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Author: WeBalkans

Distribution of equipment for primary waste separation continues in the city of Uzice

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Since the beginning of the implementation of the project Odvajamo in the City Municipality of Sevojno, 4.56 tons of primarily selected waste have been collected from bins, as presented at the promotion of the Project for Household Waste Separation in Užice on June 15th 2023.

 

“Primary separation of waste for the city of Užice is a very important topic, which we have been approaching very seriously for several years now, both through our strategic plans and decisions, as well as through the implementation of numerous projects”, pointed out Dragoljub Stojadinović, Deputy Mayor of Užice, speaking at an event dedicated to the promotion of the “Odvajamo” project, the implementation of which began in March.

 

The “O-DVA-JA-MO” project is implemented in 17 municipalities in Serbia with the support of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia, the European Union and the Embassy of Sweden. The goal of the project is to recycle part of the waste generated in households, in order to reduce the amount that ends up in landfills and increase the recycling rate in these municipalities to 15%.

 

The Waste Management Program in Serbia 2022-2031, adopted by the Government of Serbia as part of EU accession, aims to improve the municipal waste management system through an increased rate of recycling, reduced disposal of biodegradable waste in landfills and reduced disposal of waste in unhygienic landfills.

Dialogue and understanding in the region for a safer path to the EU

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In order to make smart and meaningful youth-oriented policies, cooperation between policymakers and youth is needed, based on a credible policy dialogue. This is exactly the main goal of the “POLITEIA Regional School for Youth Participation” which started in Niš and will last from July 6 to 12 with the participation of students, activists and young experts from Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo*, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia.

 

POLITEIA school is organized by the Centre for Democracy Foundation in cooperation with civil society partner organizations from the Western Balkans within the framework of the Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe project, which is implemented with the financial support of the European Union.

 

The EU Youth Strategy 2027 encourages all young people to engage socially and participate in democratic life. The main mechanism of EU youth participation in the decision-making process is the Youth Dialogue, which is implemented at the local, national and sub-national level in order to use their opinions and ideas. Seeking to respond to the challenges faced by young people as one of the most vulnerable population groups, the EU provides numerous mechanisms that encourage greater participation of young people and the openness of institutions to communicate with young people.

 

Regional cooperation is supported through various initiatives and programs such as the Erasmus+ and the introduction of the Youth Guarantee in the region. Based on the conclusions and goals of the Berlin Process, strong youth-oriented initiatives aimed at reconciliation and cooperation are supported – such as the programs of the Regional Youth Cooperation Office, but also regional projects such as POLITEIA. The European Union will continue to support initiatives that improve the quality of life and the perspective of young people in the Western Balkans and will additionally intensify cooperation with the region for successful accession to the EU.

Final conference of project “COVID Complementary measure ─ Support to SME in Montenegro

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“Since the beginning of the pandemic, Montenegro has received €130 million in EU grants and loans, aiming to save lives, improve public health, and help the local economy,” said Domagoj Denačić, Task Manager at the Delegation of European Union to Montenegro, during the final conference ─ “COVID Complementary Measures ─ Support to SMEs in Montenegro.”

 

He stated that, despite the rather modest budget, this project covered a wide spectrum, from supporting the development of the strategy for circular transition; providing advisory support and coaching for MSMEs in preparation and implementation of digital transformation; providing advisory support and coaching to skilled craftworkers; providing technical assistance for the development of authentic rural touristic offers, and conducting an evaluation of COVID-19 support to the Montenegrin private sector.

 

Istra Danailova, team leader of the project, gave her insights into the detailed analysis of the project, explained the activities that were carried out as part of the project, and presented the concrete results that were achieved.

 

“We developed a strategy for the circular economy until 2030 together with a financial plan for the implementation of the strategy, and, as an added value to the project, we prepared a detailed goal report whose purpose was to support decision-makers to better align national legislation with the strategic and political framework of the circular economy of the European Union. We also had several panel sessions led by our project team. We provided advisory support to micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises in the preparation and implementation of digital transformation and circular economy to increase competitiveness. We organised eight different capacity-building sessions and prepared 11 case studies.”

 

The results of Components 2, 3, and 5 were presented by Goran Pastorović, Darko Pekić, Slavica Marković, and Istra Danailova.

European Union donates specialized equipment to the BiH Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies

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As part of continuous support for the development of capacities for managing migration flows in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the European Union donated equipment worth 170,900 KM to the Directorate for the Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH in Sarajevo.

 

Karel Lizerot, Head Section for Justice and Home Affairs, Migration and Public Administration Reform, at the Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina handed over the equipment to  Enes Karić, Director of Directorate for the Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH. “The European Union invests in building the capacity of agencies that are involved in the response to migration flows in BiH, including the Directorate for the Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH. Our support will continue in the coming period,” Lizerot said.

 

This equipment includes specialized protective clothing and footwear and is part of comprehensive support for the work of the Directorate for the Coordination of Police Bodies of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will significantly facilitate the work of police officers in the field. Namely, the European Union donated ten specialized all-terrain vehicles worth 725,000 KM to the Directorate in March this year, which will help police officers increase their mobility and operational efficiency.

 

The European Union remains committed to supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina in managing migration flows in the country. Through joint efforts and continuous support, the EU aims to ensure the well-being and protection of migrants while supporting the leading role of the state in responding to migration flows, and sustainable solutions. The project is implemented by IOM in partnership with UNHCR, UNICEF and UNFPA.

Fostering Inclusion and Creativity among children of Gradiška

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An EU funded project supports an initiative for inclusion of children with developmental difficulties in Gradiška, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Nevena Gvozdenac is a psychologist based in Gradiška, a small town in the north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina with a population of just over 14,000. Her particular focus is working with children, specifically those with developmental difficulties. While studies conducted by international organizations indicate some improvement in the overall situation of children with disabilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina over the past 20 years, it still falls far short of the standards set by international legal frameworks such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), as well as the legislation and Disability Policy of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 

Mrs. Gvozdenac personally experienced these challenges during her work in Gradiška and decided to take action by providing additional free activities to support the social integration of children with disabilities. She designed workshops where children with disabilities could interact with typically developing children, aiming to foster acceptance among the former and empathy among the latter.

“This is not a segregated workshop for children with developmental difficulties. Nevena has facilitated their inclusion, and we can see that these joint workshops pose no significant challenges for them, which is crucial for us as parents.”

Her concept was well-received by the Youth Center “Petar Kočić, which collaborated with Mrs. Gvozdenac to develop the project called “Creative Buddies implemented in Gradiška since May 2022 as part of the ReLOaD2 project (Regional Programme on Local Democracy in the Western Balkans), financed by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Žana Kovačević, the project coordinator and President of the Youth Center, shared her perspective as a mother of a child with developmental difficulties. She saw Nevena’s idea as an opportunity to approach these children differently by integrating them with typically developing children. “This is not a segregated workshop for children with developmental difficulties. Nevena has facilitated their inclusion, and we can see that these joint workshops pose no significant challenges for them, which is crucial for us as parents,” Kovačević explained

Throughout 2022, the Youth Center “Petar Kočić” in Gradiška organized a series of creative and educational workshops for children with developmental difficulties and their typically developing friends. Under the guidance of professional staff, these young ones spent valuable time together, contributing significantly to their growth and social inclusion. Throughout the summer, the streets of Gradiška often witnessed the sight of playful children engaging in various handicraft activities. The story behind their imaginative play carries an important message recognized by the local community.

Žana Kovačević from the Youth Center “Petar Kočić” emphasized that parents usually come up with ideas for additional educational and creative activities themselves or with the support of therapists. “These children primarily need informal education, such as these workshops. Many of them struggle to acquire the skills taught in primary school. They may struggle with writing or speaking correctly, but it is crucial that we continue teaching them. The most important thing for them is to spend time with other children and to engage in collaborative creativity,” Kovačević emphasized.

“All the workshops were designed to foster teamwork, and we made an effort to include children randomly. Our focus was primarily on creative activities that allowed the children to unleash their imagination and create various crafts using natural materials.”

About the project 

The Regional Programme on Local Democracy in the Western Balkans 2 (ReLOaD2) is a continuation of EU-supported initiatives – Local Democracy Strengthening Project (LOD, 2009-2016) and the subsequently expanded Regional Program for Local Democracy in the Western Balkans (ReLOaD, 2017-2020). As the previous ones, this project is funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). ReLOaD2 is implemented in the Western Balkans, in particular Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Kosovo*, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.

The Youth Center “Petar Kočić” organized the first series of youth workshops in early June 2022, which continued until October of the same year. Nevena Gvozdenac highlighted, “All the workshops were designed to foster teamwork, and we made an effort to include children randomly. Our focus was primarily on creative activities that allowed the children to unleash their imagination and create various crafts using natural materials.”

Through the workshops conducted under the “Creative Buddies” project, the Youth Center “Petar Kočić” has introduced a new model for promoting the culture of Gradiška. The center’s staff members explain that the handicrafts created by the children during the workshops were utilized to construct a map of the city and the village, which was exhibited at the Cultural Center of Gradiška. This exhibition, held at the end of 2022, showcased the remarkable creativity of children with developmental difficulties.

Call for EU Investigative Journalism Award 2023 is now closed

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Journalists from the Western Balkans and Türkiye submitted more than 260 applications to the Call for EU Investigative Journalism Award 2023. A total of 267 applications have been submitted for the EU Investigative Journalism Award 2023, encompassing both national and regional categories. These applications came from seven different countries. This prestigious award honours exceptional investigative stories published in the preceding calendar year. From the pool of received applications, the evaluation jury will choose the top three stories from each of the seven countries, resulting in 21 selected stories. This selection process ensures that the most outstanding works from each country are recognized and acknowledged. This year, the EU Award has introduced an exciting addition in the form of a regional award. This category seeks to recognise the finest stories that transcend national boundaries and address issues of significance to the entire region. By creating this new category, the award aims to inspire journalists to broaden their perspective and tackle matters that have a broader impact.

 

A separate evaluation jury will be established to evaluate the regional award submissions. This dedicated panel will review all entries and select the three stories that have the most substantial regional impact. This initiative will foster a sense of collaboration among journalists and encourage them to delve into regional matters that affect a wider audience. In the past four years, 84 investigative stories from the Western Balkans and Türkiye produced by 124 journalists were awarded. These stories contributed to resolving cases of power misuse, corruption, organised crime, pollution of the ecosystem, and other wrongdoings. The EU Award for Investigative Journalism 2023 is part of the project “Strengthening Quality Journalism in Western Balkans and Türkiye II”. This aims to recognise and promote outstanding achievements in investigative journalism as well as improve the visibility of quality journalism in the Western Balkans and Türkiye.

EU funding opportunities for private sector in Serbia

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More than 1,800 participants attended the first EU Opportunity Week in Serbia, from 21 to 26 June 2023. It was the first time all EU programmes and funds open to Serbians were gathered in one place to share application procedures and opportunities. A further 3,500 participants followed online and interacted with programme representatives in the dedicated online space. The event, jointly organised by the Delegation of the European Union and the Government of the Republic of Serbia, encompassed 120 information sessions and panels over five days and in three cities: Belgrade, Niš, and Novi Sad. It covered the full range of EU support in the economy and business, education, youth and sports, culture, media and civil society, local development, and green transition, as well as agriculture.

 

In a video message delivered at the event’s opening, the EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyihighlighted the significant assistance provided by the EU to Serbia, including through the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans. Mobilising up to €30 billion investments, as a combination of grants, preferential loans and guarantees, this substantial package supports investments in sustainable transport, clean energy, environment and climate, digital future, human capital and the private sector. The Serbian Minister of European Integration, Tanja Miščević, and EU Ambassador to Serbia Emanuele Giaufretsigned an agreement at the event on new donations through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III) amounting to €200 million, of which €162 million in EU grants. The majority of the EU-provided funds will be directed towards the environmental sector, with over €72 million allocated for enhancing infrastructure, bolstering institutional capacity in environmental protection, and effectively managing and mitigating climate change in line with Green Agenda.

RCC and DG NEAR organize a high-level conference on cybersecurity in the Western Balkans

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The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), in cooperation with DG NEAR, organised a two-day high-level conference on cybersecurity in the Western Balkans, on 28-29 June 2023 in Brussels.  “Cyber-attacks are borderless – a joint regional approach to ensure cybersecurity in the region, in line with EU standards, has become a must. Western Balkan economies need robust legal frameworks that facilitate cooperation and information sharing amongst themselves and with EU as well. However, a high level of political commitment to cybersecurity reforms comes first. Region needs to work together. Education and awareness are equally vital components of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, as well as programmes and strategies that support digitalisation of business, including e-commerce, which we should be developing rapidly,” said RCC Secretary General, Majlinda Bregu, in her keynote speech at the panel dedicated to progress, challenges and needs in reaching a resilient cyberspace in the Western Balkans.  
RCC has recently joined 110 members of the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE) to continue strengthening regional and European cyber security capacity building. The RCC is advocating for EU to enable integration of the Western Balkans in the work of the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA). This will mark another application of “phasing in” and contribute to an accelerated alignment of WB with the EU Single Market standards and practices. Additionally, inclusion of Western Balkans in EU Cybersecurity Incident Review Mechanism to assess and review specific cybersecurity incidents would enable an enhanced response to cyber-attacks in the Western Balkans and build capacities for timely response.
  The participants of the conference discussed advancing the Western Balkans on their path to greater cyber resilience to cyber threats. Ministers and other representatives of Western Balkans governments and public institutions, donors, international organisations, implementing partners, private sector, NGOs and academia exchanged views on the outstanding challenges and needs in the field of cybersecurity and explored ways to best address them through a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. The exchanges focused on strengthening regional cooperation, and improving information sharing and exchange of knowledge and experience amongst the Western Balkan economies and within the global cyber community.

Workshop on recycling presented in secondary school in Šid

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On May 30, in the courtyard of the “Sava Šumanović” Gymnasium in Šid, a workshop on recycling was held as part of the “O-DVA-JA-MO” Household Waste Separation Project, which is being implemented by the Municipality of Šid and the Public Utility Company “Standard” Šid. The director of PUC “Standard” Šid, Milenka Subić, welcomed all those present and gave details about the participation of this municipality in the ” O-DVA-JA-MO” project:”This is one of a series of events that we are making, the first event we had was when we received the truck and equipment from this project and started implementing it, the next events concern informing our fellow citizens about the importance of separation and recycling. We thank the high school and these young people who understood this problem and who, within their school eco sections, by working on presentations such as this one, are also contributing in raising awareness of their fellow citizens.”

 

The “O-DVA-JA-MO” project is implemented in 17 municipalities in Serbia with the support of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia, the European Union, and the Embassy of Sweden. The goal of the project is to recycle part of the waste generated in households, in order to reduce the amount that ends up in landfills and increase the recycling rate in these municipalities to 15%.

€3.6 million for cooperation between Serbia and North Macedonia

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Support for healthcare and social and cultural inclusion, as well as the promotion of tourism, are the scope of the new cross-border cooperation program between Serbia and North Macedonia, financed by the European Union. The trilateral financing agreement was signed today in Niš, within the EU Opportunity Week, by Minister for European Integration Tanja Miščević, Deputy Prime Minister of North Macedonia Bojan Maričić and the Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Emanuele Giaufret. This is the second cross-border cooperation program between these two countries. The total budget of the program adopted by the European Commission on June 3, 2022 amounts to €9.7 million, of which €8.4 million are co-financed by the EU. This is more than double the funds compared to the previous seven-year financial perspective. The Trilateral Agreement corresponds to two-year allocations in the total value of €3.6 million, which will be supplemented at a later stage of the Program in order to be able to use the total EU funds intended for the entire program.

 

It is expected that, thanks to the Program, social and health care services for vulnerable groups will be more accessible to citizens, as well as that there will be more cultural content for all residents of the territory where the Program is implemented. The development of cross-border tourism and the protection of cultural and natural heritage on both sides of the border will significantly increase the number of tourist visits and the length of stay of tourists in the border area. The area of this cross-border cooperation program includes the Jablanica and Pčinja Districts in Serbia and the Northeast region and part of the Skopje region in North Macedonia, with about 850,000 inhabitants in both countries.