11. 2. 2019 | PR, U-LEAD: with Europe, Waste management
Last week the third study visit “Travel to Know – Travel to Change” in the framework of „U-LEAD with Europe – Ukraine – Local Empowerment, Accountability and Development” programme concluded with a closing ceremony in Ptuj.
The visit took place between 3rd and 8th of February 2019 with 18 public officials from Ukraine visiting Ljubljana, Vrhnika, Celje and Ptuj, under the patronage of U-LEAD with Europe Programme. The project on the topic of waste management – “Upgrading Municipal Waste Management Services” – helps key actors of 36 selected amalgamated hromadas (AH) in three Ukrainian regions (Dnipropetrovsk, Volyn and Zhytomyr) to implement green approaches in the waste management sector and to obtain knowledge about the best practices of transparent and accountable waste management services, which is responsive to the needs of population.
The third international study visit has had, alongside theoretical approach, a strong emphasis on practical cases of the Slovenian communities’ experience in municipal waste management planning, municipal waste collection, treatment and disposal options, so the participants visited Snaga Ljubljana, Kemis Vrhnika, CERO Celje, Toplarna Celje, Javne službe Ptuj and Saubermacher Kidričevo. Visiting a modern incineration and a waste treatment plants gave the participants an opportunity to get acquainted with new technologies that could be taken into consideration for further contribution of AHs to the regional waste management planning.
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.
5. 2. 2019 | PR, Public administration, U-LEAD: with Europe, Waste management
U-LEAD with Europe: Ukraine – Local Empowerment, Accountability and Development Programme third international study visit that Slovenia is hosting kicked off on Monday, 4th of February with 18 public officials from Ukraine beginning the study visit at Jable castle. The main topic of the visit is waste management and the visit is a part of the project “Upgrading Municipal Waste Management Services”, which helps key actors of 36 selected amalgamated hromadas in three Ukrainian regions (Dnipropetrovsk, Volyn and Zhytomyr) to implement green approaches in the waste management sector. Participants began their visit with an introduction day at Jable Castle, where they were welcomed by CEP director Ms Katja Geršak, administrative director Mr Andrej Vrčon, the participants were also greeted by Mrs Andreja Purkart Martinez from the Ministry of foreign affairs and Mr Andrii Borodenkov first secretary from the embassy of Ukraine. First day at Jable castle continued with an activity organized by the moderators of the visit, Ms Lara Habič and Ms Tina Krošelj and three lectures on the topic of waste management in Slovenia and EU and extended producer responsibility by Dr Lucija Jurić Soršak from the Ministry for environment and spatial planning and Mag Radovan Tavzes, former director general of the directorate for environment. In the following days the participants will have lectures on circular economy and the role of NGOs in efficient waste management and later on they will be able to see Slovenian waste management in practice, as they will visit Snaga Ljubljana and Kemis Vrhnika, followed by a visit to RCERO Celje, Saubermacher Slovenija and Javne službe Ptuj. The visit is taking place in the framework of the multi-donor action U-LEAD established by the European Union and its Member States Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Poland and Sweden. It is aimed to contribute to the establishment of multilevel governance that is transparent, accountable and responsive to the needs of the population of Ukraine. U-LEAD with Europe is supporting the Ukrainian Government, represented by the Ministry of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine (MinRegion) as a key political partner, in the coordination and implementation of the decentralisation and regional policy reforms. The Programme carries out demand-driven and targeted trainings for officials at the national, regional and local level.
3. 2. 2019 | PR, Slovenian Development Assistance, U-LEAD: with Europe, Waste management
U-LEAD with Europe: Ukraine – Local Empowerment, Accountability and Development Programme continues with Slovenia is hosting the third international study visit on the topic of waste management.
The visit will take place between 3rd and 8th February 2019 with 18 public officials from Ukraine visiting Ljubljana, Vrhnika, Celje and Ptuj, under the patronage of U-LEAD with Europe Programme. The project on the topic of waste management – “Upgrading Municipal Waste Management Services” – helps key actors of 36 selected amalgamated hromadas in three Ukrainian regions (Dnipropetrovsk, Volyn and Zhytomyr) to implement green approaches in the waste management sector.
Participants will begin their visit with an introduction day at Jable Castle, meeting a number of representatives of Slovenian administrative and governing bodies and NGOs. In the following days, the workshops will take the participants to the field, visiting Vrhnika, Celje and Ptuj.
The visit is taking place in the framework of the multi-donor action U-LEAD established by the European Union and its Member States Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Poland and Sweden. It is aimed to contribute to the establishment of multilevel governance that is transparent, accountable and responsive to the needs of the population of Ukraine. U-LEAD with Europe is supporting the Ukrainian Government, represented by the Ministry of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine (MinRegion) as a key political partner, in the coordination and implementation of the decentralisation and regional policy reforms. The Programme carries out demand-driven and targeted trainings for officials at the national, regional and local level.
16. 1. 2019 | LET4CAP, PR
Project partners of Law Enforcement Training for Capacity Building – LET4CAP project, namely Arma dei Carabinieri – Project Leader from General Command in Rome, Italy; Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units (CoESPU) in Vicenza; Centre for European Perspective (CEP), Slovenia; Polish National Police HQs (POLICJA), Poland; Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (SSSA), Italy and Studiare Sviluppo (STSV), Italy have gathered in Ljubljana, on 15th and 16th of January 2019 for the Third Project Coordination meeting.
LET4CAP aims to contribute to more consistent and efficient assistance in law enforcement capacity building to third countries. The Project consists in the design and provision of training interventions drawn on the experience of the partners and fine-tuned after a piloting and consolidation phase. Project has so far benefited from the existing knowledge base, good practices and lessons learnt on law enforcement capacity building training within the EU and the UN, taking into consideration, among others, the materials and doctrine developed within CEPOL, ESDC, the ENTRi and EUPST projects. LET4CAP is organized in four main components:
- Stocktaking of existing good practices and lessons
- Development of the training course curriculum
- Piloting Training implementation
- Other dissemination & outreach activities.
CEP has so far created an evaluation plan, tailored to the goals and context of this project, provided guidelines for the evaluation of cooperation, project products, efficacy and impact on target groups, end beneficiaries and stakeholders, and defined quality criteria for the success of the project. CEP has also been present at three trainings carried out so far, as an evaluation expert, providing feedback on the content and execution of the trainings.
Partners have through a very successful meeting evaluated the work and achievements done so far, as well as planned future activities and things to be done by the end of the project.
17. 12. 2018 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR
Bled Strategic Forum Secretary General took part in First annual forecasting event “EU and Western Balkans in 2019”, held in Belgrade.
Event, organised by European Fund for the Balkans, Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (BiEPAG) and European Western Balkans, gathered more than 30 most influential opinion makers from the region and EU who gave their predictions about the trends and dynamics of policy developments in 2019. The aim of the discussions was to exchange views and to make conclusions that could influence the political decisions in the upcoming turbulent year.
What will post-election and post-Brexit EU look like? What could be predicted considering bilateral issues and regional cooperation in the Western Balkans? What trends the region could expect regarding the state of democracy, rule of law and media freedom? These are some of the topics discussed.
Main conclusion of the event was that European Union will not have the time for Western Balkans next year and, therefore, new energy for fight against stagnation and captured state has to be found. Read more about the discussion at
12. 12. 2018 | PR
Ms Katja Geršak has officially taken office as the new Executive Director of the Centre for European Perspective, succeeding Dr Gorazd Justinek. Ms Geršak started her mandate on 11 December 2018 with the aim to continue to strengthen the role of the Centre as a strong government foundation with diversified spectrum of activities, ranging from development cooperation programmes, research and think thank activities to peacekeeping and peace-building trainings.
Ms Katja Geršak has experience in private sector, she also worked as the Vice President of Business Angels of Slovenia and has co-founded Regional Dialogue, an NGO working in the area of justice sector reform in Uzbekistan of which she was the Deputy Director between 2010 and 2013.
The main aims of her mandate are further strengthening the role of CEP in the Balkans and Central and Eastern Europe through capacity building and other strategic projects, as well as ensure that CEP is a platform providing various perspectives on global issues, connect all spheres of society and contribute valuable analysis to foreign policy making of Slovenia.
Handover was marked by a policy discussion titled “Central and Eastern Europe at the Crossroads” and a reception at Jable Castle.
