5. 12. 2018 | Helicopter, PR, Slovenian Development Assistance
Imediately after the signature, the Programme for International Development Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the Government of Montenegro for the period 2018-2019 is already implemented in the area that is of vital importance for Montenegro.
From 27 to 29 November 2018, training of members of the Aircraft-Helicopter Unit of the Ministry of the Interior of Montenegro took place in Montenegro, where we exchanged the Montenegrin and Slovenian experiences on the most important aspects of safe helicopter flying in the highlands. In parallel with the training, activities related to the preparation of the proposal for the development of the Avio-Helicopter Unit of the Ministry of the Interior of Montenegro were also acquired.
In order to ensure direct applicability, the workshops were very practical and included tactical exercises in the air with AB412 helicopter. Before each exercise in the air, an interactive briefing was carried out on the ground, and after an exercise in the air, an analysis was carried out, within which the participants received feedback on the exercise carried out and on potential improvements of flying in high mountains. We also discussed horizontal issues such as sensitivity to gender dimension and vulnerable groups.
The set of public services of the helicopter units of the Ministry of the Interior is diverse and important for ensuring the safety and protection of human security in the country. In order to carry out monitoring, search and rescue as well as helicopter emergency medical operations and other operations in the public interest, in accordance with EU standards, the current capacity of the unit needs to be further developed. The activities carried out in 2018 present a beginning of a long-term development cooperation between the Republic of Slovenia and Montenegro, aimed at developing the capacity of the Aviation Helicopter Unit of the Ministry of the Interior of Montenegro.
The project is part of the program activities carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Slovenia / Police of the Republic of Slovenia and is financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia from the funds for international development cooperation.
Click here to read more about the project in Slovenian language. 
4. 12. 2018 | Albania - Local Governments, PR, Slovenian Development Assistance
A training course “Training of the Trainers – From Listener to Successful Trainer” is taking place in Durres, Albania this week as part of the CEP development project “Support to Albanian LGU on Preparation of the EU and Other International Projects”. Following a series of trainings, it will ensure transfer of skills and knowledge, gained from the trainings conducted in the previous years.
At the Training Opening, CEP Secretary General Mr Andrej Vrčon, BCCD Executive Director Ms Elvana Zhezha and Deputy Head of Mission at the Slovenian Embassy in Albania Ms Milena Radenković greeted the participants.
Over 20 participants got acquainted with the AT-AP technique, characteristics of successful training, needs-based trainings, Kolb’s cycle of experiential learning and tell-tell-tell method on the first day of the training. They also looked into effective communication and skills of a good public speaker.
Second day is practice-oriented and allows the participants to draft, create and propose their own project ideas that would be eligible for EU or other international funding and train their skills of presenting such projects in an effective way, while also learning how to train their colleagues and co-workers to do the same.
The execution of the project is done in cooperation with the BCCD.
See the photos from the training in the gallery below:
The training is organised within the framework of the Centre for European Perspective project “Support to Albanian LGU on Preparation of the EU and Other International Projects” supported by the Slovenia’s Development Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia.
3. 12. 2018 | Danube, PR
Centre for European Perspective is with City of Vienna coordinating one of 12 thematic priorities of the EU Strategy for the Danube region – priority 10: institutional capacity and cooperation.
One of the most important tasks of the priority area coordinators is to guide activities of the representatives of 14 Danube countries into similar direction. The Steering Group (SG) should meet at least twice a year and last week (28-29 November) the 15th SG meeting of PA10 in Prague, Czech Republic was organized.
In summer idea of back-to-back meeting with priority area (PA) 11: Secruity was brought up as topics of PA10 and PA11 are joined under the pillar 4 of the Danube Transnational Programme. With joint meeting organizers wanted to attract all SG members as well as experts that are working on the fields related to the Danube Region in general. We have therefore invited newly established Danube Strategy Point (DSP), Danube Transnational Programme (DTP) and Romanian representatives, as Romania is chairing the Presidency of the EU Strategy for Danube Region. Long list of interesting topics attracted around 50 people from all 14 Danube countries that gathered at Ministry of Interior of Czech Republic. Firstly, they were all warmly greeted by Slovene Ambassador to the Czech Republic, H.E. Dr Leon Marc. Discussion than touched upon the upcoming call for proposals from the DTP, plans and activities of the Danube Strategy Point and priorities of the presidency that will at the end of June 2019 organize traditional annual forum in Bucharest. Towards the end of discussions, possible joint initiatives between PA10 and PA11 were screened, from joint forces on project to policy level.
The following day representatives of PA10 were hosted by the Ministry of Regional Development of Czech Republic and dedicated large portion of time to the upcoming revision of the Action Plan that is planned to be finalized by the next summer. In the afternoon part participants presented the main activities they have been working on since last meeting, heard presentations of the projects working on PA10 related topics and defined the steps of cooperation until next meeting. Three suggestions for next meeting location were put forward – the coordinators advocate meetings in various Danube cities to support and promote national discussion on EUSDR across the region.
30. 11. 2018 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR
BSF representatives, BSF Programme Director Ambassador Mirošič and Young BSF Programme Director Ms Muherina, have participated at MED – Mediterranean Dialogues, which is the annual high-level initiative promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and ISPI (Italian Institute for International Political Studies) in Rome. The event aims at drafting a “positive agenda” for the Mediterranean by stimulating debate and promoting new ideas, rethinking traditional approaches and addressing shared challenges at both the regional and the international level.
The four pillars
Rome MED builds upon four pillars: Shared Prosperity, Shared Security, Migration, and Civil Society and Culture. Debates on these topics are intended to complement analyses of current challenges with new ideas and suggestions to scale-up economic cooperation, overcome regional rivalries and conflicts, and ensure that adequate incentives for sustainable development are set in motion.
More info about the event can be found at https://med.ispionline.it/
29. 11. 2018 | Albania - Local Governments, PR, Slovenian Development Assistance
In the first week of December, Centre for European Perspective is organizing a training course “Training of the Trainers – From Listeners to Successful Trainer” as part of the CEP development project “Support to Albanian LGU on Preparation of the EU and Other International Projects”.
The project is focused on the transfer of good practices from Slovenia in the field of strategic programming on the national level and implementation of the projects on the local level. It is based on a number of workshops, through which Slovenian experts offer training in project management to the representatives of Albanian municipalities, regional development agencies and representatives of various non-governmental organizations.
The training will be taking place in Durres between 3 and 6 December 2018. The main goal of this project is to assist selected staff from Albanian municipalities and other regional, local and national stakeholders to increase their knowledges, capacities and skills in writing and preparing EU and other donor-funded projects.
The particular aim of this training is to ensure the transfer of obtained skills from previous trainings to other public officials at the national or local level.
The training is organised within the framework of the Centre for European Perspective project “Support to Albanian LGU on Preparation of the EU and Other International Projects” supported by the Slovenia’s Development Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia.
Click here to read more about the project in Slovenian language.
24. 11. 2018 | PR, U-LEAD: with Europe
Last week the second study visit “Travel to Know – Travel to Change” in the framework of „U-LEAD with Europe – Ukraine – Local Empowerment, Accountability and Development” programme concluded.The programme is designed to contribute to the establishment of multilevel governance that is transparent, accountable and responsive to the needs of the population of Ukraine. 20 public officials from Ukraine visited Slovenia in order to get to know and understand the state of management of ethnically diverse municipalities and their prospects for social and economic development.
The visit took place in Prekmurje region, where a number of ethnically diverse communities lives and cohabits, namely Hungarian minority in the Republic of Slovenia and Roma communities. The group visited Murska Sobota, Lendava, Roma settlement Pušča, Gornji Senik, Puconci and Velika Polana, where they were received with the pristine warmth of the Eastern Slovenia.
In the framework of the visit, three partnerships have been established through a signature of letters of intent for cooperation. On Tuesday, 20 November 2018, Mr Darko Rudaš representative of Roma in Murska Sobota City Council and Mr Miroslav Horvat Adviser on Roma to the Head of Transcarpathian Regional State Administration and Vice President of World Roma Organisation signed a letter in the largest Slovenia’s Roma settlement Pušča. On Wednesday, 21 November 2018, Mr Ludvik Novak, Mayor of the Municipality of Puconci and Mr Ivan Ivanovič Drogobetskyi, Mayor of Polyana Village Council established long-term cooperation at the Memorial Home of Števan Küzmič in Puconci. On Thursday, 22 November 2018, the third initiative was launched with a signature of an agreement between Ms Nadiia Goncharenko, Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Biliaivka (Biliaivska hromada) and Mr Damijan Jaklin, Mayor of the Municipality of Velika Polana.
The multi-donor action U-LEAD of the European Union and its Member States Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Poland and Sweden was established in order to carry out demand-driven and targeted training for officials at the national, regional and local level.
See the photo gallery of the project below.
