Webinar on the Standard Operational Procedure for Financial Investigations

11. 6. 2026 | Montenegro - finance, PR

A productive Webinar on the Standard Operational Procedure for Financial Investigations

Within the framework of the project “Strengthening Capacities in the Field of Financial Investigations in Montenegro (2025–2026)”, a dedicated webinar on the subject of developing and writing the Standard Operational Procedure for Financial Investigations (SOP) took place on June 10th, 2026.

The webinar provided the opportunity for members of the SOP Working Group of the Police Directorate of Montenegro to discuss with Sloevnian experts in financial investigations the core elements of an operational, practical and easy to understand SOP that will be suitable for wider use by the Montenegro Police. A lively discussion and exchange of views, suggestions, practical challenges resulted in insights and recommendations that will be taken forward in the process of developing the SOP. Participants also agreed on the roles and responsibilities and next steps in the process of writing the SOP. The final version of the SOP document is expected to be submitted to the Police Directorate of Montenegro by the end of 2026.

The project “Strengthening capacities in the field of financial investigations in Montenegro (2025/2026)” is implemented with the support of the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs through the Slovenian Aid and Partnerships Programme, in cooperation with the Slovenian Police and the Slovenian Ministry of Interior.

More information about the project Strengthening Capacities in the Field of Financial Investigations in Montenegro

Conclusion of the Cluster visit on Local Economic Development

9. 6. 2026 | PR, Ukraine

The Cluster Visit – Strengthening Municipal Capacity for Local Economic Development in Slovenia has come to a close on Friday, 5 June 2026.

From entrepreneurship support and regional development to municipal cooperation and innovation ecosystems, the past nine days have demonstrated the power of knowledge exchange in shaping stronger local communities.

Representatives of Ukrainian municipalities and regional development institutions have successfully completed a study visit across Slovenia, exploring practical approaches to local economic development, regional growth, and municipal capacity building.

Throughout the programme, participants gained first-hand insight into Slovenia’s approach to regional development, business support systems, municipal cooperation, and the implementation of national development policies at the local level. The delegation engaged with representatives of ministries, regional development agencies, municipalities, business support organisations, and development experts from across the country.

The programme included visits to the Ljubljana University Incubator, SPIRIT Slovenia, the Slovenian Regional Development Fund, the Regional Development Agency of Koroška, the UNESCO Global Geopark Karavanke, the Slovenian Enterprise Fund, the Regional Development Agency Podravje, Venture Factory, and the Regional Development Agency of the Ljubljana Urban Region.

Participants also met with mayors and municipal representatives from several Slovenian regions, gaining valuable insights into local governance, intermunicipal cooperation, investment promotion, and community-led development.

Through workshops, field visits, and discussions, participants explored topics such as entrepreneurship support infrastructure, project preparation and management, EU cohesion policy, cross-border cooperation, circular economy initiatives, SME support mechanisms, innovation ecosystems, and tools for strengthening local resilience.

The programme also provided a platform for Ukrainian participants to present their own experiences, challenges, and development priorities, fostering meaningful peer-to-peer exchange and identifying opportunities for future cooperation.

The concluding session focused on reflecting on lessons learned, identifying Slovenian practices that could be adapted to the Ukrainian context, and discussing practical next steps for strengthening local and regional development capacities.

The programme concluded with closing remarks by His Excellency Petro Beshta, Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Slovenia, who highlighted the importance of international partnerships, knowledge exchange, and continued support for Ukrainian municipalities and regions as they work towards sustainable development, resilience, and recovery.

A sincere thank you to all institutions, experts, speakers, municipal representatives, and participants whose engagement and contributions made this programme possible. Together, they helped strengthen the foundations for future cooperation between Slovenia and Ukraine and demonstrated the value of learning from one another’s experiences.

This programme was prepared in cooperation with U-LEAD with Europe and implemented in partnership between Ministry of Local Self-Government, Cohesion and Regional Development of Republic of Slovenia and Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine.

This programme is supported by Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia through the Slovenian Aid and Partneships programme.

Photo album of the Cluster visit

More about Recovery and reconstruction in Ukraine programme

Upcoming Webinar on the Standard Operational Procedure for Financial Investigations in Montenegro

4. 6. 2026 | Montenegro - finance, PR

Within the framework of the project “Strengthening Capacities in the Field of Financial Investigations in Montenegro (2025–2026)”, Slovenian experts in financial investigations have been actively reviewing the first draft of the Standard Operational Procedure for Financial Investigations (SOP) prepared by the SOP Working Group of the Police Directorate of Montenegro.

To support the further development of this important document, a dedicated webinar will bring together Slovenian experts and members of the SOP Working Group for an exchange of views, professional insights, recommendations, and good practices. The event will serve as a collaborative platform for constructive dialogue aimed at strengthening the quality, coherence, and practical applicability of the SOP.

The webinar will take place on June 10th 2026.

In addition, participants will work on the development of an Action Plan for the finalization of the SOP, ensuring a coordinated and harmonized process among all stakeholders. The final version of the document is expected to be submitted to the Police Directorate of Montenegro by the end of 2026.

The project “Strengthening capacities in the field of financial investigations in Montenegro (2025/2026)” is implemented with the support of the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs through the International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Programme, in cooperation with the Slovenian Police and the Slovenian Ministry of Interior.

More information about the project “Strengthening capacities in the field of financial investigations in Montenegro (2025/2026)”

Centering Citizens in a Secure Digital Society: New EDDE Workshop to Advance Digital Diplomacy and Information Resilience

1. 6. 2026 | European Digital Diplomacy Exchange, PR, Slovenian Development Assistance, Strategic Communication

The Centre for European Perspective is launching a new four-day European Digital Diplomacy Exchange workshop that will convene officials from 16 different countries to determine how public sector adoption of emerging digital technologies can center citizens in democratic processes that bolster social productivity and resilience. Our training, “Centering Citizens in a Secure Digital Society,” will bring together mid- and high-level government communications officials, private technology sector representatives, security experts, media figures, and academic thought leaders from across Europe and the United States to discuss and determine how governments can best empower their citizens with the critical political, social, and cultural information necessary to protect national information sovereignty and counter foreign propaganda – all of which is critical to promoting the information economies necessary to ensure citizens have a productive role in shaping their nation’s future.

Participants will engage in a number of lectures, structured discussions, and hand-on activities that bridge the theory and practice of critical strategic communications capacities necessary to ensure that governments are fulfilling their role as strong stewards and facilitators of public information and public discourse.

By convening practitioners from across sectors and across national borders, EDDE continues to bolster a vital platform for cooperation and collaboration that is integral to ensuring that governments, industry, media, and academia are collectively engaged in addressing challenges in the information space that continue to pose a threat to national sovereignty, national security, and national social resilience. EDDE’s approach ensures that all citizens’, and all nations’, interests are protected. It ensures we build a future when each nation can thrive individually and in partnership.

The Centre for European Perspective is overseeing and implementing the European Digital Diplomacy Exchange project. Activities are supported and funded by the U.S. Department of State and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, in the scope of the Development Cooperation and Aid program.

Ukrainian Municipal and Regional Representatives Begin Cluster Visit to Slovenia Focused on Economic Development

29. 5. 2026 | PR, Ukraine

Representatives of Ukrainian municipalities and regional authorities have officially begun their cluster mentorship visit to Slovenia, dedicated to economic development, investment promotion, and support for local entrepreneurship.

The visit brings together mayors and senior representatives from 13 Ukrainian oblasts and marks the beginning of a thematic process designed to support Ukrainian authorities in areas related to EU accession Chapter 22.

The opening discussions took place at Jable Castle in Mengeš, where participants were welcomed by representatives of CEP, the Embassy of Ukraine in Slovenia, the Ministry for Cohesion and Regional Development, and Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport. The first day of the programme focused on Slovenia’s governance model for regional development, cohesion policy, entrepreneurship support, and institutional cooperation.

Experts from Slovenian ministries and development institutions presented Slovenia’s national framework for regional development and business support, while also sharing practical experiences related to entrepreneurship promotion, development funds, and project support mechanisms.

The delegation was joined by:

Ms Alenka Marovt and Mr Jan Sitar from the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport,
Ms Ivana Štrkalj and Mr Tin Kampl from the Ministry for Cohesion and Regional Development,
Ms Natalia Markevych-Pritsa, First Secretary at the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Slovenia.

Throughout the visit, participants will explore Slovenia’s economic development ecosystem and institutional support environment through meetings, workshops, and field visits across Ljubljana and its surroundings, as well as the Koroška and Štajerska regions.

The mentorship process aims to strengthen the capacities of Ukrainian local and regional authorities in the fields of regional development, investment attraction, and sustainable local economic growth while contributing to Ukraine’s broader EU integration efforts.

The programme is organised by the Centre for European Perspective (CEP) in partnership with the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine and the Ministry for Cohesion and Regional Development of the Republic of Slovenia.

The Recovery and Reconstruction in Ukraine programme is supported by Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia through the Slovenian Aid and Partnership programme.

More about the Cluster Visit – Strengthening Municipal Capacity for Local Economic Development

More information about the Recovery and Reconstruction in Ukraine programme

Mentorship Visit of Horodenka Municipality to Beltinci Concludes

28. 5. 2026 | PR, Ukraine

As part of the “Rebuild Ukraine” programme a mentorship visit of representatives from the Ukrainian municipality of Horodenka took place in the Municipality of Beltinci between 13 and 27 May. The programme was designed to support Ukrainian local communities in project development, knowledge exchange, and strengthening international cooperation.

Representatives of Horodenka municipality, Ms Mariia Zdrila and Ms Tetiana Hamula, worked together with CEP experts and their mentor Dejan Bogdan from the Municipality of Beltinci on developing project proposals in the fields of waste management and veterans’ rehabilitation. Both topics represent important priorities for the municipality as Ukraine continues to face the consequences of war and reconstruction challenges.

The mentorship programme provided participants with insight into Slovenian good practices in local development, project management, and the functioning of local self-government. During their stay, they attended presentations of projects implemented by the Municipality of Beltinci and the Institute for Tourism, Culture and Sport Beltinci, visited CEROP, Saubermacher-Komunala, Komuna Beltinci and the wastewater treatment plant, learned about the work of the social enterprise ZRIRAP Beltinci, and participated in the final conference of the RurALL project.

In the final stage of the visit, the delegation was joined by the Mayor of Horodenka Municipality, Mr Bohdan Kobyliansky, who was welcomed by the Mayor of Beltinci Municipality, Mr Marko Virag. Their meeting focused on exchanging experiences regarding local governance, the preparation and management of EU-funded projects, and the challenges faced by rural communities in both Slovenia and Ukraine.

The mentorship visit concluded at the scenic Island of Love in Ižakovci, where the mayors signed a Memorandum of Cooperation between the municipalities of Beltinci and Horodenka, laying the foundation for future collaboration and joint initiatives.

On this occasion, the Municipality of Beltinci also donated solar panels to Horodenka, a gesture of solidarity and support that will help the local community during these difficult times.

“Many communities have good ideas, but you also need the required skills. We tried to give you an insight into our own journey,” said Mr Marko Virag, Mayor of the Municipality of Beltinci, during the closing event.

The mentorship visit stands as an important example of cooperation between Slovenian and Ukrainian local communities and represents concrete support for Ukraine’s recovery and long-term local development.

The Recovery and Reconstruction in Ukraine programme is supported by Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia through the Slovenian Aid and Partnership programme.

Foto: Jure Kljajić

More information about the Recovery and Reconstruction in Ukraine programme

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