to Tokyo is made up of 20 athletes who will compete in seven paralympic sports.
During the visit, Ambassador Fabrizi and President Mićović discussed the challenges faced by the paralympic athletes but also by the broader community of people with disabilities, especially in the pandemic, and the need for this community to be better integrated into society. At the end of the visit, Ambassador Fabrizi expressed his support forincreased partnership between the EU Delegation and the Paralympic Committee of Serbia.
“In the EU, we passionately advocate and work for full inclusion of all vulnerable and marginalised groups. No–one must be left behind in modern democratic societies. In Serbia, the EU has been supporting people with disabilities through a number of projects, aimed both at erasing physical boundaries – such as ramps, accessibility of public facilities, equipping and adjusting schools – but also on awareness–raising and policy aspects in the field of education, sports and social inclusion,” said Ambassador Fabrizi.
EU steps up support to Corridor Vc in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The European Union is stepping up its support for Corridor Vc, the key transport infrastructure project in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with additional grant funding of €14.6 million. The funds will be used to finance the supervision of works contracts on five motorway sections that are financed with loans provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the grant funding will reimburse the supervision costs incurred by two motorway companies to date.
Corridor Vc is a pan-European transport project reconnecting the continent. The section in Bosnia and Herzegovina will be 325 kilometres long, crossing the country from north to south, eventually connecting the Adriatic port of Ploče in Croatia, and with the Hungarian capital, Budapest. The motorway, which will bring Bosnia and Herzegovina closer to the EU, is co-financed by loans from the EBRD and the European Investment Bank (EIB) and grant resources form the EU. To date, the EBRD has provided loans worth €850 million from its own resources, while investment and technical assistance grants extended by the EU have totalled over €220 million. The development of Corridor Vc is a strategic priority for Bosnia and Herzegovina and is expected to contribute to faster economic and social development. With 148 bridges and 46 tunnels, the motorway is currently the largest construction project in the country.
EU supports border and migration management in Bosnia and Herzegovina
EU Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Johann Sattler, handed over to the BiH Border Police and the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) a significant donation in the form of 63 vehicles and pieces ofspecialised equipment, within the EU Support to Migration and Border Management in BiH project.
The keys to 35 vans and 12 SUVs, worth over 3 million convertible marks, were given to the BiH Border Police. Additional equipment will also be delivered to significantly strengthen police officers’ work and enable them to act faster and be more mobile in the field. The European Union also provided 16 off-road vehicles and protective clothing to the State Investigation and Protection Agency. The total donation to SIPA amounts to more than 460,000 convertible marks.
The EU Support to Migration and Border Management in Bosnia and Herzegovina project is funded through an Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) special measure and is implemented by the IOM in partnership with UNHCR, Unicef, UNFPA and the Danish Refugee Council.
EU cashback encourages greener homes and businesses in North Macedonia
Businesses and homeowners taking out loans to make their homes “greener” will be able to apply for up to 20% cashback, funded by the European Union in North Macedonia. They will be able to improve the energy efficiency of their homes and businesses through a €5 million financing package provided by by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to Sparkasse Bank Makedonija AD Skopje under the Western Balkans Green Economy Financing Facility (WB GEFF II) programme.
The funds will be available for investments in high-performance green technologies, materials and solutions in privately-owned residential dwellings and buildings. In addition, the EBRD is providing a €20 million unfunded risk-sharing facility to Sparkasse Bank, through which it will guarantee up to 50% of the lender’s existing and new corporate exposure, thereby reducing the risk weighting and capital requirements on those loans. By freeing up funds, the facility will increase Sparkasse’s capacity to finance additional green economy projects.
The GEFF is implemented under the Regional Energy Efficiency Programme for the Western Balkans, co-financed by grant resources from the European Union, the Western Balkan Investment Framework and the Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance. Donors provide critical support to GEFF projects that mitigate or build resilience to the effects of climate change and other environmental threats.
TIME TRAVEL: HOW A SKOPJE SCHOOL MOVED INTO THE DIGITAL AGE
How large-scale infrastructure investments freed up resources to finance modern, digital teaching tools in a school in North Macedonia.
One of the oldest schools in North Macedonia’s capital, Skopje, is called 25 May. Built in 1967, it currently accommodates about 1,500 pupils. For almost 50 years, no significant refurbishment activities were carried out. The windows, toilets, roof and even chairs and desks were the same as in the 1970s, making the school look almost like a museum.
Fadil Murtezani studied in this school as a child in the 1970s. He remembers that back then the school was known as one of the fanciest in the city. Forty years later, in 2011, he became the Director of the school. “The roof was leaking, we had problems with cold in the winter, and even the chair and desk that I used to sit at were still there. I saw my name on it,” he says with a hint of nostalgia.
Along with the new management team, Fadil took the initiative to improve things urgently.
“The infrastructure investments for the school freed up resources to finance modern, digital teaching tools.”
Saving energy and investing in digital tools
Renovation works originally started as an initiative of parents. They began with minor renovations, painting the school fence and tidying up the schoolyard. However, this was far from enough. The school needed much more significant work, and there were no funds. However, the drive and enthusiasm from the local community came to the attention of the Ministry of Education and Science, which soon approved a request for renovation and reconstruction of the school financed with support of the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF). WBIF is an EU-facilitated platform that pools resources from various sources, including the European Commission, bilateral donors and international financial institutions. As a result, the 25 May School renewed their roof and the facades of the school building, replaced windows and refurbished floor surfaces and the heating and electrical systems. This modernisation effort has especially improved the energy efficiency of the school, allowing it to save energy while improving teaching conditions. The energy savings, of more than 100% annually, generated by these investments have freed up financial resources which were allocated for other use.“The freed-up resources were used to finance modern, digital teaching tools. The pupils could thus start on an equal footing with those living in the European Union. The changes brought by this WBIF project have enabled a series of international exchanges with other schools from Albania, Kosovo and Serbia,” says Fadil.“Our classes are now more interesting, and we have much more fun; we consider ourselves lucky and we are proud of our school.”
About the project The 25 May School refurbishment is part of a larger-scale project involving the construction of 70 new physical education facilities in primary and secondary schools and the refurbishment of 60 primary and secondary schools throughout North Macedonia. The project benefited from a combined investment of grants and loans channelled through the EU-facilitated Western Balkans Investment Framework. This included two grants made available by WBIF bilateral donor contributions, as well as two loans totalling €42.5 million from the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB). About the WBIF The Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) is a donor coordination platform that pools funds from various sources, including the European Commission. The WBIF provides financing and technical assistance to strategic investments in the energy , environment, social, transport, and digital infrastructure sectors. It also supports private sector development initiatives. It is a joint initiative of the EU, financial institutions, bilateral donors and the governments of the Western Balkans.Better access for all
The teachers and pupils of the school now have new furniture and teaching equipment, such as interactive whiteboards and video projectors in each classroom, improving pupils’ digital skills. “Our classes are now more interesting, and we have much more fun, we consider ourselves lucky and we are proud of our school,” says Anila Ibishi, a ninth grade student at the school. As well as providing better digital access, the renovations also improving access for pupils with disabilities. The school is a flagship and other educational institutions in North Macedonia are taking it as a reference point for access to adequate education infrastructure. Attaining European educational standards in the 25 May School has attracted attention and admissions of new pupils. Fadil says proudly, “The enrolment rates have also increased significantly after the renovation, as residents from other municipalities apply”.
EU supports Montenegro to increase protection of victims in courts
A new Protocol with instructions on how to provide support and protect victims in court has been developed in Montenegro. The Protocol is intended for professionals from the Victim and Witness Support Services at courts, who come in contact with victims of trafficking in human beings and domestic violence during court proceedings. Its goal is to make it easier for relevant professionals to answer the basic rights and needs of victims, and offer adequate support. This is a result of a joint European Union/Council of Europe action “Improved procedural safeguards in judicial proceedings in Montenegro”. The instructions were drafted in collaboration with the Supreme Court of Montenegro.
In the Protocol, the professionals from the Victim and Witness Support Services can find information about steps that should be taken when working with victims of domestic violence and trafficking in human beings involved in court proceedings, and it could serve as a reference document for other relevant institutions working with victims, as well as an encouragement to all victims / potential victims to turn to the Services for support during trials against perpetrators of domestic violence and trafficking in human beings.
The action “Improved procedural safeguards in judicial proceedings in Montenegro” is a part of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022”.
EU funds a bicycle race promoting cross border tourism
Blidinje Nature Park hosted an EU-funded bicycle ride to promote tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The mainly recreational ride saw 180 participants winding some 50 km through a route that is considered among the most beautiful landscapes of the Park and the country itself. This activity is part of “Cycling Rural” project financed by the European Union whose objective is to improve cross-border cooperation in shared natural and cultural heritage of BiH and Montenegro. It is the fifth in a series of recreational bicycle rides organized within the project.
The project will also introduce the “Bike Friendly Concept” quality standard, thus adding value to the tourist offer in the entire region, which will directly lead to an increase in activities in the rural areas of Herceg Novi, in Montenegro, and the West Herzegovina Canton in BiH.
On the day of the event, a workshop providing insights on tourism product development was held. The project will result in the creation of a new and more attractive tourist offer under the brand “Cycling Rural”, which will be included in the tourist offer of both countries, as well as in the overall tourist offer of the Adriatic hinterland.