Conclusion of the first TIPS4UA internship in Hrastnik

Conclusion of the first TIPS4UA internship in Hrastnik

Today marks the conclusion of an intensive internship visit of the Ukrainian municipality Drohobych 🇺🇦 in Municipality Hrastnik 🇸🇮, as part of the TIPS4UA initiative. The visit brought together key municipal actors to exchange good practices, deepen cooperation, and co-develop solutions to one of the most pressing issues facing Ukrainian local governments today: housing. A representative from Drohobych spent two weeks in Hrastnik, focusing on sustainable housing, municipal planning, and strategic recovery efforts.

More than 2,400 people, including large families, families with disabilities, and over 300 internally displaced households, are currently waiting for safe and affordable housing due to a severe housing crisis. The visit was designed to support Drohobych in addressing this urgent need by learning from Hrastnik’s experience in socially inclusive, non-profit housing policies.

During the programme, participants took part in:
• Discussions on housing models in Hrastnik and Slovenia
• Field visits to Hrastnik, Celje and Ljubljana
• Workshops on legal, financial and planning aspects of housing strategy
• Expert exchanges with Slovenian institutions

The mentorship explored how communities like Hrastnik address housing challenges through open planning, financial foresight, and community involvement. These insights will contribute to a pilot non-profit housing project in Drohobych.

Mr Yatskiv, representative of Drohobych, shared: “This internship gave us concrete ideas and a vision of what is possible. The solidarity and support from Hrastnik give us hope and practical direction for building our community back stronger.” Although the internship may have concluded, cooperation between the two municipalities continues. CEP remains proud to support both partners in this essential work.

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The activities are supported by the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs under the Slovenian Aid and Partnerships Programme. In cooperation with the European Committee of the Regions and U-LEAD with Europe.

Invitation – Global starts Local on 2 July

Invitation – Global starts Local on 2 July

Hrastnik, 2 July 2025 – The Centre for European Perspective, in cooperation with the Municipality of Hrastnik, is organising an event titled “Global starts Local: Youth for Solidarity with Ukraine”, taking place on 2 July at 17:00. The event will take place during the official visit of a Ukrainian delegation from Drohobych Municipality and in the context of Hrastnik’s municipal holiday.

The event is aimed at young people from Hrastnik and the wider Zasavje region and will be held in English. It will focus on themes of solidarity, the importance of development cooperation, and the role of Slovenia and local communities in supporting Ukraine’s recovery after the war. Participants will hear insights into the current situation in Ukraine, discuss the role of youth in building a fairer and more resilient society and raise awareness about global issues in an accessible and interactive way. The programme will be enriched by the online participation of young people from the Drohobych Youth Centre, enabling direct peer-to-peer exchange between Ukrainian and Slovenian youth.

The event is part of a broader mentorship exchange programme between the municipalities of Hrastnik and Drohobych, taking place in Hrastnik from 30 June to 11 July 2025.

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

 

Upcoming second mentorship visit in Hrastnik

Upcoming second mentorship visit in Hrastnik

30 June  10 July 2025, Hrastnik – We are finalising the activities to kick off the first two-week internship visit under the auspices of our programme Recovery and Reconstruction in Ukraine’ and TIPS4UA initiative, which will take place in the municipality of Hrastnik. Joining the mentorship are representatives from Drohobych (Ukraine). Mentors from Hrastnik will share their experience and good practice on housing policy, rehabilitation and working with youth. The visit will conclude on 10 July 2025 in Hrastnik.

 

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’. 

Forum of Slovenian-Ukrainian Cooperation in Lviv concludes

Forum of Slovenian-Ukrainian Cooperation in Lviv concludes

Lviv, 28–30 May 2025 — The Forum of Slovenian-Ukrainian Cooperation, held in Lviv and organised by the Centre for European Perspective (CEP), brought together mayors, public officials, development experts, and institutional representatives from both countries to deepen practical cooperation between municipalities and contribute to Ukraine’s recovery and European integration.

Over the three days, participants engaged in high-level dialogue and thematic sessions focusing on sustainable housing, waste management, EU Cohesion Policy, and the role of municipalities in post-war reconstruction. The Forum highlighted the importance of long-term, structured cooperation between local governments in addressing complex recovery needs and preparing for EU accession.

The Forum opened with remarks from the Mayor of Lviv, Andriy Sadovyi, and Her Excellency Mateja Prevolšek, Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to Ukraine. Joining the Forum was First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Oleksandr Korniienko, who delivered a keynote address, underscoring the complexity of Ukraine’s recovery following Russian military aggression. He expressed deep gratitude to Slovenia for its comprehensive support—political, military, and humanitarian—as well as its firm advocacy for Ukraine’s EU aspirations. He extended special thanks to European Commissioner Marta Kos for her continued support of Ukraine’s integration path. He outlined four key principles of recovery: human-centeredness, decentralisation, transparency, and innovation, highlighting the need to base recovery efforts on the priorities of local communities and to strengthen local self-government as the most responsive governance level.

The first thematic session of the Forum addressed priority needs and objectives in the local and regional dimensions of recovery, with contributions from national ministries, international organisations, and municipal representatives, where Mr Oleksii Riabykin, Deputy Minister at the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, noted that recovery must go beyond rebuilding—it must enable sustainable development and regional balance. He stressed the multifaceted nature of recovery and invited Slovenian partners to explore cooperation opportunities across more Ukrainian regions.

The Forum also hosted a signing ceremony between the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and German Development Cooperation (GIZ), formalising cooperation in support of Ukraine’s local development efforts.

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At the core of the Forum were the International Municipal Partnerships (IMPs) facilitated by CEP, which connect Slovenian and Ukrainian municipalities to share experience, strengthen local institutions, and jointly implement projects, with several successful partnerships were presented, including Hrastnik–Drohobych in the area of housing policy, Idrija–Pereschepyne in the development of sustainable waste management, and Kočevje – Bucha in the field of business support and development. 

Mayors from both countries emphasised how peer-level cooperation facilitates knowledge transfer, promotes local ownership, and facilitates policy reform from the bottom up.

Slovenian and Ukrainian mayors later jointly laid a wreath at Lychakiv Cemetery to commemorate fallen Ukrainian soldiers and Slovenian soldiers of World War I, underlining the shared commitment to remembrance and peacebuilding.

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With over 13% of housing stock damaged or destroyed and more than 4.6 million people internally displaced, housing remains one of Ukraine’s most urgent challenges. The Forum hosted a dedicated session on sustainable housing on 30 May, involving representatives from the Lviv Regional Military Administration, the Municipality of Hrastnik, and CEDOS, a Ukrainian policy think tank.

The event also marked the launch of a new waste management initiative in the Samar District of Dnipropetrovsk Region. Building on the success of the 2024 mentorship visit between Idrija and Pereschepyne, the pilot project aims to provide regional solutions aligned with national and local waste strategies. Slovenian technical experience and Ukraine’s local implementation capacities are central to this initiative, supported by U-LEAD with Europe.

Several sessions focused on Ukraine’s progress toward EU accession, with particular attention to Chapter 22 (Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments). Representatives of the Slovenian Ministry for Cohesion and Regional Development, the European Parliament, and the Ukrainian Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories addressed the institutional, financial, and administrative challenges associated with the accession process.

Key messages included the importance of:

  • Strengthening institutional absorption capacity;

  • Coordinating funding sources at the national and local levels;

  • Promoting regional balance and inclusive governance.

Dr. Ivan Žagar, Mayor of Slovenska Bistrica and former Slovenian Minister for Local Self-Government, emphasised the role of multi-level governance in successful EU policy implementation. MEP Dr Vladimir Prebilič reiterated the need for strategic planning and administrative capacity at the municipal level to effectively access and manage EU funds.

The Forum concluded with a guest lecture by MEP Prebilič at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, focused on the role of local government in democratic resilience and EU integration. The event underlined the importance of building partnerships not only among institutions but also between generations and across professional communities.

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Throughout the Forum, Ukrainian municipal leaders shared their experiences in crisis response, emergency planning, and service continuity under war conditions. These insights were highly valued by Slovenian partners and contributed to a mutual learning process. The Forum demonstrated that international municipal partnerships are a vital tool in Ukraine’s recovery, enabling practical collaboration and fostering mutual accountability. Through the Slovenia Connects – Rebuild Ukraine programme, CEP will continue to support municipalities in jointly addressing key challenges, from infrastructure to governance and EU alignment.

CEP extends its gratitude to all participating municipalities, ministries, and international partners, including U-LEAD with Europe, for their commitment to this shared effort.

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Forum of Slovenian-Ukrainian Cooperation begins in Lviv

Forum of Slovenian-Ukrainian Cooperation begins in Lviv

Lviv, Ukraine, 28 May 2025 Forum of Slovenian-Ukrainian Cooperation officially opened today in Lviv, bringing together over 80 participants from Ukraine, Slovenia, and wider for three days of dialogue, knowledge exchange, and cooperation. Organised by the Centre for European Perspective (CEP), with the support of U-LEAD with Europe programme and City of Lviv, the Forum is a cornerstone of the CEP Programme “Recovery and Reconstruction in Ukraine”, supporting local resilience through international municipal partnerships.

With Ukraine’s recovery and EU path deeply interconnected, the Forum serves as a platform for transforming solidarity into action, across topics such as housing, waste management, decentralised governance, and European integration.

The Forum began with addresses by Lviv’s Mayor Andriy Sadovyi, Deputy Minister Oleksii Riabykin, and Slovenia’s State Secretary Srečko Đurov. Oleksandr Korniienko, First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, delivered a keynote address underlining the central role of Ukrainian municipalities in recovery efforts.

During the opening part of the event, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and the German GIZ, confirming a strong framework for cooperation and support in Ukraine through CEP’s “Recovery and Reconstruction in Ukraine” programme. At the heart of the Forum are the International Municipal Partnerships, an initiative that connects municipalities like Kočevje, Hrastnik, Pereschepyne, and Drohobych to share policy expertise and implement locally led reforms.

In a dedicated panel, Slovenian and Ukrainian mayors exchanged experiences in tackling pressing local needs from housing strategies to rebuilding infrastructure and restoring citizen trust in public services.

Another key side event launched the pilot project “Establishing a Sustainable Waste Management System in Samar Raion” in Pereschepyne. The session with mayors of the Samar Raion explored both the local challenges (such as landfill overuse, lack of funding and war-induced waste) and lessons learned from Slovenia’s transformation into an EU waste management powerhouse.

The Forum also highlights Slovenia’s strategic role in supporting Ukraine’s EU accession negotiations, through a side panel titled “Ukraine’s Path Toward the EU”. Participants from the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, Slovenian Ministry for Cohesion, and the European Parliament shared insights on how Ukraine can build the institutional capacity to navigate complex EU processes.

On 30 May, the Forum will host a dedicated panel on housing policy with officials and experts from Lviv, CEDOS, Drohobych, and Hrastnik. The discussion will highlight how municipalities are addressing the housing crisis, including for internally displaced persons.

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