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Author: WeBalkans

Superschools: Bridging Divides and Building Friendships in the Western Balkans

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in Stories.

A RYCO programme for school exchanges in WB6 supports the peacebuilding and reconciliation process in the region.

Katrina Berishaj  Vujačić, an Italian language teacher with over 18 years of teaching experience, resides in Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro. Her workplace is in Tuzi, a nearby small town situated close to the Albanian border. At her mixed high school, Katrina conducts classes in both the Albanian and Montenegrin languages to cater to a diverse student body. Additionally, she holds the position of President within the Italian Language Teachers Association of Montenegro. Beyond her regular Italian language instruction, Katrina actively participates in non-formal teaching initiatives. She has led a volunteering club at her school for over six years and concurrently engaged in numerous projects under the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO).

“RYCO organized information sessions about the Superschools scheme, attended by teachers and school representatives from across the region. I took part in one of these sessions and was immediately convinced that our schools should participate.”

While participating in a RYCO project that involved the Italian Language Teachers’ Association from both Montenegro and Albania, Katrina learned about the Superschools Western Balkans School Exchange Scheme, which is dedicated to supporting the peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts in the region. She recalls, “RYCO organized information sessions about the Superschools scheme, attended by teachers and school representatives from across the region. I took part in one of these sessions and was immediately convinced that our schools should participate.” After the informative session, Katrina scheduled a meeting with her school principal to discuss this opportunity. With the principal’s endorsement, the school joined the Superschools exchange program.

As part of the program, Katrina’s school hosted students from Stevan Sremac High School in Nis, Serbia, at their campus in Tuzi. Here, students engaged in joint classes covering various topics, providing them with a chance to collaborate, establish new connections, and form friendships. Reflecting on the experience, Katrina shares, “We hadn’t encountered anything quite like this before and were initially concerned about how it would unfold. However, from the very first day, the students bonded remarkably well and began functioning as a unified class. It was as if they had known each other for a long time.”

“I believe this exchange had a significant impact because the workshops covered topics such as stereotypes, prejudices, and the discovery of common interests and cultural traits among individuals with diverse backgrounds. This aspect worked exceptionally well during our exchange experience.”

About the project

Superschools is a RYCO programme for school exchanges in WB6 with the objectives to support the peacebuilding and reconciliation process and intercultural learning and dialogue among schools, students and their communities. The programme is part of a multi donor project “Western Balkans School Exchange Scheme” co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) together with the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO).  The project has a total budget of €5.5 million and contributes to the overall objective of increasing skills and knowledge of young people in the Western Balkans by enhancing education systems and promoting cooperation in the region, through establishing a regional school exchange scheme.

Katrina notes that initially, students with Albanian ethnic backgrounds in their school were somewhat apprehensive about participating in this project, mainly because it involved students from Serbia. However, by the conclusion of the exchange, there was a noticeable and positive shift in their perceptions towards each other. She explains, “I believe this exchange had a significant impact because the workshops covered topics such as stereotypes, prejudices, and the discovery of common interests and cultural traits among individuals with diverse backgrounds. This aspect worked exceptionally well during our exchange experience.”

In Katrina’s view, the Western Balkan region would greatly benefit from more projects of this nature, as they contribute significantly to furthering peacebuilding efforts, which are currently in high demand.

A new home for 50 displaced families in Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Fifty families, who, until now, had been living in collective and alternative accommodation, received the keys to their new homes in the City of Goražde at a moving-in ceremony mid-September 2023. This ceremony represents a significant step in providing better living conditions and housing solutions to families who were displaced during the 1990s conflict in former Yugoslavia. This project is implemented in 46 cities and municipalities across Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will result in around 2,045 apartments being built. The total value of the project is €106 million, including €1.8 million grant provided by WBIF bilateral donors for technical assistance.  
It is managed by the Federal Ministry of Displaced Persons and Refugees of FBiH, the Republican Secretariat for Displaced Persons and Migration of Republika Srpska, and the Department for Displaced Persons, Refugees, and Housing Affairs of the Government of Brčko District of BiH. For this particular activity, the City of Goražde provided the location for construction, the necessary infrastructure, permits and consents.

Big interest from small businesses for EU support in the Western Balkans

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“Made in the Western Balkans – supported by the EU” was the tagline of the first Open4Business event that took place in Skopje on 5 October 2023, gathering nearly 500 participants. Organised by the European Commission, in cooperation with the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia and Western Balkans 6 Chamber Investment Forum, the event was dedicated to helping micro, small, and medium-sized businesses learn more about the support offered to them through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF).

 

250 companies took part in Skopje, or followed online, and were impressed with the level of support on offer. Boosting the innovation and resilience of the private sector was the key message delivered in the opening session.  The panel discussions for the rest of the morning detailed the specific programmes offered by EIB, EBRD and KfW, giving the floor to small businesses to share how they have benefitted from the international financial institutions’ support.

 

The afternoon was dedicated to one-on-one sessions between businesses and local banks to discover what could interest them specifically. These meetings were held in each of the Western Balkan’s capitals, and over 80 conversations took place. Sashka Mamućevska, one of the attendees, is a founder of a female-led start-up. “This kind of event is rarely organised in our country,” she said, “although it is very important for us to get information on better access to financing for SMEs”.

The Western Balkans Six leader signed an agreement under the Common Regional Market (CRM) Action Plan’s mobility agenda

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The Heads of Governments of the Western Balkans Six signed one more agreement under the Common Regional Market (CRM) Action Plan’s mobility agenda, a process facilitated by the RCC – on the recognition of professional qualifications of nurses, veterinary surgeons, pharmacists, and midwives – at the Berlin Process Summit held in Tirana on 16 October.  
The signing of the Agreement comes a year after the leaders signed 3 CRM mobility agreements at the Berlin Process Summit held in German capital last year. For the 3 agreements – on Freedom of Movement with Identity Cards, on Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications, and on Recognition of Professional Qualifications for Doctors of Medicine, Dentists and Architects – only 4 out of 6 WB economies finished the internal ratification procedures.  
The participants of the Summit warmly welcomed the entry into force of the reduced data roaming charges between the EU and the Western Balkans and commended the RCC for its coordinating role in implementation CRM. They emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in the Western Balkans highlighting the importance of strengthening connectivity, transport, trade, energy and digital ties in the region as well as between the region and the EU. The leaders noted that further significant progress should be made in implementing the CRM and called upon RCC, CEFTA and other regional organisations to start devising the next phase.  
With the signing of the additional mobility agreement one more obstacle to free flow of work force is removed and now 7 professions in total can have automatic recognition of qualifications: doctors of medicine, dentists and architects, nurses, veterinary surgeons, pharmacists, and midwives – which improves labour market access and increases productivity.   The Agreement signed by the WB leaders in Tirana today will have to be ratified by national authorities of all WB6 and it enters into force on the thirtieth day upon deposition of the third formal notice of ratification.
  The host of the next Leaders’ Summit in 2024, on the 10th anniversary of the Berlin Process, will be Germany.

Rebuilding Albanian railways with EBRD and EU support

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The construction site in the coastal city of Durres is buzzing with workers and machinery. They are rebuilding the 34 km stretch of railway between Durres and Tirana. Once the railway has been rebuilt and the new trains have arrived, travelling between Albania’s two largest cities will take only 20 minutes. This will be a huge milestone for Albania, where there hasn’t been any investment in the railway sector for more than 30 years. The former railway and trains deteriorated over time and today there is little passenger or freight rail transport. Most people rely on cars and buses for their daily commutes, which causes traffic jams in both cities and increases air pollution.

 

The railway reconstruction project is financed by the EBRD, with a loan of €36.9 million, and the European Union (EU), with an investment grant of up to €35.5 million under its Connectivity Agenda for the Western Balkans. An additional €2.75 million in grants from bilateral donors have been secured through the Western Balkans Investment Framework.

 

Infrastructure investments on such a large scale usually take years to prepare and complete, but they bring about significant long-term benefits. Switching from road to railway travel, which is safer and more environmentally friendly, will make travelling across the region easier and more comfortable for people and businesses.

Maestro Riccardo Muti gave an unforgettable Gala concert to Sarajevo

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On 12 October, in the crowded hall of the Sarajevo National Theater, the central ceremony marking the 100th  anniversary of the Sarajevo Philharmonic was held, a gala concert conducted by the Maestro Riccardo Muti, one of the greatest conductors of today. The audience enjoyed performances of two famous symphonies, no. 7 by L. van Beethoven and no. 9 by F. Schubert, while the square in front of the National Theater was also crowded, with many citizens watching this musical spectacle on two large LED screens.

 

The gala concert of the Sarajevo Philharmonic was supported also by the Office of the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The orchestra received instruments worthy of an institution of this importance. These are two top quality double basses, models Milano and Corleone, which were made using traditional methods in the renowned workshop of Björn Stoll in Germany. In honour of the Sarajevo Philharmonic’s 100th anniversary, the EU Office has also donated a foldable stage, which will provide the Philharmonic with more flexibility for settings both in Sarajevo and while on tour.

 

Support to the Sarajevo Philharmonic was provided through the “EU for Local Communities” project funded by the European Union with the aim of improving living standards and strengthening the capacities of small communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The project is implemented by the Center for the Promotion of Civil Society (CPCD) with the partner organization Help.

YEAs from Albania meet President von der Leyen at EU House Tirana

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Just one day prior to the Tirana Berlin Process Summit, Young European Ambassadors (YEA) had the privilege of meeting President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, at the launch of the applications for the College of Europe campus in Tirana for the academic year 2024-2025.

 

Additionally, the Rector of the College of Europe, Federica Mogherini, extended an invitation to YEAs to visit the College of Europe offices in Tirana for discussions regarding potential future cooperation. As a regional network, Young European Ambassadors are delighted to extend this valuable opportunity not only to young students in Albania but also to those from the #WesternBalkans and across Europe.

 

The College of Europe has launched a postgraduate programme “Master of Arts in European Transformation and Integration – The EU and Southeastern Europe” to be offered at their newly established campus in Tirana.  On its new campus in Tirana, the College upholds its steadfast commitment to the highest standards of academic excellence that the institution is renowned for. The Master of Arts in European Transformation and Integration has been conceived to address the increasing demand for experts who exhibit a thorough understanding of the enlargement process of the European Union and a well-rounded, critical perspective on the salient challenges of the 21st century, with a particular emphasis on the Southeastern Europe and EU-Western Balkans relations. During the 10-month programme, beginning in September 2024, participants will gain profound knowledge on the institutional architecture of the EU and its functioning across various dimensions. Students will explore the opportunities and challenges of the EU accession process, develop a regional expertise on Southeastern Europe and engage with vital contemporary issues such as digitalisation, climate change and energy transition.

Opening remarks by President von der Leyen at the Berlin Process Summit

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Thank you very much, Prime Minister, dear Edi,
Herr Bundeskanzler,
Dear friends,  
What a story we have just seen on the screen, what a story. And what a powerful message it is that it is not only the tenth Berlin Process but the very first time in a Western Balkan country. A powerful  message in a world that you described, Edi, where we are witnessing an atrocious war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine. Ukraine fighting for its sovereignty and territorial integrity and for our values. We have also seen a heinous terroristic attack of Hamas killing more than 1,400 people, men, women, children, babies, only because they are Jews. We are living on a burning planet. We are challenged by GenAI. In these times, you need best friends. And you said, you are the best of friends we can wish for. Let us work so that you join a European Union that has proven that it is possible to have, together, lasting peace and sustainable prosperity.  
And indeed, what a powerful message yesterday, when we started the registration in Tirana College of Europe. And those young students will now study European affairs. They come from Albania, the whole Western Balkans, from the European Union. What a powerful message for the next generation that will be carrying the European Union idea forward.  
The Berlin Process, as you said, started in 2014. And it is worth to look into the papers from that time: ‘The goal to make real progress in the reform process and regional economic cooperation.’ That is why we are here. And we have laid a good foundation already with our EUR 30 billion Economic and Investment Plan. It is delivering. Half of the Plan, EUR 16 billion, are actually already deployed. But more needs to be done. And I want to focus a few minutes on that one.  
Our economies, the Western Balkans and the European Single Market, are still too far apart. The Western Balkan economies are 35% of the EU average. So, we really have to tap into the potential that is here in the Western Balkans and get it closer to the European Single Market. And this is what the Growth Plan is all about. We know that, from the experience of enlargement, the power of enlargement of course lies in the values that unite us with the countries that joined the European Union step by step. But the second power is the economic development. Whenever there was an enlargement, not only those countries who accessed the European Union had a huge boost in their economic development because they joined the Single Market, but also the European Union improved because the Single Market got bigger.  
And this is now the principle of the Growth Plan. We want to basically open in specific areas the doors of the Single Market, the European Single Market, to Western Balkan companies. And we have to engineer this now. We are opening it in areas like free movement of goods and services, road transport, energy, electricity, the EU’s Digital Single Market, and, very importantly, making cashless payments easier with a single European payment area, just to name a few elements.  
But of course, opening the door is not enough. The Western Balkan countries also need to complete their Common Regional Market. And this means that it is a condition that the Western Balkan countries also give access to their neighbours to their market [give their neighbours access to their market]. In other words, if I turn it around, if there are blockages, the only one you can block is yourself. The others will move on.  
And to move on, reforms are needed, deep-rooted reforms, also to improve the business climate, to make the environment more attractive. These reforms will be accompanied by funding for investment from the European Union, if they take place. This Growth Plan is a very strong incentive. It is an incentive to open the doors economically, but also to ask for opening the borders between the Western Balkan countries and to do the necessary reforms. With that comes the funding for investment.  
Only by working together will we bring the Western Balkans right where you belong, to the heart of the European Union. History, indeed, is on the move. My message is: This is a decisive moment now. Do not miss the opportunity, grab the opportunity, seize the moment and we work with you together for that.  
Many thanks, Edi.

Statement by President von der Leyen on the launch of applications for the academic year 2024-2025 of the College of Europe in Tirana

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Prime Minister, dear Edi,

Dearest Federica,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

I remember very well last year, dear Edi, when you launched the wonderful idea of having a College of Europe right here in Tirana, the beautiful capital city of Albania. You were the one who came. And I remember when we spoke about it, your vision was immediately clear to me. What better way to prepare the future of Albania and the other Western Balkan partners in the European Union than to educate and train the next generation – the generation that will build our common future. So, we got to work – the Commission and your government and the College of Europe. We reached out to the College. Its fantastic Rector, Federica Mogherini, also immediately saw the vision, you heard her. And now, not even a year later, here we are, setting the foundations for the third College of Europe, right here in Tirana. So, we delivered. Indeed, tomorrow, we will open the office of the College.

 

But today, the focus is on those who will give life to the College: that is the students. Therefore, it was our distinct pleasure to launch the opening of the registration of students of the College of Europe in Tirana for the year 2024-2025. From this moment on – and we really have to cherish this moment – students here in Albania, from across the Western Balkans, from all corners of the European Union and beyond, can apply for a place at the third College of Europe.

 

This is fantastic. First and foremost, it is fantastic because adding a College of Europe in pursuit of higher education and excellence can only contribute to Albania’s and the region’s development and prosperity. But also, because the College of Europe will also reinforce all the efforts being made to bring Albania and the region into the European Union. You said it, it is the third College. The second that we have is in Natolin. It did exactly what you described for Poland and other candidate countries in preparing for EU accession. So this College of Europe will do the same for the Western Balkans, building a strong bridge into the European Union. The Commission has already deployed funds to support the establishment of the campus, and more will come.

 

You said 31 students will be able to take the first Master course, I am pleased to announce a financial package to support scholarships for students from the Western Balkans. Over the next three years, we will finance 15 of those scholarships. And I think we all know how important that is, because this will enable students, who might otherwise not be able to take part in these classes, to pursue their dreams, too. Today, we are working to prepare the next generation. Tomorrow, this next generation will work on our common project, the European Union.

 

Thank you very much.

Statement by President von der Leyen at the joint press conference with Albanian Prime Minister Rama

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Prime Minister, dear Edi,  
Indeed, I am always happy to be here in Tirana, especially on an important day like this one. As you have just said, we have opened registration for the first academic year of the new College of Europe campus in Tirana. It is going to be fascinating to see that students from all over Europe, studying right here, will be part of our effort to build a common European future. Step by step. So, your path is going towards the European Union and is taking shape. It is getting real.  
And this is my first very clear message: Albania is on track to join the European Union. As you know, enlargement is at the top of our priorities. This is actually where it belongs. Because we want our partners and neighbours to join and make our Union complete. It is also in our own interest because it will give our Union the weight, the clout and the capacity to act. And it will make Europe stronger, bolder and larger in a rapidly changing world. Albania has already achieved so much. The screening process, as you said, is progressing smoothly. Many thanks to the negotiating teams on both sides. They are doing a fantastic job. Our shared objective is to open negotiations on the so-called fundamentals’ cluster as quickly as possible. Our aim is to have this done before the end of the year.  
My second message is: As we continue to work on the path towards accession, we are already building our common future. So, we should start doing this right away to make your country ready for membership but also to, already now, create new trade opportunities between us and to bring our economies closer. We have started this with the Economic and Investment Plan of EUR 30 billion. It is delivering fast, more than half of the financing is already mobilised after three years. In Albania, the plan has actually already mobilised EUR 1.4 billion. There are great projects like the Fierza hydropower plant, or the railway connection to the European Union via Montenegro, on Corridor X. Last year, we completed our Investment Plan with the Energy Support Package. This was during the energy crisis. It delivered very nicely. 90% are already mobilised.   
But what I wanted to focus on today is the new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. Because here, we are moving towards a new phase of action. This plan has the potential, if we implement it correctly, to double the size of your economy still in this decade and to drive growth and convergence. The principle is that, in certain specific areas, you will have access to the Single Market. For this, reforms are necessary. And the reforms are accompanied by investment. So it opens the door to the Single Market for the Western Balkan countries.  
This will of course be then underpinned by the financial investment: So it is about the necessary investment and reforms.  
My third message is that our investments will match your sustained reform efforts for Albania, for example to work on the improvement of the business environment to further equip people with the right skills – we did exactly this today by opening applications for the new campus of the College of Europe – and to diversify energy supplies, just to name a few topics. So it is very concrete.  
I believe the Growth Plan is the right offer at the right time for the European Union and Albania to get closer. And it will play an important role in your path towards the European Union. You have consistently shown your dedication to this path. For example, and you said it, with your alignment with the EU’s response to Russia’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine. And dear Edi, I want to emphasise your personal role in this, in defending our rules-based multilateral order in the UN Security Council in an outstanding manner. And I would like to emphasise too your very clear position on the terrible terrorist attack by Hamas a week ago.  
So, we are getting ready. We are now on our way to welcoming Albania to the European Union. Thank you again for the hospitality. Thank you again for the excellent talks. It is a pleasure to be here in Albania.