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Author: WeBalkans

Europe House in Podgorica celebrated its first birthday

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

Europe House celebrated its first birthday in the most beautiful company – with children. They dedicated this day to their dearest guests, the future residents of the European Union, for whom Europe House prepared a special surprise.The comic book ʺSuper Stellaʺ saw the light of day. The comic book was illustrated by Luka Cakić. ʺSuper Stellaʺ follows adventures of a heroine with a blue cloak through the depths of space, where new discoveries await, as well as some interesting characters and lots of new friends.

 

Her superpowers symbolise the core values of the EU, such as solidarity, unity, friendship, guardianship – which were the topics of conversation between EU Ambassador Oana Cristina Popa and the pupils from the elementary school ʺOktoihʺ and TV show ʺ Zvjezdice.ʺ Along with the EU ambassador and illustrator Luka Cakić, the youngest panelists that Europe House had the honour to host spoke about each of the EU’s superpowers. The young panelists were: Iva Šoć, Vuk Jovović, Irina Vlaović and Vuk Matanović.

 

As part of the birthday celebration, Europe House also organised the first in a series of planned concerts without electricity. The first one was reserved for the guitar duo Marko Prentić and Dražen Joković, who played classical and film music, mixed with pop, ethno, and jazz genres for the guests of the birthday party. The event was attended by the young artists whose took part in the art exhibition, along with their parents, friends, partners of Europe House, and its indispensable neighbourhood. Through the celebration of its first birthday, Europe House (former EU Info Centre) aimed to showcase that it is a gathering place for dialogue, new ideas, and creativity, where anyone interested can learn about the European Union in Montenegro, its initiatives, policies, and projects.

EU Launches Kosovo Home Affairs Programme to Strengthen Cooperation and Rule of Law in Kosovo

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The European Union (EU) has announced the launch of the “EU Kosovo Home Affairs Programme,” a significant initiative aimed at strengthening the alignment of Kosovo’s home affairs sectors with European standards and best practices. The programme, funded by the EU, will be implemented by the Italian Ministry of Internal Affairs, in collaboration with the French Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Belgium Federal Police.

 

Starting from 1 March 2023, the EU Kosovo Home Affairs Programme will be implemented with a budget of €6,5 million and a duration of 40 months. The main objective of the programme is to promote the rule of law and fundamental rights in Kosovo by facilitating joint investigation teams and enhancing cooperation between law enforcement agencies. The project will also provide operational support, transfer skills, and competences to improve the effectiveness of investigations in Kosovo.

 

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Police in Kosovo will be the main beneficiaries of this programme, which will follow the major reform process of the Kosovo Police and Ministry of Internal Affairs, aligning them with EU standards. In close collaboration with Eurojust, Europol, and other relevant EU law enforcement agencies, the project will foster the establishment of joint investigation teams, improving the capacity for international and cross-border investigations.

 

Furthermore, the EU Kosovo Home Affairs Programme will address critical areas of reform in Kosovo, including the protection of critical infrastructure and cybersecurity. The project will provide assistance to the Ministry of Internal Affairs in identifying and designating national and European critical infrastructures, as well as support in developing operator security plans. Additionally, efforts will be made to establish a Cybersecurity Agency and align the legal and institutional framework of Kosovo with EU standards.

 

EU transfers EUR 72 million to Albania as part of Energy Support Package

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The European Union has transferred EUR 72 million to the Government of Albania as part of EU support to cope with the socio-economic consequences of the energy crisis. The funds are part of the Energy Support Package announced at the Western Balkans Summit in Tirana in 2022 and signed with the Government in March 2023 under IPA Annual Action Plan 2023.

 

The package supports the Government in applying measures to protect consumers in Albania from the impact of the energy crisis.

 

These Government measures include: Subsidising energy prices (possibly below a certain monthly threshold of consumption) for households and small and medium enterprises in Albania to provide similar rates as before the energy crisis (estimated 1 million households and 168,000 SMEs covered); and providing financial aid to 11,200 vulnerable persons.

 

In addition, the package supports Government efforts to diversify energy sources through new wind and solar investments, new renewable energy legislation in line with EU standards, and support schemes for consumers to install solar energy water heaters.

 

 These funds are grants that do not need to be repaid by Albania. A further EUR 8 million will be transferred in 2024 pending progress in implementing the relevant Government measures.

 

Other EU support to the energy sector in Albania includes the revitalisation of the Fierza hydro power plant, the installation of a floating solar array in Vau i Dejes, as well as support to energy efficiency measures in business via IPARD.

Revolutionizing Livestock Farming in Serbia

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in Stories.

Meet the RoboShepherd invented at the Science-Technology Park in Niš

Most likely, many of you are familiar with RoboCop, the protagonist of an 80s film who was half-human and half-machine. During that era, the concept of robots replacing humans in various roles was merely a notion portrayed in science fiction movies. However, over the following decades, this idea gradually transformed into reality, and nowadays we witness robots assisting us in diverse tasks. Recently, a notable example of this has emerged in Serbia. Nevertheless, this time, the objective is not to substitute human labor but rather to address tasks associated with animal behavior, specifically those pertaining to sheepdogs.

 

Coming Computer Engineering, a Serbian information technology company, has collaborated with engineers from the University of Niš’s Faculty of Mechanical Engineering to develop and introduce a state-of-the-art, multifunctional robot known as the RoboShepherd. This innovative creation tackles one of the major challenges faced by agricultural producers in Serbia: the scarcity of available workers.

“The RoboShepherd has been designed to revitalise traditional livestock farming, encompassing the rearing of cattle in pastures.”

“The RoboShepherd has been designed to revitalise traditional livestock farming, encompassing the rearing of cattle in pastures,” states Dušan Krstić, the project manager at Coming Computer Engineering. “Given the limited agricultural workforce available, our objective was to replace humans with robots. These robots will guide the animals to the pastures, protect them from predators, and ensure they graze the appropriate amount of grass.” The prospect of seeing robotic shepherds tending to a flock of 620 sheep could become a familiar sight in Serbian pastures. In addition to livestock care, Coming Computer is also developing robots for various other agricultural tasks, such as planting, irrigation, harvesting, and ploughing.

Unlike many machines, these electronic assistants are capable of operating on exceedingly steep terrains.

“We have tested the prototype’s ability to pull 345 kilograms up a 30% incline, employing an automatic levelling system,” explains Nikola Velčev, an engineer at Coming. “This system allows the robot to lower its front section when encountering steep slopes, preventing it from toppling over when carrying substantial weights or towing a trailer.” The robot is also adaptable for ground-level operations, such as picking strawberries, and can instantly adjust its robotic platform to raise its arm up to 2 meters in height. “Our aim is to develop a platform that can incorporate various add-ons for different activities,” elaborates Velčev. “The robot is controlled using a joystick, equipped with sensor-supported movement that can detect obstacles and avoid them. With the assistance of GPS navigation, it will be capable of autonomously returning from the pasture to the stable.”

Over the next three years, the robots will enter production, with a pricing strategy intended to make them affordable for small-scale agricultural producers. Presently, robots of this kind cost over €100,000, rendering them inaccessible to the majority of farmers in Serbia and the surrounding region.

“The Science-Technology Park’s essence lies in establishing a community of innovative companies, fostering knowledge exchange, mutual support, and active participation in organized activities.”

About the project

The Public Sector Research and Development (R&D) project concerns a series of investments aimed at revitalising the country’s public R&D activity. The investments include the upgrading of existing infrastructure, the creation of a center for promotion of science, the construction of accommodations for students and young scientists’ accommodation and creation of centres of excellence in priority research fields. The cost of the project is estimated at an estimated investment cost of €420 million. The project is fully in line with the EIB’s lending priorities for the strengthening and development of activities in support of the Candidate and Potential Candidate Countries. The European Investment Bank, the long-term financing institution of the European Union, supports viable capital investment projects furthering the policy objectives of the Union. In the countries of the Western Balkans, the financing operations of the EIB contribute to facilitating the integration process with the European Union. Since 2001, the EIB has extended €2.6 billion in favour of projects in Serbia.

Elevating the Standards in Advanced Farming

Typically, it would require five to ten years to develop such distinctive agricultural solutions based on artificial intelligence. Even for global high-tech companies based in prominent information technology hubs like Silicon Valley.  However, the innovators at the Science-Technology Park in Niš accomplished this feat in a remarkable three years, aided by support from the Republic of Serbia’s Innovation Fund and the European Union.

Among the numerous enterprises operating within the Science-Technology Park in Niš, an innovation hub inaugurated in 2020, lies Coming Computer Engineering. The Park has emerged as a regional focal point for the advancement of inventive scientific and technological projects, along with their international promotion. It collaborates closely with the university and academic community, uniting over 500 young IT engineers to propel the region towards becoming a global hub for cutting-edge technologies.

“The Science-Technology Park’s essence lies in establishing a community of innovative companies, fostering knowledge exchange, mutual support, and active participation in organized activities,” asserts Milan Ranđelović, the director of the Science-Technology Park. “Our goal is to bolster local high-tech entrepreneurs and enhance awareness while strengthening the entire innovation ecosystem within the region.”

Together with its virtual members, the companies situated within the Park employ approximately 5,000 individuals. The construction of the Science-Technology Park’s premises was financed by the Serbian government and a loan from the European Investment Bank secured in 2010 for the research and development sector in Serbia.

2023 Young European Heritage Makers competition announced

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Young European Heritage Makers is a competition for the young people of Europe. It is an opportunity for them to explore their surroundings, learn about their local tangible and intangible cultural heritage and share a story of Europe. The objectives of the Young European Heritage Makers competition is to collect experiences and stories of how children and young people understand the European dimension of their local heritage. This can include tangible heritage such as monuments and buildings, features of the natural landscape, or intangible heritage shared by their community, such as dancing, singing or local cultural traditions. Creative interpretations are very much encouraged.

 

This competition is part of the European Heritage Days. With up to 70 000 events organised each year in the European States signatory to the European Cultural Convention and an estimated 30 million visitors, this joint action of the Council of Europe and of the European Commission is a unique example of a grass-roots initiative organised and shared by millions of people living in Europe. Check out the European Heritage Days website for more information about the competition, including how to register, your country’s participation status, the role of mentors in the competition.

20 Refugee families receive keys to new homes in Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia

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Keys to 20 newly-built Regional Housing Programme (RHP) apartments were delivered to refugee families in Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia today, bringing the RHP another step closer to successful closure in June 2023. In addition to the beneficiaries themselves, the ceremony was attended by Nataša Stanisavljević, Commissioner for Refugees and Migration of the Republic of Serbia; Gerhard Salzer, Programme Manager at the European Union Delegation to Serbia; Boban Đurović, Mayor of Vrnjačka Banja; Stefanie Krause, UNHCR Deputy Representative in Serbia, and Dušan Kovačević, Head of the Public Sector Projects Implementation Unit Ltd., amongst others.

 

Wishing the beneficiaries happiness in their new homes, Commissioner Stanisavljević additionally confirmed the commitment of the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration of the Republic of Serbia (KIRS) to families in need following the end of the RHP implementation period in June 2023: “We will continue to work to provide decent and permanent housing for vulnerable families to enable them to have safer and better lives,” she said.

 

On behalf of the European Union, the largest Donor to the RHP, Gerhard Salzer also warmly congratulated the beneficiaries, and reflected on the importance of the Programme for the Western Balkans and the EU. “This Programme is an example of the solidarity of the people of the European Union with the people of Serbia and the Western Balkans,” he said. “We are very much looking forward to the successful completion of the RHP this year, when approximately 34 000 people will enjoy new homes.”

President of North Macedonia Official Visit to the RYCO Superschools Exchange in Skopje

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The President of North Macedonia, Mr. Stevo Pendarovski, visited State School for Rehabilitation of Children and Youth with Visual Impairments “Dimitar Vlahov” (DURDMOV) in Skopje, together with the ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of North Macedonia, H.E. David Geer and ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Republic of North Macedonia H.E. Petra Drexler, during the exchange with the partner school from Sarajevo “Centre for Blind and Visually Impaired Children and Youth”.
 
The exchange between schools from Skopje and Sarajevo aims to facilitate the inclusion of visually impaired students in the Western Balkans through a series of activities in music, sport, and art specially tailored to their needs. The director of DURDMOV Boban Spasencovski said that with projects like Superschools, students and teachers can follow the trends, providing the schools with EU perspective, more experience and education.
 
The exchange is organised under Superschools, a project of the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), that supports schools from the Western Balkan in promoting intercultural learning, dialogue and peacebuilding. The project is co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and jointly implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and RYCO.

EBRD-financed projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina receive additional EU and WBIF grants

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Projects financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in Bosnia and Herzegovina have received further backing from the European Union (EU) and bilateral donors to the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF). The EU is providing grant funding of €42.8 million for the construction of two sections of Corridor Vc, the key transport link which will connect the country with the EU. The funding comprises €30.8 million for the Rudanka Interchange – Putnikovo Brdo Tunnel section (which was financed by a €150 million EBRD loan) and €12 million to the Putnikovo Brdo Tunnel – Medakovo Interchange (which was financed with a €60 million EBRD loan). In addition, a €1 million grant has been signed for the water supply extension project in Visoko as well as for repairs to the existing network in the municipality. The project has also been financed with a €4.5 million EBRD loan.

 

The signing of the grant agreements today was attended by representatives of the EBRD, the EU and the Minister of Finance and Treasury of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zoran Tegeltija. Manuela Naessl, EBRD Head of Bosnia and Herzegovina, said: “Together with our European partners we are determined to continue supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina in completing the construction of Corridor Vc. The new motorway is already helping to improve the quality of transport and doing business in the country and we look forward to future progress in construction.” Johann Sattler, EU Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, said: “The EU will continue to be a loyal friend and partner to Bosnia and Herzegovina, providing support for projects which have a concrete beneficial impact for people in this country. I am glad that following the signature of today’s grant agreements, further sections of the important Corridor 5c motorway can be built, and also that the water supply around Visoko will be renovated to ensure access to safe drinking water.” The ambassador also added that the EU’s grant contribution over the years has significantly increased, resulting in the current 40 per cent contribution.

 

Corridor Vc is a pan-European transport project. The section in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is 325 kilometres long, will cross the country from north to south, eventually connecting the Adriatic port of Ploče in Croatia with the Hungarian capital, Budapest. The motorway is primarily co-financed by loans from the EBRD and European Investment Bank (EIB) and grant resources from the EU. To date, the EBRD has provided the project with loans worth €821 million from its own resources, while investment and technical assistance grants extended by the EU have totalled more than €570 million. The water extension project in Visoko will enable new consumers to connect to the network and at the same time, by providing running water, improve the living standards of the population in the municipality. It will also help reduce water loss, increase resilience to climate change and improve the quality of supply to existing customers through repairs to the existing network.

Modernisation of Emergency Medical Institute in Belgrade with the support of the EU

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After more than half a century, the City of Belgrade Emergency Medical Institute will be reconstructed thanks to a project financed by the European Union and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The project will include works to improve energy efficiency, as well as the addition and expansion of existing facilities for an additional 4000m2. Energy efficiency improvement measures include thermal insulation, improved heating, ventilation and cooling systems, as well as the introduction of energy-efficient lighting systems.

 

The Agreement on the donation of the European Union in the amount of 8.8 million euros in grants was signed today in the presence of the Mayor of Belgrade Aleksandar Šapić, the Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia Emanuele Giaufret, the EBRD Director for the Western Balkans Matteo Colangeli, the Minister of Health Danica Grujičić and the Minister of European Integration Tanja Miščević.

 

In addition to signing of the donation, a tender for reconstruction works of the Emergency Medical Institute was also announced today. The European Union grants, as well as a previously secured EBRD loan of 5 million euros will be used to finance works on the reconstruction and expansion of the capacities of the Emergency Medical Institute building. The total expected costs of investment are around 14 million euros. In addition, the European Union provided a donation of 1.7 million euros for technical assistance to the City of Belgrade for support in the implementation of the project, supervision of construction works and assistance in reviewing the potential for energy efficiency and introducing a sustainable financing mechanism in the City.

Documentary film on ecotourism across territories of Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo premiered in Podgorica

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The fifteen-minute documentary takes viewers on a journey through the border areas of Montenegro and Albania, as well as Montenegro and Kosovo, showcasing the results achieved within eight cross-border cooperation projects in this region. Liselotte Isaksson, Deputy Head of the Department for Cooperation in the Delegation of European Union to Montenegro, expressed satisfaction that the EU has supported the development of potential of the tourism sector of Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo. “I am very proud that the European Union has supported projects that have brought new and innovative products to this area, diversifying and making the tourism offer more accessible and attractive to visitors,” said Isaksson.

 

Following the film screening, a panel discussion was held with representatives of projects participating in cross-border cooperation programmes on the topic of “Opportunities for cross-border cooperation and the significance of rural and ecotourism.”