27. 1. 2025 | Development (ODA), National communities, PR, Regional cooperation, U-LEAD: with Europe, Ukraine
Centre for European Perspective is delighted to invite you to the webinar series on green transition!
The green transition refers to the shift towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices in all sectors of society, including energy, transportation, and industry. The European Union (EU) has been at the forefront of these efforts through policies like the European Green Deal, REPowerEU, and the Fit for 55 package. These initiatives aim to reduce carbon emissions, promote renewable energy, and foster a circular economy. Understanding these policies is important for local governments as they seek to align with EU standards, secure funding, and implement green practices at the municipal level.
Despite the ongoing conflict, the reconstruction process has started – with Ukraine working towards a sustainable reconstruction. Learning more about the possibilities the EU offers is helpful for local authorities involved in the reconstruction and recovery process.
This webinar series, organised with expert support from the Štajerska Chamber of Commerce, will provide you with the basics of green transition and EU policies, funding opportunities, and practical strategies for green public procurement for Ukrainian municipalities.
Webinar Series Programme
- Green Deal, REPowerEU, Fit for 55, Circular Economy Action Plan
– What is it all about?
– What does it have to do with Ukraine?
Date: 30 January 2025, 10:00 – 12:00 CET
- EU Funding for Green Transition – Where, How, and What?
– Opportunities for Ukraine
– List of Relevant Calls for Application
Date: 6 February 2025, 10:00 – 12:00 CET
- Green Public Procurement I
– Basics
– Challenges & Opportunities
Date: 13 February 2025, 10:00 – 12:00 CET
- Green Public Procurement II
– Good Practice Examples
– How to Implement in Ukraine
Date: 20 February 2025, 10:00 – 12:00 CET
REGISTER HERE!
The activities are funded by the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs through the Slovenian Aid and Partnerships.

27. 11. 2024 | Development (ODA), PR, Regional cooperation, U-LEAD: with Europe, Ukraine
We have successfully concluded the study visit titled ‘Business Development and Promotion: Local and Regional Good Practice of Slovenia’, held from 19 to 28 November 2024 as a part of the Slovenian Aid project ‘Enhancing Slovenian Engagement in Ukraine: Economic and Social Sustainability of Regions and Cities’. From 20 to 28 November 2024, 20 representatives of Ukrainian local communities, business support organisations, and municipal associations supported by the U-LEAD with Europe Programme joined us in Slovenia to hear and learn more about Slovenian good practices on the topics of regional and local development, EU funding, EU accession, cooperation between businesses and municipalities, waste management and circular economy, New European Bauhaus and more.
First week of workshops and activities on regional development, circular economy and waste management, future of construction, EU funding and opportunities for Ukraine, and more organised by Pomurje Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Pomurje Technology Park, Kodila, Medicop d.o.o., Surovina d.o.o., Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Štajerska Region, Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute and InnoRenew CoE.
Activities in the second week focused on regional and local good practices for cooperation between business incubators and local communities, waste management and development of local circular economy practices, and opportunities for Ukrainian municipalities and companies through the Nazovni platform. The visit ended on 27 November, with participants taking part in the forum entitled ‘Business Revival and Reconstruction Opportunities in Ukraine’, organised in cooperation with the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and supported by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia.

The ‘Enhancing Slovenian Engagement in Ukraine: Economic and Social Sustainability of Regions and Cities ’ project 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’. The U-LEAD with Europe programme is a partnership of the Ukrainian government and the European Union, and its member states Germany, Sweden, Poland, and Slovenia, to support the establishment of multi-level governance that is transparent, accountable, and responsive to the needs of the Ukrainian population.
27. 11. 2024 | Development (ODA), PR, Regional cooperation, U-LEAD: with Europe, Ukraine
27 November 2024, Mengeš – We have concluded the seventh three-week mentorship of 2024 between the City Municipality of Slovenj Gradec and Municipality Ladyzhyn under the auspices of the project ‘Post-conflict reconstruction in Ukraine’. The three-week mentorship in Slovenj Gradec focused on project writing and funding, business development and cooperation, energy efficiency and medical rehabilitation.
In three weeks, mentees Mr Maksym Chekryhin, Deputy Mayor of Ladyzhyn, and Ms Olena Fadiievska, Head of the Municipal Institution “Local Economic Development Agency of Ladyzhyn”, have been learning about Slovenj Gradec’s good practices in business development, project preparation, and energy efficiency. The mentees have also worked on preparing a project draft on rehabilitation and the development of Ladyzhyn as a regional rehabilitation hub.
Slovenj Gradec Mayor Klugler addressed the participants via video, expressing the possibility of future cooperation and thanked the mentees for a successful collaboration with colleagues from Slovenj Gradec. Ms Anuša Pisanec from the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Ms Natalia Markevych Pritsa from the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Slovenia, and Slovenj Gradec mentors Mr Sašo Blatešič and Ms Sanja Paradiž joined us for the closing event.

The ‘Post-conflict reconstruction in Ukraine’ project 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’. The U-LEAD with Europe programme is a partnership of the Ukrainian government and the European Union, and its member states Germany, Sweden, Poland, and Slovenia, to support the establishment of multi-level governance that is transparent, accountable, and responsive to the needs of the Ukrainian population.
14. 11. 2024 | Development (ODA), PR, Regional cooperation, U-LEAD: with Europe, Ukraine
14 November, Drohobych, Ukraine – Today, we have marked a significant step in cooperation between Drohobych Urban Hromada and Municipality Hrastnik.
The signing was celebrated with a discussion on inter-municipal cooperation and a public discussion on the role of local communities and international partnerships in supporting Ukraine’s recovery and rebuilding efforts, with the signing and the accompanying activities in Drohobych organised under the auspices of the project “Post-Conflict Reconstruction in Ukraine”. The project is supported by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia (Slovenia Aid and Partnerships Programme) and implemented by the Centre for European Perspective (CEP) in Slovenia in partnership with the EU Programme U-LEAD with Europe implemented by GIZ Germany.
Signing on behalf of Municipality Hrastnik was Mr Marko Funkl, Mayor Hrastnik. Slovenian Ambassador to Ukraine, H.E. Ms Mateja Prevolšek, and representatives of U-LEAD with Europe Programme also attended the activities marking this significant step in the cooperation between the two municipalities.
The partnership between Hrastnik and Drohobych dates to 2021, when the first contacts were made under the U-LEAD with Europe framework, with initial cooperation plans focused on youth, culture, and tourism. At the outbreak of war, Hrastnik’s citizens showed their solidarity by sending significant humanitarian aid directly to Drohobych. The ongoing project with CEP has deepened the partnership, allowing for the development of concrete project plans, including equipping a rehabilitation centre in Drohobych and providing essential medical equipment to the local hospital. The cooperation will also aim to collaborate on enhancing the local and regional tourism sector in Drohobych, which will further strengthen our partnership through new joint ventures. Becoming a sister city has strengthened cooperation on multiple levels for years.

25. 7. 2024 | Development (ODA), PR, Regional cooperation, U-LEAD: with Europe, Ukraine
Članek v slovenskem jeziku najdete tu.
Kranj, 24 July 2024 — The three-week mentorship visit of the Ukrainian municipality of Novovolynsk concluded today in the City of Kranj. The event marked the culmination of three weeks of collaboration and experience exchange between the two municipalities.
City of Kranj Mayor Matjaž Rakovec emphasized in his opening speech that the first cooperation between Kranj and Ukraine dates back to 2021, stating: »City of Kranj had its first cooperation with Ukraine in 2021, together with the [now] ex-ambassador we set a statue of Taras Shevchenko, a Ukrainian poet, in the Avenue of Prešeren’s Contemporaries. Last year, together with the Ukrainian Embassy, Kranj hosted a Ukrainian cultural event for the Independence Day of Ukraine. The mentorship program with Novovolynsk is another example of good cooperation – an aim to progress and develop. This programme was an opportunity to gain new perspectives and skills. Dear mentees, Inna and Anatolii, I hope the new knowledge will help you achieve your goals. Thank you for your dedicated work and good cooperation. Let the future be bright.«
The municipality of Novovolynsk participated in the event online. The Mayor of Novovolynsk, Borys Karpus, visited Kranj on July 10 and signed a mentorship cooperation protocol with Mayor Rakovec. He thanked the City of Kranj and everyone involved in organizing the visit for their hospitality and for providing opportunities for cooperation and development.
On behalf of the visit organizer, the Centre for European Perspective (CEP), Nina Čepon, CEP Executive Director, addressed the gathering, highlighting that local communities in Ukraine are key players in recovery and reconstruction. She also emphasized Slovenia’s thematic advantage from our experience in post-war recovery, local development, and the EU accession process, as well as the extensive food practice of the City of Kranj.
Ukrainian mentees then presented their three-week visit and the project plans prepared during the visit. Inna Vykhor, a deputy of the Novovolynsk City Council and chair of the permanent committee on education, science, culture, youth, sports, and information policy, presented the NovoHUB project concept. This project focuses on vocational, business, and educational training, reflecting a shift in their project focus after visiting Kovačnica, BSC Kranj, and the School Centre Kranj. The main objective of the project is to ensure a qualified and sufficient labour force, securing jobs for citizens and long-term economic growth of Novovolynsk. The purpose is to renovate vacant buildings to introduce new vocational, business, and educational programs. The target group includes residents, internally displaced persons, redundant coal mine workers, and people from Donetsk. The project aims to address the challenges of a lack of skilled labour force for local enterprises, access to quality and safe education for internally displaced persons, and the lack of a business support ecosystem. Anatolii Dudik, Chief Specialist of the Department for Organizing the Provision of Administrative Services at the Center for Administrative Services of the Executive Committee of the Novovolynsk City Council, presented the Novo Open app. This app focuses on the digitalization of city information, increasing digital citizen participation in local development, and presenting Novovolynsk to tourists. The project aims to provide free, open, and participative access to information and services in Novovolynsk. Mentors from the City of Kranj, Maja Šavs and Mojca Finc, presented the mentorship aspect and provided more information about the work of City of Kranj and Kranj’s institutions involved in the mentorship.
In the concluding part, Ambassador Tomaž Mencin, National Coordinator for the reconstruction of Ukraine at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, greeted the gathering. He emphasized that the decentralization reform in Ukraine is crucial and progressing well, focusing on empowering local municipalities, and stated that Slovenia agrees with the European Union’s request for financial instruments to support decentralized governance in Ukraine. Natalia Markevych Pritsa, Deputy Head of Mission at the Ukrainian Embassy in Slovenia, expressed gratitude to Slovenia for its role in the reconstruction process and hope for the project’s success. Mag Blaž Masle, Acting Chargé d’Affaires of the Slovenian Embassy in Kyiv, praised the good cooperation between Slovenia and Ukraine and confirmed the embassy’s readiness to assist further.
Following the visit, CEP activities will focus on areas identified as needing additional attention. Webinars will involve more Novovolynsk municipality employees. In the next steps, CEP will provide concrete support in implementing the local reconstruction and development plan of Novovolynsk.
A heartfelt thank you for enriching the mentorship programme goes to the City of Kranj, Kovačnica Coworking, BSC Kranj, Regional Development Agency of Gorenjska Biotehniški center Naklo, Iskraemeco, Vincenc Draksler Foundation, School Centre Kranj, Centre of Sustainable Mobility Kranj, TIC Kranj, and more.
The ‘Post-conflict reconstruction in Ukraine’ project 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’. U-LEAD with Europe programme is a partnership of the Ukrainian government and the European Union, and its member states Germany, Sweden, Poland and Slovenia to support the establishment of multi-level governance that is transparent, accountable and responsive to the needs of the population of Ukraine.
