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Author: WeBalkans

Sarajevo hosts panel discussion on evolution of propaganda narratives on Ukraine

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

On the occasion of one year since the start of the Russia’s full-scale invasion on Ukraine, the European Union External Action Service (EEAS) and EU Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina, organized a panel discussion “Evolution of propaganda narratives on Ukraine”, on 24 February 2023 in Sarajevo. The discussion brought together panellists from the Western Balkans, Ukraine and the Middle East.  
Ambassador Johann Sattler, Head of EU Delegation and EU Special Representative to BiH said: “This war is not just taking place on the battlefield. The war is also taking place in many other fields, including information space. The mechanisms to manipulate information that Russia has created, including in the years prior, have become a powerful instrument of war, used at a global level.  Integrity, professional journalism and strong civil society are crucial during war times, when information manipulation takes place and disinformation spreads.”  
The panel discussion is part of a wider EU activity „Connecting Media Communities in the Age of Disinformation“, that is taking place on 24th and 25th February in Sarajevo. It gathers journalists, fact-checkers, media professionals and academics from the Western Balkans, Eastern Partnership countries, Middle East and North Africa and beyond. The aim of the activity is to increase synergies across borders, as well as to map the needs of the media communities and support their work.

The EU is changing the lives of Albanians for better

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On 22 February 2023, the Council of Ministers approved in principle the signing of the Financing Agreement between the European Commission and the Republic of Albania on the Annual Action Plan (AAP) for 2022 under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) III. The EU contribution of EUR 82.6 million will supports six actions in the areas of environment, youth, democracy, EU acquis alignment, fight against organised crime, and judiciary.

 

The Financing agreement will now be signed by the European Commission and then be submitted to the Albanian authorities for their counter-signature and further approval in the Council of Ministers.  The pre-accession assistance instrument IPA supports EU candidate countries in adopting and implementing key political, institutional, social and economic reforms to comply with EU values and to progressively align with EU rules, standards and policies.

EIB Global investments reached €824 million in the Western Balkans in 2022, complemented by €11.2 million in grants

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The EU bank, through its arm dedicated to activities outside the European Union — EIB Global — invested €824 million across the Western Balkans in 2022 to accelerate sustainable connectivity, clean environment, green transition, digitalisation and private sector growth. These projects contribute to the roll out of the EU’s Economic and Investment Plan for the region and the EU’s Global Gateway initiative. On top of that, the Bank mobilised €11.2 million in grants to initiate sustainable, urban development, energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. The lion’s share of new signatures was allocated to more sustainable, safe and efficient transportation via rail and waterway projects, amounting to 75% of total lending last year, followed by investments in small businesses, environmental protection and digitalisation.

 

As one of the main players of the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF), EIB Global develops and implements investments in close cooperation with the European Commission, international financial institutions and Western Balkan economies. This Team Europe approach maximises the use of the finance available for much needed investments. The EU bank has also designed innovative financial instruments, including a mix of loans, guarantees, advisory and grants, under the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+), to support municipalities, power producers, corporates, small businesses and commercial banks with investments in the energy, connectivity and digital sectors.

Belgrade’s FEST Film Festival Kicks Off with exiting lineup of international films

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The highly anticipated annual FEST film festival has officially kicked off in Belgrade, Serbia, showcasing some of the best and most exciting new films from around the world. The festival, which has been running since 1971, has become one of the most important events on the international film calendar. This year’s edition, which runs from 24 February to 5 March, features over 100 films from 50 countries, with a focus on promoting emerging talent and innovative storytelling. Fourteen movies by European authors are part of the main competition program!

Viewers will be able to vote for the best European movie, following the projection of each of those movies. The winner will receive the Audience Award, which will be announced by the Ambassador of the European Union to Serbia, Emanuele Giaufret at the festival’s closure, on 5 March. Each 100+ projection of the movies starts with the trailer video which shows in a nutshell Serbian movie supported through Creative Europe previously.

EU keeps being a proud supporter of Serbian cinematography.  Besides having sponsored numerous top movie and series achievements through Creative Europe ( Otac, Nečista krv, Leto kada sam naučila da letim, Strahinja, Zlogonje, Mrak, Mraz, Crna svadba, Područje bez signala), the European Union Delegation to Serbia is supporting several film festivals in Serbia, among others the FEST.

FEST is renowned for its vibrant atmosphere and strong community spirit, with thousands of film enthusiasts from around the world gathering in Belgrade each year to celebrate the art of cinema. This year’s festival promises to be no exception, with an exciting program of screenings, talks, and events that will showcase the very best of contemporary cinema.

Opportunity for Young Artists: Mentorship and Residency Programme in Paris

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Young Artists Development Residency Programme is a unique program because it not only offers a three-month residency for young artists from the region in Paris, but also a mentoring programme that implies that young artists will develop their skills in cooperation with experienced and renowned European artists, it was said at the presentation of the Programme attended by young artists from Serbia.  
The European Investment Bank (EIB) Institute has published a call for applications within the Artists Development Residency programme (ADP) for the year 2023, in cooperation with the Cite internationale des arts (Paris), for artists under 35 years old from the candidate countries for the EU membership.  
The European Union has been supporting and investing in the development of the creative industry in Serbia for years, and the EIB Programme is an excellent opportunity for young artists to develop professionally.

New study shows resilience and response in EU neighbours during pandemic crisis

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A new study from the European Training Foundation (ETF) and Eurofound demonstrates the resilience and response that citizens in the EU and ten EU neighbouring countries faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report, Living, working and COVID-19, shows that despite the challenges, citizens from Albania, Georgia, Jordan, Kosovo*, Lebanon, Moldova, Morocco, North Macedonia, Palestine*, and Tunisia remain optimistic.

 

The findings underscore the importance of investing in education and the potential of teleworking as a tool for work-life balance and flexibility and provide a roadmap for citizens in the EU neighbourhood to build a better future for all.

 

The report confirms the role of skills development for citizens in the EU’s neighbourhood to create a better future for themselves and their communities. With the imminent European Year of Skills, the report is a call to action for the development of essential skills. The EU’s initiative will support small and medium-sized enterprises in addressing skills shortages and promote reskilling and upskilling of the workforce to boost the EU’s 2030 social targets, which include 60% of adults participating in yearly training and 78% in employment.

 

The ‘Living, working and COVID-19’ survey, first launched by Eurofound in early 2020, aims to capture the wide-ranging impact of the pandemic on the work and lives of EU citizens. The fifth round of the survey, which was implemented in spring 2022, also sheds light on a new uncertain reality caused by the war in Ukraine, record-high inflation, and sharp rises in the cost of living. The Eurofound-ETF report provides a comprehensive picture of the impact of COVID-19 on the lives and livelihoods of people in the EU and its neighbours.

Commissioner Várhelyi in Serbia to attend a ceremony on the Corridor X railway project and to discuss priorities under EU accession negotiations

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Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi will be in Serbia today to announce a €2.2 billion financial package that will enable a substantial modernisation of the railway tracks of Corridor X.

The Corridor X railway project is one of the Economic and Investment Plan flagship investments, connecting the region with the EU via Croatia, through Belgrade and further to Niš, Skopje and Greece. The project will contribute to the modernisation of the railways in Serbia and improve Serbia’s connectivity with other European rail networks. It is part of the EU’s €30 billion Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans which aims to mobilise investments in the areas of transport, energy, green and digital transition, to create sustainable growth and jobs.

An EU grant of up to €600 million is foreseen for this project. Out of this, €265 million has been already approved so far for the Belgrade – Niš fast railway that will allow to travel between the two cities with the speed of up to 200 km / h and in around 100 minutes. The rest of the package consists of a €1.1 billion loan from the EIB and a €550 million EBRD loan.

During his visit, Commissioner Várhelyi will meet President Aleksandar Vučić, Prime Minister Ana Brnabić, Minister of European Integration Tanja Miščević, and Minister of Interior Bratislav Gašić to discuss accession negotiations priorities, in particular in the rule of law area, and cooperation in the areas of sustainable connectivity, energy, and migration.

The Commissioner will also discuss the EU support to Serbia to face the current energy crisis following the recent signature of the €165 million budget support to help mitigate the energy prices amongst vulnerable households and SMEs under the €1 billion Energy Support Package for the Western Balkans.

“Connecting Pearls” – Uniting Cross-Border Municipalities through Nature and Tourism

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With EU support, cross-border municipalities in Serbia and North Macedonia join forces to share their heritage with visitors.

Rich nature and cultural heritage are the common traits of the border region between North Macedonia and Serbia. The Osogovo Mountains and the Kukavica mountain massif within the boundaries of the municipalities of Kriva Palanka and Leskovac have an exceptional natural landscape. The abundance of wild blackberries, raspberries, mushrooms, medicinal herbs and tasty traditional food such as kačamak polenta is an additional delight for visitors to the region.

The abundance of opportunities to enjoy natural, cultural and historical sites offers the possibility of developing many forms of tourism and satisfying the curiosity of every visitor. However, this tourism potential was not well known in the region and even less internationally. The municipalities of Leskovac and Kriva Palanka therefore decided to join forces and, with European Union support, to make this destination recognisable with its attractive tourist offer, by launching a joint cross-border cooperation project.

“Mountain lovers from our area visited the region regularly. However, there was an obvious lack of infrastructure for reaching some of the most beautiful sites, and not many people outside of the region knew that such natural beauty exists in Leskovac and Kriva Palanka.”

Maja Kocić is a project manager from the city of Leskovac in Serbia. As one of the developers of this project, she explains that the need for this initiative was evident. “Mountain lovers from our area visited the region regularly. However, there was an obvious lack of infrastructure for reaching some of the most beautiful sites, and not many people outside of the region knew that such natural beauty exists in Leskovac and Kriva Palanka,” says Maja.

The environment connecting the cross-border region is as beautiful as a pearl and so the cities decided to name the project “Connecting Pearls”. The project includes a variety of activities and interventions. Initially, the partners organised workshops to facilitate cooperation between tourism organisations across the border. The workshops included ten organisations from both sides of the border who then formed a cross-border stakeholder working group for future action.

Following this, the project moved on to badly-needed small-scale interventions. On both sides of the border, the project contributed to laying paths and hiking trails, the construction of children’s playgrounds and summer houses, and the installation of benches, solar lighting, information boards, and waste bins.

In addition, the project organised promotional events titled “green weekends”, which gathered hundreds of people and included live music, traditional food tasting and hiking trips.

“As a result of the Connecting Pearls project, we have a considerable increase in the number of visitors from all over Serbia, and we expect the same increase in international visitors too.”

About the project

Connecting Pearls is a cross-border cooperation project between Serbia and North Macedonia, which is implemented with funds for pre-accession assistance from the European Union (IPA II) and is carried out by the city of Leskovac in the Republic of Serbia in partnership with the municipality of Kriva Palanka in North Macedonia, as well as the Centre for Development of the Jablanica and Pčinja districts.

The goal of the Connecting Pearls project is to improve the visibility and quality of the regional cross-border tourist offer through the mapping of natural, cultural and historical heritage, and the improvement of locations through construction work in both Leskovac and Kriva Palanka.

Maja explains that the project’s impact is visible and tangible and will be even more in the coming months and years. “As a result of the Connecting Pearls project, we have a considerable increase in the number of visitors from all over Serbia, and we expect the same increase in international visitors too,” says Maja.

She also explains that the cross-border cooperation nature of the project has contributed considerably to the quality of the impact. “We’ve benefited a lot from the exchange of ideas, perspectives and management skills with the municipality of Kriva Palanka in North Macedonia, and we are going for another joint project soon.”

Introducing unique Gacko kajmak to the world

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An EU-funded project is helping an NGO from Bosnia and Herzegovina with branding and promoting of traditional kajmak with a unique recipe.

Gacko is a small municipality with around 8,000 inhabitants in south-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is mainly known for the nearby coal mine and thermoelectric powerplant which is also the largest employer in the area. However, Gacko has also its own unique and characteristic way of producing kajmak, a type of cream cheese produced and consumed across the Western Balkans.

The traditional method of making kajmak is by boiling the raw milk slowly, then simmering it for two hours over a very low heat. After it is taken off the heat, the cream is skimmed and left to chill, and mildly ferment, for several hours or days. Unlike this traditional production method, in the Gacko recipe, the kajmak is matured for several months in sacks made from sheepskin or goatskin. As a result, the Gacko kajmak turns from a white to a yellowish colour, with a firm but not hard consistency, a slightly salty taste, and a characteristic aroma acquired during its ripening. When it is removed from its sack, the cheese is dry and crumbly.

“Our kajmak is a unique and very valuable product, and that is why we want to protect and promote it.”

However, not many people have an opportunity to enjoy this unique taste as it is mainly sold in the markets or restaurants of the Gacko region. With this in mind, the Gacko Kajmak Producers Association has launched an initiative to introduce Gacko kajmak to the world. Dragana Milović is the President of the Association, which was founded in 2021. At the beginning, the association had nine members and now it has 24 members, mainly women from rural regions. Dairy production, including kajmak, is the main income for 90% of them.

According to Dragana, the objective of the Association is to have their product branded and recognised locally and regionally. In order to achieve that, specific procedures need to be followed. The first is to establish a production traceability system, which would ensure product branding by competent institutions. The Association believes that kajmak branding will lead to wider recognisability, and in turn, to a higher demand and a better price. The aspiration of the Association members is to improve their material situation by producing kajmak, particularly in rural areas. Consequently, the production must be standardised, while at the same time preserving the tradition and the recognisable kajmak taste made in the region. “Our kajmak is a unique and very valuable product, and that is why we want to protect and promote it,” says Dragana.

“The support that we got from both the EU and UNDP through the ReLOaD2 project was of high importance as it enabled us to get closer to our aim of branding and promoting Gacko kajmak to more people.”

About the project

The Regional Programme for 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 Programme for Local Democracy in the Western Balkans (ReLOaD, 2017-2020). The overall objective of the project is to strengthen participatory democracies and EU integration in the Western Balkans by empowering civil society and encouraging young people to actively take part in the decision-making process, and by improving a supportive legal and financial environment for civil society.

The Association recently got the support of an EU-funded project for their initiative. The Regional Programme on Local Democracy in the Western Balkans 2 (ReLOaD2) is being implemented in 63 local governments across the Western Balkans and Gacko municipality is one of the 13 partner local government units included in in Bosnia and Herzegovina, funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The support from the project included training on hygiene and milk quality, proper cattle feeding and keeping records on livestock fodder and milk quantities. Participants also received training on the method of establishing a production traceability system in the Gacko kajmak production process and on the requirements for branding. In addition, the project also provided the association with equipment for milk processing and testing which is crucial for quality control.

The implementation of this project is the first step towards the branding of Gacko kajmak. It is a very important issue for both the local community and the region as farming is the main sources of income in the Gacko region. “The support that we got from both the EU and UNDP through the ReLOaD2 project was of high importance as it enabled us to get closer to our aim of branding and promoting Gacko kajmak to more people,” says Dragana Milović.

EU and Germany support digital transition and contribute to job creation in Kosovo’s IT sector

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The EU Ambassador in Kosovo, Tomas Szunyog and Head of Development Cooperation at the German Embassy, Vera Baumann, inaugurated on 14 February in Pristina Innovemia Innovation Academy.

 

The academy, in partnership with the digital media company MetDaan and the Innovation and Training Park, will offer training and re-training in digital and tech entrepreneurship, social media, and video editing to the existing employees or young people looking to work in the IT sector, in particular supporting the digital transition of micro and small enterprises.

 

With the EU and German funding of  €150.000, the academy will provide training courses to at least 210 young people under age 35, all while encouraging the participation of women.

 

“Launching of this academy is an important step towards building up digital skills in Kosovo. It will help young people increase their employability. With the digital transition of micro and small enterprises, it will contribute to the overall competitiveness of Kosovo’s economy,” said Ambassador Szunyog.

 

The EU and Germany are one of the prominent supporters of the digital transition in Kosovo.