Skip to main content

Author: WeBalkans

Works start on the first school under WBIF-supported education programme in Montenegro

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

A significant milestone in Montenegro’s comprehensive plan to renovate pre-university schools was marked on 26 August as the foundation stone was laid for the “Vladimir Nazor” elementary school in Podgorica. The ceremony was attended by the Prime Minister of Montenegro Dritan Abazović, Minister of Education Miomir Vojinovićand school director Ljiljana Marković. The construction of the school is expected to be completed in 17 months.  
Montenegro’s educational institutions face particular challenges due to insufficient funding and maintenance, impacting the quality of education. This comprehensive programme supported through WBIF to renovate the pre-university school system involves building, renovating, and equipping educational facilities and kindergartens in Podgorica and nine other municipalities. The focus is on increasing the country’s schooling capacity by creating 2,100 new places and around 530 full-time jobs, mostly for teachers. Planned developments will help alleviate overcrowding in schools and increase children’s access to better learning tools, thereby enhancing youth employability. By 2026, more than 10,000 students per year will benefit from innovative learning environments due to these investments.  
More than €64 million is expected to be invested in education infrastructure through the programme with half of this coming from the Montenegrin national budget. Bilateral Donors and the EU contribute with €11.4 million through a WBIF grant, and the European Investment Bank (EIB) with an €18 million loan and a further €2.5 million in grant. The EIB grant will cover technical and advisory support for project preparation and procurement, and for developing a national monitoring and evaluation standard for use in similar projects. This investment package will fast-track the modernisation of public education school infrastructure in the country.

Naïve art festival opened in Kovačica

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

The festival of Slovak naïve painting in Serbia was opened for the second time in Babka Gallery in Kovačica. The exhibition “Reformers of Slavic literacy and language among the Slavic peoples in Europe”, author Veiroslava Svetlik, was opened in the presence of the Ambassador of the European Union to Serbia Emanuele Giaufret, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Minister of Culture Maja Gojković, the Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to Serbia Fedor Rosocha, as well as representatives of Kovačica Municipality and the Director of the Forum of Slavic Cultures Andreja Rihter. Naïve art in Kovačica has been nominated for the UNESCO list of cultural heritage.

 

During the opening ceremony, numerous guests, including artists of naïve painting, and citizens of Kovačica attended the presentation of the “Primer of Slovak naïve painting in Serbia” by Juraj Hamar. At the opening of the festival, the Ambassador of the European Union to Serbia highlighted the exceptional cooperation between the European Union and Serbia in the field of cultural heritage preservation and recalled the support of the European Union during the reconstruction and preservation of important cultural centres such as Golubac, Fetislam Fortress, Bač Fortress and many others.

 

Naïve art in Kovačica has been nominated for inclusion in the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and Ambassador Giaufret expressed his delight on this occasion. The European Union enthusiastically continues its cooperation with Serbia in the field of cultural heritage preservation, and one of the patrons of this festival is the Vice President of the European Commission, Maroš Šefčovič.

Pride Week Opened in Serbia

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

Pride Week was opened on 4 September at Kalemegdan, with the presence of the European Union Ambassador to Serbia Emanuel Giaufret, Deputy Head of the Delegation Plamena Halacheva, as well as representatives of diplomatic corps. Activists carried banners that read “Law on same-sex unions”, “Law on gender identity”, “We are not even close”.

 

During Pride Week, a series of events on the human rights of LGBT+ persons in Serbia is planned. A parade has been announced for Saturday, September 9, and its route is planned through the centre of Belgrade. “The current moment is not at all optimistic for the LGBT+ community and the situation is much worse compared to the previous period,” said Belgrade Pride director Goran Miletić at the opening.

 

He reminded that last year the government banned the planned route of Europride and that it abandoned the adoption of the Law on Same-Sex Unions. Some of the basic values of the European Union are equality and human rights. Through the motto “united in diversity”, the EU wants to express solidarity, defend equality and love in all forms. Pride Week takes place from September 4th to 10th.

“Tourism for Future” Kick off Meeting

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

Gathering in the picturesque town of Peja at the Mulliri i Haxhi Zekës, the ‘Tourism for Future’ project, implemented by Prishtina REA as Coordinator, in partnership with IPER Institute, Kolašin Municipality and Gjeravica- mountaineering association, embarked on its exciting journey. This kick off meeting marked the beginning of a collaborative effort to enhance tourism synergies, establish vital networks, forge valuable partnerships and promote internationalization in the cross-border region spanning Kolasin & Peja municipalities.

 

With a shared vision of sustainable tourism, this diverse group of stakeholders converged to discuss strategies that will not only benefit the local communities but also align with EU Ecolabel standards. The project envisions a future where tourism thrives in harmony with nature, fostering economic growth while preserving the environment.  Mr. Ahmet Jetullahu-meti, the project director presented the project goals, its vision and expected impact on promoting and installing the International Sustainable Management Standard, as Eco-labels, and its internationalisation, while, the Mapping assessment, which covered over 104 accommodation entity respondents was presented by Mr. Besart Hajrizi and Sara Rosic.

 

The Kick of meeting also gathered guests from Peja, Ferizaj and Skopje Universities, Tourism and Hotel Industry stakeholders, Tourism Department repr. from Ministry of Trade and Industry and respective municipalities too Tourism for Future is a two-years project, supported by the IPA CBC programme Montenegro-Kosovo and is supported by Peja municipality too.

„Our similarity is the way forward“ say young people from Western Balkans

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

The two-week ‘State of Peace’ Youth Academy has concluded with the message that the differences in the Western Balkan can be overcome through getting to know each other, socialising, and connecting with a common goal of moving towards a better, peaceful future. The first ‘State of Peace’ Youth Academy was organised by the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina in collaboration with the Post-Conflict Research Center from August 18 to 31 in Tuzla, Brčko, Sarajevo, and Vitez.

 

Ferdinand Koenig, Head of Communications and Spokespereson at the EU Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina said, „I am delighted that we were able to provide support for an activity that brought young people from four different countries in the Western Balkans to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The EU’s motto is ‘Unity in Diversity’ and we are sure that the friendships that have been made during the ‘State of Peace Youth Academy’ will last long into the future and continue to provide participants with new perspectives and challenge prejudices “.

 

50 young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, and Montenegro, learned about interreligious dialogue and tolerance, reconciliation, peace education, communication, activism, and human rights through art, socialising, and travel. Throughout the academy, they visited four places of worship from different religions and over ten different cultural and memorial institutions. They see the first ‘State of Peace’ Youth Academy as a unique educational platform for bridging and transcending national and religious differences and for preventing future conflicts.

The European Union supported the establishment of the Alumni network of entrepreneurs in Sarajevo

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

More than 100 young entrepreneurs, supported by the European Union and the International Labour Organization, with the mentorship of the Centre for Excellence in Entrepreneurship, Sarajevo founded the Alumni Network. The establishment of this network of entrepreneurs is organized within the framework of the EU4BusinessRecovery project and aims to create new opportunities for networking of all entrepreneurs, to exchange their knowledge and experience in order to improve the entrepreneurial eco-system in Sarajevo Canton and beyond.

  From its establishment in January 2020 until today, and through projects supported by the European Union, the International Labour Organization, the Municipality of Centar Sarajevo, as well as other donors in BiH, the Centre for Excellence in Entrepreneurship Sarajevo has supported the establishment of 115 companies, and the number participants of organized trainings exceeded 650. As part of the event, interactive workshops on the topic “Networking and human resource development” as well as panel discussions will be held, and attendees will learn more about the interests and networking models of entrepreneurs in Sarajevo Canton.   The alumni network of entrepreneurs of the Center for Excellence in Entrepreneurship Sarajevo is organized within the project “LEADER: Local Economy Activation – Development through Entrepreneurship Recovery” that is implemented wihtin the EU4BusinessRecovery project, which supports Bosnia and Herzegovina in mitigating the negative economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of this project jointly financed by the European Union and the Federal Republic of Germany, more than 1,000 jobs threatened by the pandemic will be saved and at least 100 new jobs will be created  

EU supports makeover for the Zenica City Market in BiH

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

The City Market in Zenica boasts its brand-new look after a recently completed European Union-funded makeover. The market now provides local producers of agricultural, food and other products with more favorable working conditions, as well as improved and safer service and a more pleasant setting for customers.

 

The City authorities and the European Union co-funded the improvement of the infrastructure of the Zenica city market through the project “European Union Support for Agricultural Competitiveness and Rural Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina” (EU4AGRI).

 

The goal is to ensure better conditions for placing goods in the market while respecting hygiene and sanitary requirements and the microbiological correctness of all products on sale.

 

During the project life, the City Market of Zenica was equipped with 115 new mobile stands to sell products and two new containers to dispose of plant waste. The space also benefitted from 20 wooden fair booths and 21 refrigerated showcases available to sellers of dairy and meat products, as well as small producers with continuity in the sale of their products at fairs and exhibitions and souvenir producers.

Third Edition of Open City Mostar Festival Kicks Off

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

The Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina and EU Special Representative in BiH, Ambassador Johann Sattler and Mostar Mayor Mario Kordić opened the third edition of the Open City Mostar festival on Wednesday, 23 August.

 

The City of Mostar, over the next 16 days, becomes an open-air stage for different cultural events. The festival’s opening night featured a concert of Cubismo, a well-known salsa latin jazz band from Croatia.

 

Ambassador Sattler emphasised that the Open City Mostar wanted to open public spaces for culture and promote values of tolerance and respect.  “The festival will yet again open up Mostar’s public spaces for different activities and events. The festival is not called Open City by accident. We want to show that Mostar is an open city for everyone. There is no borders, there is no distinctions between people”, stated Sattler.

 

Mostar Mayor Kordić said that this festival started to, through art, culture and music as a universal language, bring the citizens as well as visitors of the city closer and to have them socialise together.

 

This year, Open City Mostar will be strengthening its cooperation with other festivals and cultural organisations in Mostar as well. Different events at five locations across the city will feature artists from BiH and abroad.

EBRD and Addiko Bank Banja Luka strengthen cooperation to support SMEs

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Addiko Bank Banja Luka in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) are strengthening their partnership by signing a €5 million loan for on-lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This is the EBRD’s third loan to Addiko Bank Banja Luka in support of its SME lending operations in the country.

 

As well as improved access to finance, local SMEs will benefit from training opportunities at the Addiko SME Academy, set up with EBRD support and financed by the European Union. Business owners and employees will be able to learn about or refresh their knowledge of areas such as succession management, financial reporting, digital transformation, and environmental, social and corporate governance considerations. Furthermore, the Addiko SME Academy will strongly encourage female entrepreneurs and managers to participate.

 

Manuela Naessl, EBRD Head of Bosnia and Herzegovina, said: “We are especially pleased that SMEs will benefit not only from improved access to finance but also a new learning platform that can help them acquire new management skills for a more competitive global market.”

 

Srđan Kondić, President of the Management Board of Addiko Bank Banja Luka, commented: “ources of medium-term financing for SMEs are somewhat limited, which at the same time prevents the private sector from fulfilling its growth potential. As a result, we will focus on expanding our portfolio for SMEs, especially when it comes to underserved enterprises in regions outside of Banja Luka.”

 

To date, the EBRD has invested more than €3 billion through 216 projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Taulant Ferati

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in YEA of the month.

YEA of the Month July 2023

My name is Taulant Ferati, I am Young European Ambassador from Kosovo*.

In 2021, I co-founded an NGO called ‘Follow UP’ to provide reintegration services for marginalised communities.

I am very passionate about philosophy and politics. As a young historian, I want to use my passion and future profession to impact Kosovo’s cultural and political development.