29. 9. 2022 | PR
On Wednesday, 28th September 2022, the Centre for European Perspective (CEP) in cooperation with the Polish Embassy organized a closed Panel discussion on Russian disinformation with Mr Piotr Skwieciniski, deputy director of the Department for public and cultural diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland. The event was organized for Slovene governmental representatives.
The attendees addressed Russian disinformation and how the Polish government counters it. They also touched upon various aspects of this phenomenon and discussed how to tackle it, the content of disinformation, its identification, and its scope. Mr Skwieciniski and Polish ambassador Mr Krzysztof Olendzki also presented concrete activities the Polish government uses as regards the issue.
During the lively discussion, Slovenian government representatives got valuable input on the Polish perspective on disinformation and ways to counter it. Disinformation is a very complex issue, and we can successfully tackle it only by addressing it unitedly.
23. 9. 2022 | EUPCST, POTC, PR
From the 18th to the 23rd of September 2022, 18 participants from 10 countries participated in the Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) in the Police Training Centre of Gotenica in the lush forests of southern Slovenia.
The activities were carried out by the Centre for European Perspective (CEP), with support from the Slovenian Police and the Slovenian Armed Forces. The training was organised under the auspices of the projects Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) and the European Union Police and Civilian Services Training (EUPCST).
This year’s HEAT was an intensive 5-day course that aimed to train professionals on how to effectively deal with risks-associated and emergency/critical situations while deployed in hostile environments abroad.
The courses in Gotenica were a unique opportunity for participants to:
- improve their knowledge about multiple threats present in hostile field environments and learn how to deal with them effectively;
- rehearse and practice safety and security procedures accordingly with a specific threat;
- strengthen individual skills in dealing with different stressful situations;
- and strengthen group dynamics while dealing with multiple stressful situations.
The courses culminated in a complex multi-stage one-day simulation where the participants put their acquired knowledge and newfound skills to the test. The simulation even included some unforeseen events that surprised the participants and gave them an invaluable learning experience in a high-pressure environment.
This year’s HEAT included participants from diverse governmental institutions from 10 European countries: Cyprus, Estonia, France, Hungary, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Activities, sharing of best practices, workshops and practical exercises facilitated by experts from the Slovenian Police, Slovenian Armed Forces, a psychologist and other experts contributed to a multidisciplinary approach to the challenges that individuals and institutions might face when deployed in a potentially hostile environment. The participants all successfully and enthusiastically finished the course, expressing their satisfaction over the new knowledge, techniques and experience that will, if needed, prove to be beneficial to their current or future work postings.
20. 9. 2022 | POTC, PR
Klikni tukaj za branje prispevka v slovenskem jeziku 
The POTC team brought the second set of 4-day workshops for 19 local representatives from 6 municipalities around Prijedor to an end. As the end of the second module was also the end of the Workshop on EU Project Proposal Writing, the participants were awarded Certificates of participation. Local participants are now equipped and familiarised with the following topics:
- project application and planning techniques
- project implementation
- project finance management
- cross-border and transnational integration.
The goal – raising the competence of local representatives in the preparation of project proposals for EU funds (key for further European integration of BiH) – was successfully reached with the support of Ministrstvo za obrambo RS/Slovenian Ministry of Defence and Ministrstvo za zunanje zadeve RS / Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
19. 9. 2022 | PR, Serbia - management of patrols
Klikni tukaj za več o projektu v slovenščini.
The second workshop this year will be held in Serbia from September 26 to 29, 2022, aimed at expanding the patrol management system to new police departments. The new system brings easier and more efficient work into the organizational units of the Serbian Police, increases the safety of their officers in the field, and enables them to respond more quickly to their tasks.
The Serbian police have so far introduced the patrol management system in 10 of the 27 police directorates and will now extend it to four more on the territory of Kragujevac, Leskovac, Smederevo, and Jagodina.
In developing and implementing the patrol management system in Serbia that also follows the requirements of EU standards, the Serbian police are cooperating with the Slovenian police, which is providing help and support through international development assistance.
Slovenian police officers will also participate in these workshops. Together with their Serbian colleagues, who are already using the patrol management system, they will share their experience of using the system with future users and present its advantages and benefits. They will also help their Serbian colleagues to familiarise themselves with the system and assist them in practical work when they are trained to use it.
The project is part of the program activities of international development cooperation, financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior and the Police of the Republic of Slovenia.
Further information:
Andreja Dolničar Jeraj
Programme Director
Centre for European Perspective
12. 9. 2022 | EUPCST, POTC, PR
The Centre for European Perspective and the Slovenian Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) are with the support of the European Police and Civilian Services Training organizing a Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT). The course will take place at Gotenica Police Training Centre in Slovenia from Sunday 18th to Friday 23rd September 2022.
The objective of the Hostile Environment Awareness Training is to train professionals to deal effectively with risk-associated and emergency/critical situations while deployed in hostile environments abroad.
TARGET GROUP
Up to 20 professionals with different backgrounds, working or aiming to work with national or international (non)governmental organizations, academic or private sector will join an experienced group of Slovenian and foreign trainers for this five-day intensive course in the southwestern part of Slovenia. The training is expected to align participants’ understanding of the minimum required behavioral field requirements when confronted as an individual or a team member staff of an international field operation whatever his/her professional background could be.
The course is designed to:
- improve participants’ knowledge about multiple threats present in hostile field environments and learn how to deal with them in an effective manner
- rehearse and practice safety and security procedures accordingly to the specific threat
- develop skills and behaviors to deal with different stressful situations
- trigger group dynamics when dealing with multiple stressful situations
TRAINING METHODOLOGY
Training is composed of five modules, each focusing on an important aspect of mission life in a hostile environment. Activities include lectures, guided discussions, role plays, simulations, and a complex field training exercise. Trainees will be talking about the deployment in hostile environments (threat awareness, management of various threats, etc.), medical help, orientation, communications, and off-road vehicle driving. Additionally, two modules will be dedicated to practicing newly gained skills.
