REC Country Office
former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Contents of this page:
Establishment Staff Achievements Projects Expertise Donors Contact address

Year of Establishment:
1993

Current Staff

Major Achievements

From barriers to actions
The overall assistance is to contribute to the environmentally and economically sustainable development in FYR of Macedonia. The specific actions are envisaged to create targets, achievements and operational mechanisms for constituents to improve environmental management and the state of environment, while facilitating collaboration between nationwide stakeholders.

Key features of the approach

• National support combined with local activities
  Although at the first steps of development, experts meetings in regional level are becoming more and more interesting discussion forums of common problems for exchanging lessons learnt and models of development. The ones on environmental monitoring (BERCEN env. inspectorates), environmental strategic planning and investment (PEIPs, LEAPs), environmental lawyers’ network and Arhus Convention implementation have the biggest interest for the participation by country representatives in regional activities organized in Macedonia or elsewhere in Western Balkans.
  
  
• Process with Stakeholders
  Integration environment in the other interest and discussion of the country development is one of the priority issues in Macedonia. An early lesson learnt is the process of transposition and implementation EU acquis requires a full involvement of all different sectors. It is closely linked to the awareness and knowledge in the different levels and institutions. Several trainings, workshops and exchange visits aim at building the proper understanding and the critical mass of technical expertise in country.
  
  The multi-stakeholder approach is a common concept and principle while discussing environmental issues in the country. The involvement of different stakeholders is a strong requirement by different laws and is a special niche of the REC in Macedonia.
  
  
• Multi-sectoral cooperation
  The various project activities include active involvement of other relevant sectors at municipal and national level with purpose to ensure incorporation of environmental concerns as integral part of the policy development and implementation. In addition, this approach increases the accountability of all relevant sectors towards the environment and initiates grater involvement in environmental protection activities in the country.
  
  
• Public Awareness raising
  Awareness raising campaign have been seen as a necessary aspect in the development processes aiming at progressive change of the attitude of the public and/or specific target groups. A range of public awareness raising activities are identified to better serve to the change of the attitudes, such as: information dissemination activities, specific local actions to attract the local population, exercising their direct involvement in environmental protection activities at community level, etc.
  
  
• Training and capacity building
  The capacity building activities are determined to provide specific trainings on different environmental and institutional strengthening topics. Tailored training methodologies are designed for: Strengthening the capacity of national and local government officials, civil society representatives, business sector and environmental consultancies.

Objectives of the country assistance

• Approximation with the EU Directive on Air Quality and EIA;
• Strengthening the governmental and stakeholders’ capacity through capacity building and technical assistance;
• Increasing the theoretical and practical knowledge of the target groups on the best practices from other countries;
• To raise public awareness and public participation in expressing their concerns and views;
• To exchange ideas, information, new tools and experiences with the counterparts from other Western Balkan countries and promote the cross-border and regional cooperation (LEAP project).

Main Projects

Capacity building: curriculum development and course delivery
Training for Effective Environmental decentralization in Macedonia project (March 2006 - November 2006)
Developing training curriculum for new environmental legal responsibilities for municipalities. Training of local governmental representatives on environmental obligations according to the newly adopted environmental acts in Macedonia, with prepared training progarmme, developed training material and trainined representatives from all Local Governbmental Units in Macedonia.

Assisting the practical implementation of the Aarhus convention and the best practices in Public Participation
Improving the practices and public participation project:
Next Steps in implementation of the Aarhus Convention in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro and Kosovo/UNMIK"
Developing the Manual for Public Participation, presentations for the public and the decision making, public participation in EIA and SEA and IPPC. Training of governmental representatives and environmental NGOs.

Water Management
project: "Preparation of project documentation for construction of sewerage and wastewater treatment" (January 2006 till 31 March 2007)
Preparation of detailed project documentation for sewerage system with WWTP Preparation of Feasibility Study, preparation, revision and adoptation of Main Project, preparation of implementation framework, public awareness raised, preparation of Assessment of the state of the environment.

Education for sustainable development:
Green Pack: Awareness of Sustainable Development for Schools in Macedonia project (January 2006 -December 2007)
Educational activities to raise young people's environmental awareness and cultivation of environmental protection skills, values and habits, social/environmental understanding.

Environmental Enforcement and Compliance
Enforcement of the new Healthcare legislation in Republic of Macedonia project (1 February, 2007 - 31 January, 2008)
Sep up of training system on Health Care Waste (HCW), Management according the new "Manual for Handling Medical Waste" prepared by MOEPP and MoH.

Environmental Assessment:
Assistance to the Environmental Monitoring and Advisory Group (EMAG) for Skopje By-pass project (March 10, 2006 - March 10, 2010)
Administrative and logistical support to the Environmental Monitor and Environmental Monitoring and Advisory Group (EMAG), quarterly basis reports, organizations of quarterly EMAG`s meeting and site inspection tours.

Country Office Expertise

• Grant management (NGOs and local authorities)
• NGO Capacity Building
• Environmental Information and Public Participation
• EIA/ SEA
• EMAS, LEAP, CAP (Community Action Plan)
• Environmental Education and Legislation
• Cleaner Production
• Energy Saving and Energy Efficiency
• Waste Management
• Water Management
• Infrastructure Environmental Investments
  
  

Donors for Projects

• Swedish Internation Development Agency (Sida)
• Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
• Japan Special Fund
• Austrian Development Cooperation (ADA)
• DEFRA, UK
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Norway
  
  

Contact address:
ul. Ilindenska - 118
1000 Skopje, Macedonia

Tel/Fax:
+ 389 2 3090 135
+ 389 2 3090 136
+ 389 2 3060 146
E-mail: rec@rec.org.mk
Web: http://www.rec.org.mk

Related information:

Map of the country

Ministry of Environment

Country Report 
(41 pages, 175-KByte PDF file, June 2000)

European Environment Information and Observation Network (EIONET) - Internet links of Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

The Government of Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

This page was last updated: 
May 2007

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