An event marking the start of EU-supported construction works to modernise the port of Brčko in Bosnia and Herzegovina took place on 15 June. Sitting on the banks of the river Sava, Brčko is strategically located, bordering both Croatia and Serbia. Participants at the opening included the Mayor of Brčko, the President of the Brčko Assembly, representatives of the European Union, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Office of the High Representative.
The Head of the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina and EU Special Representative, Ambassador Johann Sattler, said: “Thanks to its strategic and geographical position, the port of Brčko can become a key transit point for the flow of freight traffic between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union. The current infrastructure is outdated and difficult to access by rail, but after the reconstruction it can become a central link for the region’s economies.”
The Brčko Port investment has been identified in the EU’sEconomic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkansas one of the priority ‘flagship’ transport projects to improve connections ‘East to West’. The first phase includes constructing a port plateau and upgrading existing road and rail access. A new crane with a carrying capacity of up to 16 tonnes (three times more than the current one) will increase the handling capacity of goods to 150 to 200 tonnes per hour.
The total value of the project is €10 million, financed by a grant of over €3 million from the European Union combined with a €7 million loan from theEuropean Bank for Reconstruction and Development. These funds are channelled through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) – a donor coordination platform that pools funds from various sources, including the European Commission.
In a unique attempt to bring together art, care for the environment and youth, an EU-funded project hired five artists to brighten the walls of a facility that treats wastewaters in North Macedonia. The Artwork was presented at an online event as part of European Development Days on 15 June. The wastewater treatment plant in the southeast town of Strumica is not only the first facility of that kind built in North Macedonia with IPA funds, to the huge benefit of local population and the environment. However, this facility is also a pioneer in advertising its purpose and in promoting public awareness of the need to protect nature together with art.
Colourful murals, painted by five artists on the walls of the facility, explain what it does and how important it is to keep the environment clean. The murals also beautify the usually dull architecture of the industrial buildings. They make the facility more eye-catching, especially for children, and invite them to learn more about the importance of water. As a result of this project, over 50,000 people benefited from the treated wastewater, the quality of water resources, nature and health was increased, and the citizens and tourists can now enjoy a unique art painting while the awareness of the importance of clean water is increased.
EU funding has enabled an NGO from North Macedonia to develop a virtual reality tool taking you back to the gladiator battles of 1,500 years ago.
Stobi in North Macedonia was once one of the most important cities in Europe. From around 200 BC, and for almost seven centuries after, it played a significant role in the Roman empire. At the crossroads of trade routes, it grew into an important town, which even minted its own coins. During Roman times, Stobi was the capital of the Roman province called Macedonia Salutaris, and its citizens had the same status as citizens of Rome. As in any other important Roman city, gladiator games were an indispensable part of urban culture. Today, Stobi is an important archeological site with Christian basilicas, baths, a theatre, a synagogue, the remains of roads and grand houses, and even a casino. Although life in the city will probably never be revived, its gladiators are coming back!
The concept of using historical and cultural sites as tourist destinations is still in its infancy in North Macedonia. Archeological sites often lack good visual presentation and information boards; storytelling rarely goes beyond brochures and posters, and there is little or no on-site audience engagement. However, a highly competitive tourism market requires cultural heritage sites to develop strategies and collaboration with creative industries to help them stand out. One such option is the use of innovative solutions such as a virtual-reality (VR) tour application as a tool to explore and revive cultural heritage. VR technology offers the public an opportunity to immerse themselves in a realistic reconstruction of events and stories that best represent any given cultural heritage site.
“The 3D environment presents the interior of the gladiators’ arena, and it also projects an introductory ceremony before a battle, as well as a generic crowd, providing visitors with a sense that they are part of the audience.”
Virtually among gladiators
In cooperation with the Stobi National Institute, and with the support of EU funding, the Center for Social Innovations Blink 42-21 NGO developed a virtual reality application that will engage visitors to Stobi in a gladiators’ battle performance inside the old theatre. Milan Tancheski, the manager of the project, explains that the VR application includes 3D visualisation and reconstruction of the theatre.
This enables visitors to gain a much deeper and more holistic understanding of the space, with unobstructed views of structures and major monuments that no longer exist. “The 3D environment presents the interior of the gladiators’ arena, and it also projects an introductory ceremony before a battle, as well as a generic crowd, providing visitors with a sense that they are part of the audience,” says Milan.
The development of this project was challenging. The city is in ruins, so first came the development of a screenplay and story as a basis for developing 3D models for characters and the surrounding architecture. As part of the process, an architect developed a plan of the old theatre and turned it into a 3D model. As a final part of the activity, the project had to develop life-size 3D models for the gladiators and for around 700 characters from the audience. In doing this, they consulted closely with experts and used historical data, so the experience is as realistic, and fact-based as possible.
“At its height, the theatre had 7,000 seats, and we managed to design and bring to life 700 characters, most of them dynamic: cheering or standing up. So you see the guy beside, behind or in front of you cheering or standing or sitting.”
About the project
The Tourism Development and Promotion Project, funded by the EU and implemented by the Regional Cooperation Council, has a budget of €5 million. It works to develop and internationally promote joint regional cultural and adventure tourism offers, increasing the number of tourists visiting the six Western Balkans economies, and extending tourist stays in the region. Blink 42-21 was among the grant recipients in the second round of grants – worth up to €54,000 each – awarded in October 2019. The Regional Cooperation Council is an all-inclusive, regionally owned and led cooperation framework promoting cooperation, reconciliation, and economic and social development in the region. It is financially supported by the EU.
If you visit Stobi now, you can ask for a virtual reality set, consisting of a laptop and VR glasses. With these, you’ll be seated at a designated place in the theatre. The moment that you put the glasses on and turn on the equipment, you travel back 1,500 years and are surrounded by an audience and able to enjoy a gladiator ceremony taking place on the theatre’s main stage.
“At its height, the theatre had 7,000 seats, and we managed to design and bring to life 700 characters, most of them dynamic: cheering or standing up. So you see the guy beside, behind or in front of you cheering or standing or sitting,” says Milan.
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 Serbia, homeowners will be able to improve the energy efficiency of their homes thanks to a new credit line equivalent to €10 million provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) toErste Bank. In North Macedonia, more homeowners will be able to invest in domestic energy efficiency improvements, thanks to a new €2 million credit line that the EBRD is extending toOhridska Banka.
The lenders will provide these funds to help people install renewable and energy efficient measures in their homes, such insulated windows, heat pumps and solar panels. The cashback offers an extra incentive.
The financing is part of a larger €135 millionGreen Economy Financing Facility (GEFF)programme for the Western Balkans, which supports businesses and homeowners wishing to invest in green technologies. The programme is supported by theEuropean Union, theWestern Balkans Investment Framework and theAustrian Federal Ministry of Finance. To date, around 7,000 households in the Western Balkans have improved their energy efficiency through the GEFF programme with investments in projects that have contributed to a reduction of more than 10,000 tonnes of CO2emissions per year: equivalent to taking 6,000 cars off the road.
On 10 June, the EU’s Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner, Olivér Várhelyi,participated in the Tirana Summit with the Western Balkans leaders. They discussed the implementation of the Economic and Investment Plan, put forward for the region by the Commission last autumn and looked ahead towards the Berlin Process Summit with the Western Balkans on 5 July.
The EU’s Economic and Investment Plan foresees up to €28 billion of investments, in grants, loans and guarantees, to help the Western Balkans with the post-COVID-19 recovery and with the convergence with the EU. The Plan also fosters regional integration and cooperation. The Common Regional Market that the Western Balkans leaders agreed to take forward at the Berlin Process Summit in Sofia last year will unleash the region’s growth potential and will, with practical decisions, make life easier for citizens and businesses.
On 10 June, the Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM) presented its annual report on the level of media freedom and safety of journalists in North Macedonia. The report was prepared as part of the project Regional Platform of the Western Balkans, funded by the European Union.
The report measured three main indicators:
-The legal framework for media freedom
-The position of journalists in newsrooms
-The safety of journalists
Results revealed no improvements in 2020 in the media sphere, with instead an increasing trend of attacks on journalists and a deterioration in their security situation.
According to AJM statistics, a total of 14 attacks and serious threats against journalists have been reported since the beginning of 2020, out of which more than half were against women journalists. In comparison, in the previous year only four such incidents were reported, indicating a three-fold increase.
With EU and EBRD support, Montenegro’s Voli supermarket chain has launched the country’s first onlinegrocery service. Their easy-to-use platform now offers customers an array of more than 5,000 products for collection or delivery. This has made it easier for people to remain safe at home which is a crucial step in the fight against Covid-19.
Of course, shoppers were not the only ones who had reason to panic when the pandemic hit. When lockdown measures were introduced at the end of March last year, many farmers were left with tonnes of produce at risk of going bad because of restaurant closures. To help these businesses, Voli decided to partner with small Montenegrin agricultural producers and has since developed core supplier relationships.
Without Voli, it would have been almost impossible for these small local producers to reach consumers. The supermarket promotes a local system with fewer steps between grower and consumer. It is committed to paying a fair wage, is community-driven and diverse. The system also supports organic and sustainable farming and promotes transparency ‒ something extended supply chains cannot always do.
The EU-funded EU4TECH project announced that four Western Balkans Proof of Concept teams have been selected to join the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Jumpstarter programme. The SerbianMito-Fert-SignatureandFungpack projects, both from the University of Novi Sad, and the North Macedonian Innopodand ‘Snail Mucus Products’ start-up projects will join a selected group of Jumpstarters who will be offered intensive support to bring their early stage technology ideas to market.
Jumpstarter is EIT’s cross-industrial, pre-acceleration flagship programme. With the unique know-how of best-in-class experts and the creative community, the action helps idea-holders turn their ideas into business. EIT Jumpstarter helps innovators and entrepreneurs build a viable business model around their innovative product or service idea. If their business idea is considered sustainable, the EIT Jumpstarter team encourages them to register their company. The programme has a special focus on helping talent from Central Eastern and Southern Europe to validate their business concept, develop a business plan and pitch their ideas to potential future investors.
The EU4TECH WB PoC Project is funded under multi-country pre-EU accession funds (IPA) to provide hands-on support in taking 40+ promising inventions in the Western Balkans to market.
Touching people’s hearts through activism to support one of the most discriminated community in Albania
“Love is the vaccine against homophobia” was the slogan in use this year for the activities celebrating the diversity and pride of all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) people in Albania. It was a call from the LGBTI community for understanding and acceptance following what the Alliance Against LGBTQI Discrimination describes as a difficult year, full of uncertainty, fear and isolation during the coronavirus pandemic. The Alliance is one of the lead organisations behind the activism marking the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) which takes place in the week of 17 May.
Xheni Karaj, the Alliance’s Director, has been a leading activist for more than a decade. This year’s initiatives are focusing on public appearances and artistic performances. “Our community needs to know that we are here to support them, and 17 May is the right occasion to come out,” says Karaj. “They shouldn’t feel embarrassed or guilty.”
“The family should be a safe haven [for LGBTQI people]. Through art we strive to win people’s hearts in order to change their minds.”
Among the highlights of the programme, there was a queer monodrama staged at a cultural centre in the capital, Tirana. The play tackled the biggest fears of LGBTQI people in Albania, including self-acceptance, and the importance of being accepted in the family. “The family should be a safe heaven. Through art we strive to win people’s hearts in order to change their minds,” says Karaj. She is the first member of the LGBTQI community in the country to publicly come out to reveal her sexuality as lesbian. Karaj gets motivated in her work by the courage of LGBTI people to challenge the conservative Albanian society.
In parallel to raising awareness, the LGBT organisations have also engaged public institutions to commit to strategically ending discrimination against LGBTQI people countrywide. Research shows that twice as many LGBTQI people are targets of discrimination and exclusion compared to the rest of the population. With the support of a joint EU/ Council of Europe programme, the Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey, civil society organisations such as the Alliance are able to better bridge the gap between the community and law enforcement institutions. An example of this is the State Police Directory that has appointed contact points with the LGBTQI community and has improved its protocols for reporting cases of hate crime. Occasions of dialogue between the community and police are fostered through the programme initiatives, in Albania as well as throughout the region.
The Council of Europe has recently adapted and translated into Albanian a manual to guide police on how to respond professionally to such cases and has also organised activities to build capacity within the force. This manual triggers the setting up of a range of follow up initiatives that will address discrimination, inequality and strengthen inclusion within the police, and in the relation between police and citizens. These initiatives are guided by the EU and Council of Europe standards in respecting and promoting human rights.
“The only time sexual orientation was mentioned during the general election campaign was when political opponents wanted to insult each other.”
About the programme
The action on “Promotion of diversity and equality in Albania” aims at strengthening discrimination mechanisms in the country, including by better promoting/protecting rights of LGBTI persons and combating hate speech, in line with the standards and recommendations by the Council of Europe. Activities also aim to support Albania’s accession negotiations with the European Union in the field of fundamental rights.
The programme is financed under the European Union/Council of Europe Horizontal Facility II for the Western Balkans and Turkey (Horizontal Facility II) 2019-2022, a joint effort of the two organizations to meet beneficiaries’ reform agendas in the fields of human rights, rule of law and democracy and to comply with the European standards.
As part of the fight for a free and equal society for all sexual and gender identities, the Alliance considers that the main institutional challenge is with political parties. Almost ten years ago, with the support of the Council of Europe, changes were proposed to two key laws that allow same-sex marriage and gender recognition for transexual persons. However, the Assembly has never taken these into account.
“There is no political will whatsoever,” says Karaj, who seems disappointed but not surprised. The Alliance asked all parties taking part in the 2021 general elections about their plans to improve the position of the LGBTQI community, but with the answer was silence. As Karaj says, “The only time sexual orientation was mentioned during the general election campaign was when political opponents wanted to insult each other”. The NGO developed a public campaign pointing the finger at politicians who used such practices in the recent electoral campaign and over the past year.
Such an atmosphere means that community members are put off when reporting abuse, bullying and domestic violence. Nevertheless, according to Xheni Karaj, LGBTQI people in Albania are a resilient community who remain active regardless of the great pressure in everyday life. The community has an online peer support service to provide counselling and legal support. Solidarity with people in need has grown during the pandemic, mainly with the help of donors. The message they all send is “Krenar”. In English it translates as “Proud”.
The Young European Ambassadors (YEA) network is launching a new call for applications for young people from the Western Balkans on 10 June. If you are aged between 18 and 29, and want to become a leader of change, make sure to apply!
The YEA network launched in August 2020 with 60 game-changers from Albania, Bosnia- Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. The network promotes diversity and 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. Hoping for a safer year ahead of us, we are looking forward to welcoming new young leaders, who will inspire change within their communities and across the Western Balkan region and the EU.
Applications are open from 10 June until 10 July 2021 and all information about the selection process can be found in the webpage:LINK
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