Upcoming workshops in Montenegro: Strengthening capacities for financial investigations

Upcoming workshops in Montenegro: Strengthening capacities for financial investigations

20. 11. 2025 | Montenegro - finance, PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance

Next week, the Centre for European Perspective (CEP) is launching the first set of workshops in Montenegro as part of the project “Strengthening the capacities for financial investigations in Montenegro.” The workshops will take place on 26 November in Bijelo Polje and on 27 November in Podgorica, bringing together police officers and prosecutors from regional centres across the country.

Building on the findings of the needs analysis and the successful October study visit to Slovenia, the workshops will focus on strengthening the operational and institutional capacities of Montenegrin authorities involved in financial investigations. Participants and Slovenian experts will discuss:

  • good practices stemming from the Slovenian legislative framework (including ZOPNI),

  • the role of prosecutors in directing financial investigations,

  • practical case analysis based on real Slovenian investigations, with emphasis on overcoming bottlenecks,

    • early detection of financial elements in criminal cases and operational coordination between police and prosecution,

    • inter-institutional cooperation and shared challenges within the Montenegrin context.

    Each workshop includes a dedicated discussion session to identify current obstacles and training needs for 2026. A specialised working group will also convene in Podgorica to advance the preparation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for financial investigations, a key next step of the project.

    These activities mark another important milestone in strengthening professional expertise and cooperation between Montenegrin institutions in the fight against organised crime, corruption, and money laundering.

    The project is implemented by the Centre for European Perspective (CEP) with the support of the Ministry of European and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia through Slovenian Aid & Partnerships, in cooperation with the Slovenian Police and the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Slovenia.

    Youth Shaping the Danube Region: Reflections from Our Interactive Workshop at the 14th EUSDR Annual Forum

    Youth Shaping the Danube Region: Reflections from Our Interactive Workshop at the 14th EUSDR Annual Forum

    20. 11. 2025 | Danube, PR, Regional cooperation, Youth

    Young people across the Danube Region are stepping forward with ideas, motivation, and a strong desire to shape the future. This spirit was at the heart of our interactive workshop Youth Engagement and Active Citizenship in the Danube Region, held on 6 November 2025 during the 14th EUSDR Annual Forum in Sarajevo. Bringing together representatives of the Danube Youth Council, the Danube Youth Organizations Network, and the Enter:Change initiative, the workshop created a vibrant space for honest dialogue, shared experiences, and forward-looking proposals. Designed as a World Café, the session encouraged participants to rotate among discussion tables, exchange perspectives, and collectively explore how youth can play a meaningful role in democratic governance and regional cooperation.  

    Youth as Contributors Today — Not Only Tomorrow

     
    A strong message echoed throughout the room: young people are not passive observers. They are already contributing to shaping the Danube Region, and they want to be recognised as equal partners in decision-making. Participants highlighted why their involvement matters: they bring creativity, technological confidence, a long-term outlook, and the courage to challenge old patterns. They are open-minded, results-oriented, and motivated by a genuine sense of responsibility for the world around them. For many, meaningful participation is closely tied to trust in institutions and a belief that their voices can lead to real impact.  

    Building Stronger Youth Networks Across the Region

     
    Representatives from the Danube Youth Organizations Network reflected on the growth of youth-led initiatives and the importance of building stronger, more sustainable networks. They emphasised the value of improved visibility, alumni engagement, and new links between young people, local authorities, NGOs, and communities along the Danube. Better fundraising opportunities and shared purpose were also identified as essential elements for the network’s future development. The discussion reaffirmed the need for transnational cooperation — not only to connect young people, but also to create lasting partnerships and shared solutions to common challenges.  

    A New Generation of Leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina

    The Enter:Change initiative shared insights from its work with young leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina, focusing on leadership skills, democratic participation, anti-corruption, interethnic dialogue, and resilience to disinformation. Their central question — whether young leaders can pave a more cooperative political path — sparked reflections on the need for cultural change, institutional openness, and long-term support. Participants stressed that progress requires more accessible EU funding for emerging youth initiatives, stronger support for civil society, and wider opportunities that convince talented young people to remain engaged in their home communities rather than seeking prospects elsewhere.  

    Key Takeaways: What Young People Need to Thrive

    Across all discussions, several common themes emerged:
    • Meaningful involvement: Youth want more than symbolic participation; they want structured, long-term channels to influence decision-making.
    • Capacity-building: Leadership training, critical thinking, communication skills, and digital literacy are essential tools for empowered citizenship.
    • Cross-border cooperation: Mobility, exchange, and shared learning strengthen connections and help address regional challenges together.
    • Supportive ecosystems: Youth-led initiatives need sustained funding, mentorship, and visibility — not isolated, short-term projects.
    The workshop’s outcomes reflect the priorities and aspirations of young people across the Danube Region  

    Looking Ahead

    The enthusiasm and maturity demonstrated by the workshop participants confirmed once again that youth are ready to contribute — not only to the future, but to the present of the Danube Region. Their perspectives are essential for building trust, strengthening governance, and enhancing cooperation across borders. As Priority Area 10, we remain committed to supporting youth engagement, creating opportunities for dialogue, and working together with our partners to ensure that young people continue to shape the direction of the Danube Region. More about Priority Area 10
    Webinar on EU Funding Opportunities for Ukraininan Disaster Risk Managament and Planning Personnel

    Webinar on EU Funding Opportunities for Ukraininan Disaster Risk Managament and Planning Personnel

    20. 11. 2025 | POTC, PR

    Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) is organising a Webinar on EU Funding Opportunities for Ukraine – Focus on »Horizon Europe« for experts in disaster management, and prevention and preparedness planning who could potentially manage EU-funded projects and/or be involved in project activities.

    Kliknite tukaj za branje članka v slovenskem jeziku.

    A tailor-made webinar was designed based on high level of interest expressed by State Emergency Service of Ukraine participants of the Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Training, which was held in May this year in Rzeszow, Poland.

    The EU-Funding Opportunities for Ukraine webinar will offer a focused overview of key EU funding mechanisms, with particular emphasis on the Horizon Europe programme. The session will begin with a brief overview of selected EU funding opportunities. It will then provide a detailed look at Horizon Europe, including its overall structure, eligibility criteria, and main types of actions. Participants will also receive a snapshot introduction to the Funding & Tenders (F&T) Portal and learn about effective “consortium mechanics,” such as where and how to find suitable partners. The webinar will conclude with practical hints and tips for writing competitive project proposals.

    🗓 Date: 2 December 2025

    🌐 Format: Online

    🗣 Language: English

    Guest-Trainer: Mr. Pierantonios Papazoglou, Research & Strategy Manager at the CERIDES Centre of Excellence in Risk and Decision Sciences of the European University Cyprus

    The webinar is intended for a selected audience, and participation is limited to registered attendees.

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    HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT AWARENESS TRAINING 2026 – CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

    HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT AWARENESS TRAINING 2026 – CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

    17. 11. 2025 | POTC, PR

    The Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) in Slovenia and the European Security and Defence College (ESDC) are co-organising the “Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT)” training activity. The training will take place at the Gotenica Police Training Centre in Slovenia from Sunday, 8 March to Friday, 13 March 2026.

    Kliknite tukaj za branje članka v slovenskem jeziku.

    This training activity contributes to security and situational awareness, reinforces a safety and security awareness mindset, and develops confidence in hostile situations. In addition, the training provides guidance on individual and team behaviour to help deter, detect and react during and after threatening events, thus increasing the overall personal safety and security of the training participants while serving in hostile environments. This year’s HEAT will be conducted in a winter environment.

    Up to 20 professionals with different backgrounds, working or aiming to work with national or international (non-)governmental organisations, academic or private sector, are eligible to apply for participation in the training.

    The participants will join an experienced group of Slovenian and foreign trainers for a five-day intensive course in the southwestern part of Slovenia. The training is designed to:

    • improve participants’ knowledge about multiple threats present in hostile field environments and learn how to deal with them in an effective manner,
    • rehearse and practice safety and security procedures according to specific threats,
    • develop skills and behaviours to deal with different stressful situations.

    Activities of the Hostile Environment Awareness Training include e-learning prior to the in-person training, lectures, guided discussions, role-playing, simulations, and a complex field training exercise. Trainees will be addressing deployment in hostile environments (threat awareness, management of various threats, etc.), medical help, orientation, communications, mobility, etc.

    Applications must be submitted via the ESDC’s secure online system, ENLIST, by designated nominators at https://esdc.europa.eu/enlist/login. To apply, a national nominator must first add you to the system, so please contact your nominator as the first step. A list of ENLIST nominators is available on the ESDC website at https://www.esdc.europa.eu/training-and-education/list-nominators_en.

    The deadline for submitting the application is 15 January 2026. The selection of participants is done by POTC and ESDC after the deadline, and both selected and unselected applicants will be notified.

    You can find all the information regarding the registration process and the training delivery here.

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    WIN Academy – Youth Edition

    WIN Academy – Youth Edition

    14. 11. 2025 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR

    The first OSCE WIN Academy – Youth Edition, co-organised by the Bled Strategic Forum (BSF), the OSCE, and the Faculty of Social Sciences, took place in Ljubljana from 3–6 November. The programme brought together 16 students from South-Eastern Europe for four days of workshops, discussions, and exchanges focused on gender equality and the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda.

    The Youth Edition is part of the OSCE WIN (Women and Men Innovating and Networking for Gender Equality) project. The main objective of WIN is to advance gender equality as a prerequisite for achieving and maintaining stable, prosperous, and peaceful societies across the OSCE area. WIN regularly delivers capacity-building programmes, leadership trainings, and skills development opportunities for professionals and practitioners. This was the first time the Academy was organised specifically for young people, making it a new step in extending WIN’s tools and training approaches to the next generation of peace providers.

    The programme

    The programme opened with a public event titled “Looking Back in Order to Look Forward: Empowering Youth to Lead and Strengthen WPS.” Speakers underlined that the WPS Agenda is about ensuring full inclusion in peace and security efforts and highlighted the need to shift narratives away from seeing women only as victims.

    The panel featured:

    • Ambassador Darja Bavdaž Kuret, MFA Slovenia
    • Prof. Dr. Ljubica Jelušič, University of Ljubljana
    • Dr. Lara Scarpitta, OSCE Gender Issues Programme

    Moderated by Peter Grk, BSF Secretary General

    The event was opened by Tanja Fajon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Dr. Scarpitta, and Prof. Dr. Andrej Kohont, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences.

    Over the next few days, the participants then engaged in the participant-only programme, which included sessions on the OSCE’s work and its field operations in South-Eastern Europe, key international frameworks on gender equality, and the intersections of gender, youth, and peacebuilding.

    Throughout the programme, they had the opportunity to learn from and engage with a range of OSCE experts and practitioners, including Anastasia Fusco (WIN Project Manager, OSCE Gender Issues Programme), Augusta Featherston (Head of Democratization Department, OSCE Mission to Serbia), and Elmaja Bavčić (Adviser on Gender Equality, OSCE), who led sessions on OSCE structures, gender frameworks, and practical approaches to equality in the security sector.

    The programme also featured a conversation with Sonja Lokar, former Chair of the Stability Pact Gender Task Force, as well as a fireside chat with alumnae of the OSCE Young Women’s Dialogue Academy. In addition, participants took part in the workshop “Youth Voices for an Equal Future,” a feminist tour of Ljubljana, and a discussion with Ms. Lucija Tacer, Member of the National Assembly.

     

    INVITATION – Ukrainian-Slovenian Business Forum on Energy Sphere (10 Dec 2025, 10:00 CET)

    INVITATION – Ukrainian-Slovenian Business Forum on Energy Sphere (10 Dec 2025, 10:00 CET)

    13. 11. 2025 | PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance, Ukraine

    We kindly invite you to the

    Ukrainian–Slovenian Business Forum on Energy Sphere

     

    taking place on 10th December 2025 from 10:00–13:00 (CET)

     

    Location: ON-SITE – Jable Castle, Grajska cesta 1, 1234 Loka pri Mengšu (Slovenia) / ONLINE

     

    The event is held under the auspices of the Recovery and Reconstruction in Ukraine Programme implemented by the Centre for European Perspective (CEP), in partnership with the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Slovenia, the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and SPIRIT, Slovenian Public Agency for Investments, Entrepreneurship and Internationalisation.

     

    The event will bring together companies from Ukraine and Slovenia (both on-site and online), along with the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. An additional side programme for Ukrainian delegations will be communicated shortly.

     

     Please, register online here: REGISTRATION FORM (Registration deadline: 1 Dec 2025)

      

    For any additional information, do not hesitate to contact us:

    Mr Oleg Rogoza, Project Manager (CEP), [email protected]

    Ms Nuša Blatnik, Project Assistant (CEP), [email protected]

     

    QUICK CONCEPT – PARTNERSHIPS FOR COOPERATION AND RECOVERY PROJECTS

    The ongoing transformation of the energy sector in Europe, coupled with the urgent need for reconstruction and modernization of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, creates a unique opportunity for cross-border cooperation. Slovenia, as an EU member with strong expertise in renewable energy, energy efficiency, green transition, and sustainable infrastructure, can offer valuable partnerships to Ukrainian companies seeking technological know-how, investment support, and joint participation in EU- or Energy Community–financed projects.
    For Ukrainian energy enterprises and technology providers, this conference offers opportunities for joint project development that contribute to Ukraine’s sustainable recovery and integration into the European energy community, while for Slovenian companies, it offers an entry point into the Ukrainian market, access to European funding mechanisms for joint projects in the energy sphere in Ukraine.

    Event objectives
    • To facilitate partnerships between Ukrainian and Slovenian companies active in the energy sector and related industries;
    • To promote joint participation in EU- and Energy Community–financed projects, including green transition and recovery programs for Ukraine;
    • To inform participants about available financial and institutional support mechanisms in Slovenia and the EU;
    • To showcase innovative energy solutions, technologies, and services that can support Ukraine’s recovery and sustainable growth;
    • To create a long-term network for cooperation and project development in the energy sphere.

    Target audiences
    From Ukraine:
    • Energy companies, utilities, and grid operators;
    • Renewable energy developers (solar, wind, biomass, hydrogen);
    • Energy efficiency solution providers;
    • Engineering and technology firms;
    • Municipal energy agencies and project implementers.

    From Slovenia:
    • Companies in energy sector, incl. in renewable energy, smart grids, and clean technologies;
    • Consulting and engineering firms.

    Ukrainian companies are invited to present:
    • Their capabilities in the energy sector;
    • Partnership needs (technological, financial, or strategic);
    • Project ideas for which they seek Slovenian or EU partners.

    Slovenian companies are encouraged to:
    • Explore business opportunities in Ukraine’s energy recovery;
    • Identify reliable Ukrainian partners for EU-funded or bilateral projects;
    • Contribute to Europe’s green and resilient energy future through cooperation.

    Quick event timeline
    1. Opening of the event
    2. Keynote address
    3. Presentations on part of Ukrainian companies
    4. Presentations on part of Slovenian companies
    5. B2B (business-to-business opportunity)
    6. Networking lunch