17. 1. 2017 | IECEU, PR
As civilian input in crisis management is constantly increasing, there is a growing demand for civilian experts to be sent to civilian missions. Regardless of how skilled the expert is at its domestic work, when an individual is sent to either EU, OSCE or UN mission, he or she will certainly meet a very different environment and challenges in the field in which he has little or no experience in. As selected candidates are usually deployed on short notice, it is of major importance that they are adequately trained to face the issues that are relevant to their field work.
One of essential topics is to understand intercultural competences in civilian crisis management and conflict environment. All selected candidates should be aware of possible sources of tension due to different cultural backgrounds and yet be able to communicate clearly with interlocutors representing their own organisation, other international organisations, local state authorities, the civil society and the local population as a whole. Each mission member should be familiar with basic techniques to identify and overcome culture-related barriers as well as a ‘culture shock’ and how to de-escalate related interpersonal conflicts.
Centre for European Perspective (CEP) developed an e-learning module on Inter-Cultural Competence in close cooperation with More Europe in the ENTRi framework. This e-learning module is dedicated to recognizing and analysing intercultural challenges in order to better understand cultural differences. You are welcome to try it on this link: http://www.entriforccm.eu/Intercultural-Competence_HTML5_v05/index.html. Feel free to share it!
3. 1. 2017 | PR, Slovenian Development Assistance
In the framework of the project of International Development Cooperation of the Republic of Slovenia with the Republic of Serbia, which is led by the Agency for fight against corruption on the Serbian side, the test application for monitoring of financial flows of public administration is successfully developed. The demonstration of the test application took place in Serbia in the period between 20 and 22 December 2016 when representatives of the public administration of the Republic of Serbia tested the test application also on practical cases prepared and presented by the Slovenian experts from IT area and National Investigation Bureau/Police of the Republic of Slovenia.
Representatives of the institutions of public administration of the Republic of Serbia expressed satisfaction with the characteristic of the developed test application and confirmed it is useful yet simple tool, which can ease and simplify their work while at the same time achieving better work results in less time and with less costs. In the workshop, the participants assessed how to complement the application to make it even more useful for various purposes and responsibilities. Useful suggestions provided representatives from the Agency for the fight against corruption, Agency for Business Registers, Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government – Directorate for E-Government, Ministry of Interior, State Audit Institution, Administration of the Prevention of Money Laundering, Administration for Public Procurement, Ombudsman and others.
In the year 2017 the project moves into its third phase when the development of the application continues with: implementation of findings from the test workshop while involving relevant stakeholders of the public administration of the Republic of Serbia, optimisation of functions and content of the application, adding data bases and other activities, needed for the finalisation of the application.
The project is part of the programme activities funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia with funds for international development cooperation and it is implemented in the cooperation with the Public Payments Administration of the Republic of Slovenia, Slovenian IT Company ZZI, Ministry of Interior and Police of the Republic of Slovenia.
Uspešno testiranje testne aplikacije za spremljanje finančnih tokov javne uprave Republike Srbije
V okviru projekta Mednarodnega razvojnega sodelovanja Republike Slovenije z Republiko Srbijo, katerega nosilec na srbski strani je Agencija za boj proti korupciji, je uspešno izdelana testna aplikacija za spremljanje finančnih tokov javne uprave. Demonstracija testne aplikacije je potekala v Srbiji v času med 20. – 22. decembrom 2016, ko so predstavniki javne uprave Republike Srbije aplikacijo tudi testirali na praktičnih primerih, ki so jih pripravili in vodili slovenski strokovnjaki iz IT področja in Nacionalnega preiskovalnega urada/Policije Republike Slovenije.
Predstavniki javne uprave Republike Srbije so izrazili zadovoljstvo nad karakteristikami razvite testne aplikacije in potrdili, da gre za učinkovito a hkrati enostavno orodje, ki lahko lajša in poenostavlja njihovo delo ob hkratnem doseganju boljših delovnih rezultatov, za katere je potrebno porabiti manj časa in denarja. V delavnici so udeleženci ugotavljali, kako bi testno aplikacijo dopolnili tako, da bi bila še koristnejša za različne namene in pristojnosti. Koristne predloge za optimizacijo aplikacije so imeli predstavniki Agencije za boj proti korupciji, Agencije za poslovne registre, Ministrstva za državno upravo in lokalno samoupravo – Direkcije za elektronsko upravo, Ministrstva za notranje zadeve, Državne revizorske institucije, Uprave za preprečevanja pranja denarja, Uprave za javne nabave, Zaštitnik građana in drugi.
Projekt v letu 2017 prehaja v tretjo fazo, ko se bo z razvojem aplikacije nadaljevalo: ob vključevanju vseh deležnikov javne uprave Republike Srbije bodo uporabljene ugotovitve testne delavnice, optimizirane bodo funkcije in vsebina aplikacije, dodajale se bodo baze podatkov in druge aktivnosti, potrebne za dokončno izdelavo aplikacije.
Projekt je del programskih aktivnosti, ki jih financira Ministrstvo za zunanje zadeve iz sredstev za mednarodno razvojno sodelovanje, izvaja pa se v sodelovanju z Upravo Republike Slovenije za javna plačila, slovenskim IT podjetjem ZZI, Ministrstvom za notranje zadeve in Policijo Republike Slovenije.
1. 1. 2017 | Danube
In January 2017 Centre for European perspective joined active implementation of the Danube Strategy as one of the coordinators of priority area 10 (PA10) – Institutional capacity and cooperation (the other coordinator is City of Vienna from Austria). Its main objective is enhancing the capacity of various institutions working in the Danube region, from its local, to regional, national and macro regional level on numerous topics.
The Danube Transnational Programme (DTP) is part of the Interreg family that acts as policy driver towards the positive change. It is a financing tool that is enabling actors in the region to implement transnational projects that promote cooperation and mutual learning. In its first call the DTP decided to financially support 53 projects across the region, dealing with diverse aspects of its main objectives:
– innovative and socially responsible Danube region
– environment and culture responsible Danube region
– better connected and energy sustainable Danube region
– well governed Danube region.
In this first call four projects that fall under the PA 10 topic were selected and they have recently presented their plans to the public. They are presented briefly below.
ATTRACTIVE DANUBE
Improving Capacities for Enhancing Territorial Attractiveness of the Danube Region
The main objective of Attractive Danube is to strengthen multilevel and transnational governance and institutional capacities of policy planners involved in territorial development of the Danube Region, which will result in more harmonized governance system of the area.
Attractive Danube is led by Geodetic Institute of Slovenia which is coordinating 11 partners and 7 associated partners from 13 EU and non EU countries.
More about the project can be found at http://www.interreg-danube.eu/attractive-danube
DRIM
Danube Region Information Platform for Economic Integration of Migrants
With the goal of achieving cohesion and economic development in the Danube region, DRIM’s objective is to enhance the capacity of public institutions for promoting migrants’ economic integration, understood as fair access to employment, work and skills enhancement. DRIM brings together 10 partners and 8 associated partners form 9 countries and is coordinated by Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts.
More about the project can be found at http://www.interreg-danube.eu/drim
AgriGo4Cities
Urban agriculture for changing cities: governance models for better institutional capacities and social inclusion
AgriGo4Cities is coordinated by Slovenian Anton Melik Geographical Institute of the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts. The AgriGo4Cities project wants to employ Participatory Urban and Peri-urban agriculture as a powerful and emerging method to improve public institutional capacities in order to tackle socio-economic exclusion of vulnerable/marginalized groups and to stimulate sustainable urban development in the Danube region. It brings together 11 partners and 6 associated partners from 8 countries that have recognized that urban gardening can have wide positive effects on people living in cities.
More about the project can be found at http://www.interreg-danube.eu/agrigo4cities
RARE
Changing Discourses, Changing Practices: The Roma as Human Resource
RARE aims to enhance the capacities of and cooperation among actors having a stake in the labour market participation of the Roma in order to better exploit their economic potential. RARE will result in equipping partner institutions with new opportunities for synergies and innovation to effectively tackle labour market inclusion of the Roma in the Danube Region and monitor and assess efficiency of interventions.
Consortium of 13 partners and 8 associated partners from 9 countries is coordinated by Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta.
More about the project can be found at http://www.interreg-danube.eu/rare
Coordinators of the PA10 will closely follow the implementation of the projects and suggest project partners identified potential synergies in its methodology, pilot testing as well as policy recommendations. Coordinators will strive to implement project results into their work and transfer findings along with recommendations to the national, Danube and European policy level.
17. 12. 2016 | PR, Slovenian Development Assistance
In the period 5 to 7 December 2016 a workshop took place in Macedonia in which Slovenia was exchanging experiences with Macedonian law enforcement authorities in the area of strengthening inter-institutional cooperation for fight against corruption. The project is implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior and Police of the Republic of Slovenia as well as the State Prosecution Office for prosecution of organised crime and corruption.
The work in the workshop was taking place as discussions and analysis of concrete cases, which provided possibility for Macedonian and Slovenian side to examine what differences in inter-institutional cooperation in fight against corruption exist in legislation, implementation of legislation, approaches and organisation and which experiences, would be beneficial to use for higher level of cooperation. Participants agreed joint training of state authorities is the best way of promoting cooperative fight against corruption and that this workshop, which dedicated special attention to the question of cooperation in investigation of corruption, was especially good opportunity to make some concrete steps in strengthening this kind of cooperation.
The project is part of the programme activities funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia with funds for international development cooperation.
Izmenjava izkušenj Slovenije in Makedonije o medinstitucionalnem sodelovanju pri preiskovanju korupcije
V Makedoniji je od 5. – 7. decembra 2016 potekala delavnica, v okviru katere je Slovenija izmenjevala izkušnje z makedonskimi organi odkrivanja in pregona na temo krepitve medinstitucionalnega sodelovanje v boju proti korupciji. Pri izvedbi projekta je sodelovalo Ministrstvo za notranje zadeve, Policija in Specializirano državno tožilstvo Republike Slovenije.
Delo je potekalo skozi razpravo in analizo konkretnih primerov, s pomočjo katerih sta makedonska in slovenska stran ugotavljale, kakšne razlike glede medinstitucionalnega sodelovanja v boju proti korupciji obstajajo v zakonodaji, izvajanju zakonodaje, pristopih in organizaciji in katere izkušnje velja uporabiti, da bi sodelovanje pri preiskovanju korupcije bilo uspešnejše. Udeleženci so se strinjali, da za krepitev medinstitucionalnega sodelovanja ni boljšega načina kot so skupna usposabljanja državnih organov, ki sodelujejo v boju proti korupciji in da je bila delavnica, ki je namenila posebno pozornost vprašanjem sodelovanja, še posebej dobra priložnost, da se naredi kakšen konkreten korak za izboljšave tega sodelovanja.
Projekt je del programskih aktivnosti, ki jih financira Ministrstvo za zunanje zadeve iz sredstev za mednarodno razvojno sodelovanje.
16. 12. 2016 | PR
On 15th of December Centre for European Perspective has celebrated its 10th Anniversary with holding a round table and a networking reception at Jable Castle.
Event was opened by Dr Gorazd Justinek, CEP Director, who reflected on CEP achievements so far and thanked his team and all those present on helping to build the story of CEP for last 10 years. Event was continued by an opening speech made by Sabina R. Stadler, acting Director-General at Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who greeted all those present and emphasized that CEP has through 10 years grown and can now not only walk but also speak and think.
Round table, titled “Past, present and future of the EU through the eyes of enlargement”, has gathered interesting speakers who addressed the public on the topic of current situation in EU and Western Balkans, enlargement fatigue, BREXIT, public opinion and last but not least role that CEP has played in accession processes of countries in the Balkans. Round table was moderated by Peter Grk, Secretary-General of the Bled Strategic Forum, while speakers that took part were Dr Sabina Lange, EU Institute for Security Studies Associate Analyst; Goran Svilanović, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council; Milan Nič, Head of Europe at GLOBSEC Policy Institute and Tobias Flessenkemper, Centre International de Formation Européenne. After the introductory speeches where debaters each presented their views and opinions, round table was concluded by question and answer period.
After the formal part, guests had the opportunity to network in a less formal environment, with cake, drink and festive spirit.
CEP je praznoval 10. rojstni dan
Na Centru za evropsko prihodnost smo 15. decembra z organizacijo okrogle mize ter slavnostnega sprejema na Gradu Jable proslavili 10. obletnico delovanja.
Dogodek je odprl direktor CEP dr. Gorazd Justinek, ki je povzel dosežke centra ter se zahvalil vsem prisotnim ter svojim sodelavcem, da so pomagali graditi zgodbo centra zadnjih 10 let. Uvodno je zbrane nagovorila Sabina R. Stadler, generalna direktorica na Ministrstvu za zunanje zadeve, ki je pozdravila vse prisotne ter poudarila, da je CEP v 10 letih iz otroka zrasel v osebo, ki je zmožna ne le hoditi, temveč tudi govoriti in misliti.
Okrogla miza z naslovom »Preteklost, sedanjost in prihodnost EU skozi oči širitve« je zbrala zanimive govorce. Naslovili so aktualne teme, tako glede EU ter Zahodnega Balkana, kot tudi trenutne situacije v svetu, BREXIT in javnomnenjske raziskave. Izpostavili so tudi vlogo, ki jo je CEP s svojo pomočjo odigral pri doseganja EU standardov v državah Zahodnega Balkana. Okrogla miza je bila moderirana s strani Petra Grka, generalnega sekretarja Blejskega strateškega foruma, kot govorci pa so sodelovali dr. Sabina Lange z EU inštituta za varnostna vprašanja (Bruselj); Goran Svilanović, generalni sekretar Regional cooperation council (Sarajevo); Milan Nič, GLOBSEC (Bratislava) ter Tobias Flessenkemper, Centre International de Formation Européenne (Nica). Po razpravi med govorci so sledila vprašanja publike.
Po zaključku uradnega dela dogodka so imeli gostje priložnost poklepetati ob torti, pijači in prazničnem vzdušju.
8. 12. 2016 | POTC, PR, Slovenian Development Assistance
On Wednesday, 30 November 2016, a presentation of a comprehensive analysis of national capacities for the establishment of Interministerial Peace Operations Training Centre for police, military and civilian personnel to be deployed in international operations and missions of the United Nations took place at the premises of the Ministry of Defence.
The presentation was attended by Minister of Defence Ms Andreja Katič, Head of Minister’s Office MSc Petra Culetto, Director-General for Defence Policy Directorate MSc Aleš Mišmaš and Head of International Operations and Missions Division Ms Nataša Dolenc Lisec in addition to the members of Interministerial Working Group.
Comprehensive analysis was prepared by Interministerial Working Group in the scope of its mandate. The work comprises of an overview of all and comparable national programs preforming the training of police, military and civilian personnel to be deployed in international operations and missions of the UN, NATO and the EU. A comparison of systems, training providers and programs in the United Nations, NATO and the EU and in selected European countries was made as well together with an analysis of the legal, human, financial, technical and other capabilities in order to establish common organizational forms of cooperation between military, police and civilian entities. The Group concluded the analysis with a proposal for the establishment of IPOTC (Interministerial Peace Operations Training Centre), which would, according to common objectives and benefits for the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also fulfil the rights, duties and obligations held by Slovenia as a member of the UN and other international organizations.
Minister considered the proposal for the establishment of IPOTC as an important step forward. Slovenia is next year we celebrating 20 years from the first Slovenian deployment to international missions and operations.
Predstavitev celovite analize nacionalnih zmogljivosti za vzpostavitev morebitnega medresorskega centra za usposabljanje policistov ter vojaških in civilnih oseb za sodelovanje v mednarodnih operacijah in misijah Združenih narodov ministrici za obrambo
V prostorih ministrstva za obrambo je v sredo, 30. novembra 2016, potekala predstavitev celovite analize nacionalnih zmogljivosti za vzpostavitev morebitnega medresorskega centra za usposabljanje policistov ter vojaških in civilnih oseb za sodelovanje v mednarodnih operacijah in misijah (MOM) Združenih narodov.
Na predstavitvi je bila poleg članov medresorske delovne skupine (MDS) prisotna ministrica za obrambo ga. Andreja Katič, vodja kabineta mag. Petra Culetto, generalni direktor direktorata za obrambno politiko mag. Aleš Mišmaš, ter vodja sektorja za mednarodne operacije in misije ga. Nataša Dolenc Lisec.
Celovito analizo je v okviru svojega mandata pripravila medresorska delovna skupina, ki obsega pregled vseh in primerljivih nacionalnih programov, ki izvajajo usposabljanja policistov ter vojaških in civilnih oseb za sodelovanje v MOM ZN, Nata in EU, naredila primerjavo sistemov usposabljanja in izvajalcev programov v ZN, Nato in EU ter v izbranih evropskih državah ter analizo pravnih, kadrovskih, finančnih, tehničnih in drugih zmogljivosti za oblikovanje morebitnih skupnih organizacijskih oblik sodelovanja vojske, policije in civilnih subjektov. V zaključku analize je podala predlog za ustanovitev IPOTC (Interministerial Peace Operations Training Centre), ki bi glede na skupne cilje in koristi za MORS, MNZ in MZZ, temeljil tudi na izpolnjevanju pravic, dolžnosti in obveznosti, ki jih ima Slovenija kot članica ZN in drugih mednarodnih organizacij.
Predlog ustanovitve IPOTC je ministrica ocenila kot pomemben premik naprej. Od prvih slovenskih napotitev na mednarodne misije in operacije bo prihodnje leto namreč minilo 20 let.
