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.
