27. 7. 2017 | PR, Slovenian Development Assistance
Slovenia has built up a sound development programme over the last 12 years, particularly in the Western Balkans, and should now work on tightening its focus in other regions in order to get the most impact from its aid contributions, according to a new OECD report. The first DAC Peer Review of Slovenia welcomes a steady rise in Slovenia’s foreign aid budget in the last few years, although it notes that an increase in funds spent on hosting foreign refugees arriving in Slovenia has been a factor pushing up official development assistance (ODA) levels. In-donor refugee costs made up 11.2% of Slovenia’s ODA in 2015.
Slovenia sends two thirds of its bilateral aid to countries in the Western Balkans, where it is able to share its transition experience as an early joiner among former Yugoslav Republics of the European Union and NATO, and is helping to develop poor areas. The Review recommends that Slovenia narrows its geographic and thematic focus in other regions to avoid spreading its aid too thinly outside the Balkans.
“It is encouraging to see Slovenia increasing its development aid and showing such willingness to share its transition experience with countries in the Western Balkans striving for a similar path,” said DAC Chair Charlotte Petri Gornitzka. “Outside the Balkans, Slovenia can enhance its impact by focusing more on a smaller number of high-value projects, delivered through partnerships in carefully selected countries and sectors.”
An OECD member since 2010, Slovenia joined the Organisation’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC) in 2013, having begun its development co-operation programme in 2005. The biggest share of Slovenia’s bilateral aid is spent on areas the DAC sees as key, such as strengthening good governance, the rule of law and social infrastructure and services.
Slovenia provided 0.18% of its gross national income, or USD 80 million, as ODA in 2016, up from 0.15% (USD 63 million) in 2015. That compares with a DAC average of 0.32% and a UN target of 0.70% which only six DAC donors have reached. Slovenia committed in 2005 to provide 0.33% of GNI as ODA by 2015 but pushed the target back to 2030 after the global economic crisis knocked its budget plans off course.
Slovenia’s aid is made up 100% of grants, with no loans included, and the country complies with the DAC’s ODA reporting rules. Slovenia has not yet reported other official flows or private flows to developing countries to the DAC, however, and is encouraged to do so.
The top five recipients of Slovenian aid in 2015 were Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo. Slovenia sent only 15.1% of its ODA to least-developed countries in 2015, below a DAC average of 28.4%.
Each DAC member is reviewed every five years in order to monitor its performance, hold it accountable for past commitments and recommend improvements. Reviews use input from officials in the Review country and partner countries – Montenegro and Cabo Verde for this Review – as well as civil society and the private sector. Read more on DAC Peer Reviews.
The DAC Peer Review of Slovenia – full report.
Main conclusions.
OECD Press Release.
MFA Slovenia Press Release.
6. 7. 2017 | PR, Reflection Forum
Reflection Forum on the run-up to the Summit of Trieste on the Western Balkans
Second Reflection Forum took place in Trieste, Italy between 26th and 27th of June and convened a wide range of different experts working in national and European administrations and institutions, as well as researchers affiliated with European think-tanks and Universities in the EU and Western Balkans. Event was organized under the patronage of Italian MFA as a process leading to the next intergovernmental conference on the Western Balkans hosted by Italy in July, 2017.
Second reflection forum was dedicated to regional cooperation, where three areas of reflection have been identified: the resurgence of bilateral and regional tensions, the gap between regional cooperation in repressive and enabling security matters and the pitfalls of gendered models of economic development.
Speakers were not delivering their presentations ex-cathedra, but used a participatory and interactive approach, where debates were moderated by experienced experts. Platform was provided for interesting debates touching upon issues like what comes after the Berlin process, where ideas spurred around building on achievements so far, but also finding a more participatory, innovative and regional approach, since actions so far have not yet provided viable results. It was also stressed that following years are crucial for deciding what do we actually want from EU and who do we want to see in it, since influence of non-EU countries in the WB is increasing. Further on debate revolved around contribution of the WB to the EU, and discussing what the region could actually bring to the Europe. On the other side, participants from the WB remained less optimistic and argued there is no such thing as enlargement, which is according to them not happening, and new, innovative solutions will have to be implemented; while questions arose on what has actually gone wrong, since even years of democratization and EU integration have not brought the region onto the right path. Importance of investing into infrastructure and knowledge was stressed as a prerequisite for any further development of WB.
At the end of two-days event, CEP has together with the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized a closing dinner in Portorož, Slovenia. Diner was opened by Mr Peter Grk, National Coordinator for Western Balkans at the Slovenian MFA, who stressed the importance of such events, where opinion can be exchanged and common solutions provided. He also stressed the importance of stability in the Western Balkans for stability of all Europe, and shortly presented what Slovenia does in the field.
Event was:
Organised by Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), Rome; Centre international de formation européenne (CIFE), Nice/Berlin/Istanbul; Austro-French Centre for Rapprochement in Europe (CFA), Vienna.
In cooperation with French Institute for International Relations (Ifri), Paris; Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), Berlin; Austrian Institute for International Politics (Oiip), Vienna; European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS), Paris; Centre for European Perspective (CEP), Ljubljana; Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory (BiEPAG), Graz; Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso (OBC), Rovereto.
With the support of Central European Initiative (CEI); Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France; Federal Ministry for European, Integration and Foreign Affairs of Austria; Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany; Friedrich-Ebert Foundation (FES), Berlin/Sarajevo.
Read the programme.
5. 7. 2017 | Danube, PR
»Mediterranean Coast and Macroregional Strategies Week« will take place between the 20–23 September 2017 at Slovenian coast.
The traditional event aims to raise awareness on the sea and coast and their natural resources and economic potential, as well as to expose the risks to which the sea and coast are exposed to due to the natural phenomena and human actions.Organizers are promising numerous interesting activities. The event will bring together practitioners, experts and general public. Special attention will be given to the stakeholders’ views on the state of play and the future of the sea and coastal management.
The Mediterranean countries are celebrating the Mediterranean Coast Day since its launch on the 25th of September 2007. The 25th of September was chosen as the Mediterranean Coast Day to honor Slovenia as the first country in the Mediterranean region which ratified the Protocol on Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) in 2009. The ICZM Protocol is a unique legal instrument which allows the countries in the Mediterranean to better manage and protect their coastal zones in pursuit of sustainable development. Each year, one of the Mediterranean countries is a host of the Mediterranean Coast Day main celebration, while other countries organize their own events.
In Slovenia, the celebration is widely known as the “Mediterranean Coast Week” and is inextricably linked to the regional cooperation under the three European macro-regional strategies which are implemented in the Slovenian territory, namely the Danube, Adriatic-Ionian and Alpine strategy.
Focus of this year’s Mediterranean Coast and Macroregional Strategies Week is “Living with the sea”.
The Indicative programme is as follows:
20.9.
Opening ceremony
Roundtable, Showcase of on-going projects
Conference on media and communication on macro-regional strategies
21.9.
Conference on media and communication on macro-regional strategies, Workshops
22.9.
Workshops on topics related to marine spatial and development planning
23.9.
2017 Clean coast – clean-up action
Closing of the 2017 Mediterranean Coast Week hosted by Slovenia
Further information about the event will be available on the dedicated website of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR) in the next weeks: http://www.adriatic-ionian.eu.
4. 7. 2017 | Macedonia - Finance, PR, Slovenian Development Assistance
On the margins of the International Development Cooperation of the Republic of Slovenia within the framework of support to the Republic of Macedonia, on 29 June 2017 the Minister of Interior of the Republic of Macedonia Oliver Spasovski received a Slovenian delegation in the following composition: Andreja Dolničar Jeraj, CEP Programme Director and Head of Delegation; Harij Furlan, Head of State Prosecutions Office for Organised Crime and Corruption; Darko Majhenič, Director of National Investigation Bureau; Damjana Slapar Burkat, Head of Sector for Investigation in the Financial Administration; Jože Levašič, District State Prosecutor in the State Prosecutions Office for Organised Crime and Corruption; Igor Razpotnik, Head of Investigations in National Investigation Bureau; and Karmen Šemrl, Expert for Knowledge Transfer.
Minister thanked for the support provided by Slovenia to the Ministry of Interior and Macedonia in the accession to the EU in optimising the system of financial investigations and confiscation of unlawful proceeds of crime and property of illegal origin. Minister Spasovski and Programme Director Andreja Dolničar Jeraj agreed that the cooperation and coordination among law enforcement authorities in financial investigations of organised crime and corruption is of particular importance. Minister Spasovski reaffirmed willingness of the Ministry of Interior regarding reform initiative and expressed political support for achievement of sustainable results and expectations that well established cooperation will be further strengthened with additional Slovenian’s support in any of other reform needs.
O slovenskem razvojnem sodelovanju z ministrom za notranje zadeve Republike Makedonije Spasovskim
Ob robu aktivnosti v okviru projekta mednarodnega razvojnega sodelovanja Republike Slovenije z Republiko Makedonijo je v četrtek, 29. 6. 2017, minister za notranje zadeve Oliver Spasovski sprejel slovensko delegacijo v naslednji sestavi: Andreja Dolničar Jeraj, programska direktorica in vodja delegacije; Harij Furlan, vodja Specializiranega državnega tožilstva, Darko Majhenič, direktor Nacionalnega preiskovalnega urada, Damjana Slapar Burkat, vodja Sektorja za preiskave Finančne uprave, Jože Levašič, okrožni državni tožilec v Specializiram državnem tožilstvu, Igor Razpotnik, vodja preiskav na Nacionalnem preiskovalnem uradu, in Karmen Šemrl, strokovnjakinja za prenos izkušenj.
Minister se je zahvalil za pomoč, ki jo Slovenija namenja MNZ in Makedoniji pri približevanju EU v optimizaciji sistema finančnih preiskav in odvzemov protipravno pridobljene premoženjske koristi in premoženja nezakonitega izvora. Minister Spasovski in programska direktorica Andreja Dolničar Jeraj sta se strinjala, da je zelo pomembno dobro sodelovanje in koordinacija med organi v finančnih preiskavah organiziranega kriminala in korupcije. Minister Spasovski je potrdil pripravljenost Ministrstva za notranje zadeve glede prevzemanja reformne pobude in izrazil politično podporo za doseganje trajnostnih rezultatov ter pričakovanje, da se bo dobro sodelovanje še utrdilo s podporo Slovenije v še kateri od reformnih potreb MNZ.
1. 7. 2017 | Macedonia - Finance, PR, Slovenian Development Assistance
In the period from 26 to 29 June 2017, the first phase of the capacity building process in the field of financial investigations and confiscation of unlawful proceeds and property of unlawful origin took place in Macedonia.
The two-day workshop was attended by 15 representatives of the Ministry of the Interior / Police (who are in charge of the project on Macedonian side), Customs Administration, Financial Police, the Directorate for Money Laundering Prevention and the Public Revenue Administration, while five representatives of the Ministry of the Interior Interior / Police participated in the individual councelling/coaching. In the exchange of experiences, the representatives of Macedonia and Slovenia have identified differences and related advantages and disadvantages that occur in the conduct of financial investigations. As one of the possible tools for more effective prevention of organised crime and corruption and upgrading of the system for confiscation of unlawfull proceeds under criminal law, participants also studied experiences in confiscation of property of illegal origin in civil justice procedure. In the discussions the participants agreed that only the measure which can be effectively implemented can lead criminals to the conclusion that crime does not pay.
This is a two-year project (2017-2018) funded from the Program of International Development Cooperation of the Republic of Slovenia and implemented by the Ministry of the Interior/ Police, State Prosecutor’s Office for Organised Crime and Corruption and Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia, led by the Center for European Perspective.
Uspešna izmenjava izkušenj Makedonije in Slovenije o finančnih preiskavah
V Makedoniji je v času od 26. do 29. junija 2017 potekala prva faza procesa krepitve zmogljivosti na področju finančnih preiskav in odvzemov protipravne premoženjske koristi in premoženja nezakonitega izvora.
V dvodnevni delavnici je sodelovalo 15 predstavnikov Ministrstva za notranje zadeve/Policije (ki so tudi nosilci projekta na makedonski strani), Carinske uprave, Finančne policije, Uprave za preprečevanja pranja denarja in Uprave za javne prihodke, v enodnevnem individualnem svetovanju pa 5 predstavnikov Ministrstva za notranje zadeve/Policije. V izmenjavi izkušenj so predstavniki Makedonije in Slovenije ugotavljali razlike in z razlikami povezane prednosti in slabosti, ki se pojavljajo v izvajanju finančnih preiskav. Kot enega izmed možnih orodij za učinkovitejše preprečevanje organiziranega kriminala in korupcije in nadgradnjo sistema odvzema nezakonito pridobljene premoženjske koristi v okviru kazenskopravne zakonodaje, so udeleženci preučevali tudi odvzem premoženja nezakonitega izvora v civilni pravdi. V diskusiji so se udeleženci strinjali, da le ukrep, ki ga je možno učinkovito izvesti, lahko storilce kaznivih dejanj in kriminalne združbe privede so sklepa, da se kriminal ne izplača.
Gre za dvoletni projekt (2017-2018), ki je financiran iz sredstev Programa mednarodnega razvojnega sodelovanja Republike Slovenije in ga izvajajo Ministrstvo za notranje zadeve/ Policija, Specializirano državno tožilstvo in Finančna uprava Republike Slovenije pod vodstvom Centra za evropsko prihodnost.
28. 6. 2017 | Erasmus+, PR, Youth
An international mobility project in the scope of Erasmus + programme of the European Union “Be Ready for European Values” under the title “Non-Formal Education System in Slovenia” has concluded yesterday with an awarding ceremony.
During the 10 days of the youth exchange on non-formal education through soft methods and non-formal approaches, the participants also got a chance to gain an insight into the system of non-formal education in Slovenia, provided by the Office of the Republic of Slovenia for Youth, Employment Service of Slovenia, Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, Nefiks Institute, Youth Council of Slovenia, Slovenian Student Union, Movit Institute and Youth Office of the City of Ljubljana. Students also visited IEDC Bled School of Management, EMUNI University in Piran as well as Faculty of Social Sciences in Ljubljana to learn about recognition of non-formal education on different faculties. Visit to the House of the European Union (EU) in Ljubljana highlighted the opportunities for youth in the EU and added the European perspective to the matter.
Throughout the youth exchange the participants underwent preparations for the European Parliament simulation exercise, which was held at the Ljubljana City Hall on Tuesday. Participants had to prepare their opening speeches and arguments for or against non-formal education’s recognition and validation comparable to formal education. The simulation was opened by Zoran Jankovič, Mayor of the City of Ljubljana and Katarina Gorenc from the Youth Office of the City of Ljubljana explained why is Ljubljana youth friendly municipality. The simulation exercise that was chaired by Sabina Carli began with opening speeches and continued with arguments pro and contra. At the end, the document on non-formal education’s recognition and validation comparable to formal education with few amendments was accepted by the great majority.
After the simulation conclusion, the participants were addressed by H.E. Mr Miodrag Mugoša, Ambassador of the Montenegro in Ljubljana, that awarded the certificates.
The project “Be Ready for European Values” contributes to active participation of youth in social, economic and political development of Montenegro through promotion of EU values, by improving the quality of youth work and non-formal education in Montenegro, and by fostering cooperation with Slovenia and practical transfer of know-how. The project aims to develop a non-formal educational system in Montenegro that would raise awareness and enhance practical skills that are needed for more marketable and proactive role in the labour market.
Centre for European Perspective is conducting the project in cooperation with the Centre for Monitoring and Research from Montenegro, Centre for International Studies from Croatia, University of Donja Gorica from Montenegro and Art Communications from Montenegro.
The program is funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the EU under the Key Action 2: Capacity Building in the Field of Youth – KA2: Cooperation for Innovation and the Exchange of Good Practices.
