Upcoming closing event of the project Digitalisation and Sustainable Local Development in North Macedonia

Upcoming closing event of the project Digitalisation and Sustainable Local Development in North Macedonia

15. 12. 2025 | North Macedonia - digitalisation, PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance

On 17 December 2025, the Centre for European Perspective, in partnership with the Ministry of Digital Transformation of the Republic of North Macedonia, is organising the closing event of the project “Digitalisation and Sustainable Local Development in North Macedonia” in Skopje.

The event will bring together policymakers, representatives of local self-government, experts, and stakeholders to discuss how digitalisation can support sustainable local development, improve the quality of public services, and strengthen citizen trust in public institutions. Particular attention will be given to challenges and opportunities at the local level, in line with North Macedonia’s digital transformation priorities and its alignment with European standards.

The programme will include opening addresses by H.E. Mr Stefan Andonovski, Minister of Digital Transformation of North Macedonia, and H.E. Mr Gregor Presker, Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to North Macedonia, followed by a presentation of the main project results and an open discussion with participants.

The project is implemented by CEP with the support of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia through the Slovenian Aid programme.

Conclusion of the nursing and midwifery project in North Macedonia

Conclusion of the nursing and midwifery project in North Macedonia

10. 12. 2025 | North Macedonia - Nursing and Midwifery, PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance

10 December 2025, Skopje, North Macedonia – Yesterday, we concluded the project “Advancing Nursing and Midwifery Education and Establishing the System for the Recognition of Professional Qualifications in the Republic of North Macedonia (2024–2025)”. The final event brought together representatives of the Ministries of Health and Education, higher education institutions, professional associations, and Slovenian experts to reflect on progress and outline the path ahead.

The event opened with an address by Mr Jovica Andovski, Deputy Minister of Health, who emphasised the significance of the reforms initiated through the project. He highlighted that the collaborative work has already supported the beginning of necessary legislative processes and strengthened the foundations for long-term development of the professions. In his speech, he underlined: “These results are not merely formal documents – they are an investment in future generations of nurses and midwives.” He also recognised the project’s role in making long-standing challenges visible to the wider public and institutions, noting that sustainable change will require continued commitment from all sides.

This was followed by remarks from Mrs Nika Rotar, Minister Plenipotentiary and Deputy Ambassador of Slovenia in Skopje, who reaffirmed Slovenia’s strong support in aligning North Macedonia’s nursing and midwifery systems with EU standards.

During the workshop sessions, members of the Macedonian working groups presented their achievements, including analyses of the education system, regulatory gaps, and legislative needs, as well as the development of the national curriculum proposal for nursing and midwifery. These insights were complemented by contributions from Slovenian experts, Mrs Monika Ažman (Nurses and Midwives Association of Slovenia) and Prof. dr Brigita Skela Savič (Angela Boškin Faculty of Health Care), who provided guidance on regulatory models, professional autonomy, and curriculum modernisation aligned with the EU Directive.

The discussions reaffirmed the project’s two core achievements:
• supporting the development of a national regulatory and institutional framework for nursing and midwifery; and
• preparing a harmonised national curriculum aligned with European standards and ready for further consideration by the Ministry of Education and Science.

With the completion of this first phase, the partners agreed that the foundations for reform are now well established. Continued cooperation will be essential to sustain the momentum—particularly in updating legislation, enhancing professional autonomy, and ensuring consistent implementation across educational and clinical environments.

The project was implemented with the support of the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, the Ministry of Health of North Macedonia, and with technical support from the WHO Office North Macedonia.

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Ukrainian–Slovenian Business Forum on Energy Sphere strengthens bilateral cooperation and opens new opportunities for partnership

Ukrainian–Slovenian Business Forum on Energy Sphere strengthens bilateral cooperation and opens new opportunities for partnership

10. 12. 2025 | PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance, Ukraine

Mengeš, 10 December 2025 – CEP hosted the Ukrainian–Slovenian Business Forum on Energy Sphere — a platform aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in the energy field and fostering partnerships that support Ukraine’s urgent reconstruction and modernization needs while encouraging Slovenian companies to engage in future recovery and green transition projects.
The event brought together approximately 70 representatives from companies and institutions across the energy sector, who shared their projects, exchanged expertise, and explored new paths for collaboration. Ukrainian partners presented the scale of current challenges — including the need to rebuild 9 GW of power capacity due to Russian aggression — highlighting the importance of resilient and innovative solutions, as well as the financial and institutional support mechanisms available through the EU and the Energy Community. The Forum ultimately laid the groundwork for long-term cooperation and joint project development between Ukrainian and Slovenian stakeholders.

Just before the forum, CEP and the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry signed a Memorandum of Understanding, marking an important step toward strengthening cooperation between our institutions.
A key message of the Forum was that there are immediate business opportunities for the Slovenian private sector in Ukraine’s energy market. Ukrainian energy companies expressed a strong interest in building new partnerships and view Slovenian know-how and innovative solutions as highly valuable in addressing both reconstruction and long-term sustainable growth.
A heartfelt thank you to all partners for their essential contributions to this successful event.

The event was organised in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce of Slovenia, the Energy Industry Chamber of Slovenia, SPIRIT Slovenija, the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Slovenia, and the Ukrainian CCI.

The event was supported by the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs under the Slovenian Aid programme.

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Concluding event of the nursing and midwifery project taking place tomorrow in Skopje

Concluding event of the nursing and midwifery project taking place tomorrow in Skopje

8. 12. 2025 | North Macedonia - Nursing and Midwifery, PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance

Tomorrow, 9 December, the project Advancing Nursing and Midwifery Education and Establishing the System for the Recognition of Professional Qualifications in the Republic of North Macedonia will conclude with a final workshop and closing event in Skopje. The gathering will bring together representatives of the Ministries of Health and Education, higher education institutions, and professional nursing and midwifery associations to review progress over the past two years and outline next steps to sustain reforms.

The concluding workshop will focus on two core pillars of the project:
• Operationalising the regulatory framework for nursing and midwifery professions, including institutional responsibilities, future processes, and sustainability requirements.
• Implementing the reformed undergraduate curricula in higher education institutions, bringing together decision-makers to discuss practical steps for roll-out and alignment with EU standards.

These discussions build on extensive work carried out throughout 2024–2025, including the analysis of existing study programmes, the development of proposed national curricula, technical workshops on regulation, and training sessions dedicated to strengthening nursing roles in primary care.

Joining the concluding event from the Slovenian side are Slovenian experts from the Nurses and Midwives Association of Slovenia (Zbornica – Zveza) and the Angela Boškin Faculty of Health Care, as well as representatives of the Slovenian Embassy in Skopje.

The project is implemented with the support of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia [through the International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Programme] and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of North Macedonia, with technical support from the WHO Office in North Macedonia.

INVITATION: What’s Coming — and How to Make the Best of It?

INVITATION: What’s Coming — and How to Make the Best of It?

5. 12. 2025 | PR

Over recent years, we have lost our sense of optimism about the future.

Rather than approaching the new year with excitement and curiosity, we find ourselves preoccupied with what might unravel next. The international environment in which we operate has grown increasingly uncertain, fragile, and volatile.

At CEP’s traditional pre-Christmas discussion, we want to shift the tone. Not by ignoring reality, but by looking at 2026 honestly and asking: what is coming — and how can we make the best of it?

We invite our partners, colleagues, and friends to join us for an engaging pre-holiday conversation exploring what 2026 may bring across the full breadth of CEP’s work: ranging from geopolitics and international security to Slovenia’s foreign policy, development cooperation, Ukraine support, the Western Balkans, and more.

Our purpose is twofold: to candidly address emerging challenges while exploring why we should look forward to 2026 — and what concrete steps we can take to help make that vision possible. We want to close the year with both clarity and a measured degree of optimism.

Stay with us after the discussion for a festive reception.

If you plan to attend, please confirm your attendance here.

Speakers

Sabina Stadler, Head of the Department for Strategic Studies and Analyses at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs

Dr Dejan Verčič, Professor and Head of Centre for Marketing and Public Relations at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana

Vojko Volk, State Secretary for National and International Security at Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia

PDF Invite
Building Mission-Ready Skills: Inside the First EUTI Project Management Training

Building Mission-Ready Skills: Inside the First EUTI Project Management Training

4. 12. 2025 | EUTI, Peace and security, PR

On 3 and 4 December 2025, Jable Castle hosted participants from across Europe for the first training delivered under the European Union Training Initiative. Organised by the Centre for European Perspective, the course focused on the Foundations of Project Management in Civilian Crisis Management and brought together both pre-mission personnel and experts already deployed in the field.

Over two intensive days, participants explored how project management directly contributes to mission success. The training opened with an introduction to the project mindset and the specific ecosystem of civilian missions, helping participants distinguish between projects and routine operations. They worked through the full project lifecycle, learned how to define project success using SMART objectives, and gained practical tools for setting clear goals and scope.

A strong focus was placed on planning and implementation. Sessions covered how to structure project tasks, allocate resources and budgets, manage timelines, identify and mitigate risks, and monitor progress through effective reporting. Horizontal principles, including human rights, gender equality and the Women, Peace and Security agenda, were also integrated into the project framework, alongside the use of the Logical Framework approach.

The heart of the training was the hands-on capstone exercise. Working in groups on a mission-based scenario, participants developed their own project charter, which they refined, presented and discussed together. Through this practical work, they strengthened key skills such as teamwork, leadership, problem-solving and decision-making under pressure.

The final sessions focused on best practices and real-life application in mission environments. Participants reflected on common challenges, learned how to motivate teams and stakeholders, and created individual plans for applying newly acquired project management skills in their next deployment.

With highly engaged and motivated participants, the training days passed quickly. Participants left Jable Castle equipped with a strong foundation in project management and a practical toolkit they can immediately use in civilian crisis management missions.