Regional cooperation

Upcoming mentorship visit of Municipality of Zarichne at the Municipality of Slovenska Bistrica

6. 11. 2025 | PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance, U-LEAD: with Europe, Ukraine

As part of the Ukraine Recovery Programme, we are pleased to announce an upcoming mentorship visit of representatives from the Municipality of Zarichne (Ukraine) to the Municipality of Slovenska Bistrica (Slovenia).

The visit will take place from 19 to 28 November 2025. The main focus of the mentorship will be on public utilities, including water supply systems, waste management, road infrastructure, and sewerage. Additional topics will cover healthcare, agriculture, and entrepreneurship. The selected themes reflect the clearly defined needs and priorities of the Ukrainian partner municipality, identified during the previous phase of the project.

The ‘Recovery and Reconstruction in Ukraine’ programme is funded by the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs through the Slovenian Aid and Partnerships and implemented in partnership with ‘U-LEAD with Europe’.

Break the Fake: Standing Together for Truth and Resilience in Europe’s Information Space

27. 10. 2025 | European Digital Diplomacy Exchange, PR, Regional cooperation, Strategic Communication, Ukraine

Ljubljana, October 24, 2025 – On Thursday, October 23, the House of the European Union in Ljubljana hosted Break the Fake, an event dedicated to strengthening resilience against disinformation and promoting cooperation between Slovenia, Ukraine, and European partners in defending truth and democratic values.

Organized by the NGO Platform for Development Projects “Priority” in partnership with the Embassy of Ukraine in Slovenia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Government Communication Office of the Republic of Slovenia, and the Centre for European Perspective (CEP), the event brought together diplomats, experts, and civil society representatives to explore the human and societal impact of disinformation.

Opening remarks were delivered by H.E. Petro Beshta, Ambassador of Ukraine to Slovenia; Ms. Petra Bezjak Cirman, Head of the Government Communication Office; and Ms. Nina Čepon, Executive Director of the Centre for European Perspective.

The programme featured an analysis of Russian propaganda strategies by disinformation expert Mr. Mykhaylo Dankanych, followed by the deeply moving personal testimony of Mr. Malik Yevgeniy, a former Ukrainian prisoner of war, who shared his experience of captivity and the psychological toll of propaganda.

In her address, CEP Executive Director Nina Čepon underlined that disinformation is not an abstract concept but a force that undermines trust, weakens social cohesion, and erodes democratic foundations. She highlighted CEP’s long-term engagement in strengthening Europe’s information resilience through partnership, education, and capacity building.

Through initiatives such as Countering Disinformation and Building Resilience in the Western Balkans and the European Digital Diplomacy Exchange (EDDE), CEP works with journalists, diplomats, and public officials to strengthen media literacy, build cross-sectoral cooperation, and promote communication grounded in trust and transparency. These programmes have also fostered close collaboration with Ukrainian partners, particularly since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Further demonstrating this partnership, CEP’s Slovenia Connects – Rebuild Ukraine initiative supports capacity building and good governance in Ukraine, focusing on empowering local and regional authorities in the country’s recovery and reconstruction process.

The event concluded with an open discussion on countering Russian propaganda and violations of international law.

As Ms. Čepon emphasized, resilience begins with truth, and the most effective response to disinformation lies in cooperation among institutions, media, educators, and citizens. Break the Fake served as a reminder that every verified story, every act of solidarity, and every informed conversation helps build a Europe that is resilient, united, and free.

Strengthening financial investigation capacities of Montenegro with a study visit to Slovenia

20. 10. 2025 | Montenegro - finance, PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance

From 14 to 17 October 2025, a delegation of 15 representatives from the Ministry of Interior and Police of Montenegro visited Ljubljana and Celje as part of the project “Strengthening the capacities for financial investigations in Montenegro.”

The study visit focused on sharing Slovenian best practices in financial investigations, inter-institutional cooperation, and the fight against organised crime, corruption, and money laundering.

During the four-day visit, participants were introduced to the Slovenian model of financial investigation both at the central and regional levels:
🔹 Mr Jure Palka from the Office for Money Laundering Prevention presented the role and activities of the Bureau and its cooperation with police and prosecutors.

🔹 At the Celje Police Directorate, they learned about the organisational structure and operational coordination of financial and criminal investigations, with practical insights into work at regional and local levels.

🔹 In Ljubljana, the delegation was welcomed by Mr Darko Muženić, Director of the National Bureau of Investigation. Experts from the Bureau presented their work in computer crime, financial crime, and cryptocurrency investigations.

🔹 Representatives of the Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia (FURS) and the Specialised State Prosecutor’s Office presented examples of good practices, and the legal framework for financial investigations and prosecution.

The CEP expert team, led by Mr David Antolovič and Mr Damijan Turk, led a discussion on the finalised needs analysis, prepared between July and September 2025, and presented its findings and recommendations. The team also delivered a presentation and workshop on upcoming project activities. The visit concluded with a joint agreement to establish a working group that will prepare Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the Montenegrin police, aligning operational practice with Slovenian experience.

This study visit represents another step toward strengthening institutional cooperation and enhancing professional capacities in financial investigations in Montenegro.

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, in cooperation with the Slovenian Police and the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Slovenia.

Announcement EDDE general training in Montenegro

17. 10. 2025 | European Digital Diplomacy Exchange, PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance

We are excited to announce another four-day EDDE training, from 18 to 21 November 2025, in Bar, Montenegro. The event is organised through the cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia and the Centre for European Perspective. The upcoming training, titled “Empowering Citizens Through Strategic Communication,” will explore how digital technologies are reshaping democracy and citizen engagement. While digital platforms expand opportunities for participation, they also present new challenges to trust in institutions and collaboration.

Participants will gain practical insights and hands-on experience through lectures, debates, and exercises. The program will focus on how digital communication and the use of different techniques shape trust in institutions and citizen engagement.

This training offers participants the opportunity to strengthen their professional skills, share best practices, and exchange perspectives on how strategic communication can empower citizens as essential partners in the democratic process.

The implemented activities are supported and funded by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia in the scope of the program of Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid and implemented by the Centre for European Perspective.

Study visit in Slovenia – Strengthening Capacities in Financial Investigations in Montenegro

13. 10. 2025 | Montenegro - finance, PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance

From 14 to 17 October 2025, the Centre for European Perspective (CEP) will host a study visit in Slovenia as part of the project “Strengthening Capacities in the Area of Financial Investigations in Montenegro.”

The project aims to enhance the institutional and operational capacities of Montenegrin authorities in conducting financial investigations, tackling organised crime, and combating money laundering. The study visit will bring together representatives from the Ministry of Interior and Police of Montenegro, the Embassy of Montenegro in Slovenia, and their Slovenian counterparts, including the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Slovenia, the Police, and other relevant institutions.

Through a series of workshops, meetings, and field visits in Ljubljana and Celje, participants will exchange experiences and best practices in the areas of financial investigations, asset recovery, anti-corruption measures, and inter-institutional cooperation. The visit will also focus on developing practical approaches and preparing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to support future operational work.

This activity represents another important step in the long-term cooperation between Slovenia and Montenegro in strengthening the rule of law and improving the effectiveness of institutions in preventing and investigating financial crime.

The project is implemented with the support of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia within the framework of Slovenia’s International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Programme (Slovenia Aid & Partnerships), in cooperation with the Slovenian Police and the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Slovenia.

Drugi sestanek neformalne koordinacijske platforme akterjev RS za Ukrajino

27. 9. 2025 | PR, Regional cooperation, Slovenian Development Assistance, Ukraine

Text in English here.

Grad Jable, 24. september 2025 – Drugi sestanek neformalne koordinacijske platforme akterjev Republike Slovenije, ki delujejo v Ukrajini na področju obnove in razvoja, je potekal pod okriljem programa Obnova Ukrajine. Sestanek je bil namenjen izmenjavi informacij, prepoznavanju sinergij in dogovoru o nadaljnjem sodelovanju med različnimi akterji, ki delujejo na terenu. Udeleženci so pregledali dosedanje aktivnosti, predstavili nove pobude in razpravljali o najboljših pristopih za povečanje učinka prizadevanj RS v Ukrajini.

Tri ključne ugotovitve sestanka so bile:

Večja osredotočenost naporov RS v Ukrajini – člani platforme so poudarili, da bi strateška koordinacija in bolj osredotočene aktivnosti omogočile poglobljen učinek, večjo vidnost in racionalnejšo rabo sredstev. Poseben poudarek je bil na regijah Khmelnitsky, Lviv in Dnipro-Petrovsk, kjer Slovenija že izvaja številne projekte.
Povečano ozaveščanje v Sloveniji – potrebno je okrepiti prepoznavnost dela RS v Ukrajini, zlasti med mladimi, odločevalci in v zasebnem sektorju. Razprava je pokazala, da različni pristopi k ozaveščanju ciljnih skupin, kot so informativne kampanje in dogodki za mlade, pomembno prispevajo k prepoznavnosti in vplivu.
Skupni projekt letovanja ukrajinskih otrok v Sloveniji leta 2026 – projekt bo združil kapacitete slovenskih občin in obstoječa sredstva akterjev, pri čemer bo temeljil na izkušnjah preteklih letovanj. Cilj je doseči večji učinek in vidnost ter neposredno podpreti otroke, ki so prizadeti zaradi konflikta, z varnim in kakovostnim programom počitnic.

Sestanek je potrdil pomen sodelovanja, koordinacije in skupnih pobud za trajnejši vpliv prizadevanj RS v Ukrajini. Udeleženci so se dogovorili, da bodo nadaljevali delo na operativnem načrtu in pripravah na naslednje aktivnosti, ki bodo okrepile sinergijo in učinkovitost dosedanjih projektov.

The ‘Recovery and Reconstruction in Ukraine’ programme is funded by the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs through the Slovenian Aid and Partnerships and implemented in partnership with ‘U-LEAD with Europe’.