| Volume
4: Number 1- April 2008
CEE: region as role
model
There was once a time when many in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) looked
to the West for inspiration and models to follow. Western Europe’s
democracies, while far from perfect and with many of their own problems
to solve willingly or not—nonetheless stood as role models for their
Eastern neighbours.
Leading by example
Born in 1962, Ziga Turk, a university professor of Construction Informatics
and self-proclaimed computer geek, is now minister without portfolio in
Slovenia’s government. He has been charged with one sole responsibility:
growth. One year into his government tenure, and having served as national
coordinator for implementation of the Lisbon Strategy, Turk
describes for Green Horizon his country’s vision of sustainability,
which is important in that Slovenia now holds the EU’s rotating
presidency.
Belene nuclear project,
Putin energy visit, spark Bulgarian protests
Given the European Commission’s nod of approval to begin construction
of a nuclear power plant (NPP) at Belene in northern Bulgaria at the end
of 2008, Russian President Vladimir Putin travelled to Sofia on January
18 to sign an agreement on facility construction.
Protection zone pits
EU against Croatia
The extension of a Croatian ban on fishing in parts of the Adriatic has
coaxed a strong reaction from Brussels. The EU is urging Croatia to quickly
resolve the matter so that the country’s EU accession process can
move ahead quickly.
Trust, transparency and
results
For the past six years the REC has supported transboundary cooperation
and dialogue between Montenegro and Albania through the Skadar/Shkodra
Lake component of REReP project 4.3.23: Transboundary Cooperation through
the Management of Shared Natural Resources. During this time, representatives
from both countries have participated in building up formal and informal
means of cooperation to address this unique transboundary zone.
Green Pack taken on board
in Montenegro
In Montenegro, the Green Pack will be implemented as part of theWest Balkan
Green Pack project, a regional endeavour encompassing Bosnia And Herzegovina,
Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo. During a two-year implementation period
the programme’s goal has been to build capacity, to transfer know-how,
and to establish a basis for further worldwide development in the field
of education for sustainable development.
Top journalists
honoured in Zagreb
The region’s first international media awards for coverage of renewable
energy and energy efficiency were presented at an official ceremony in
Zagreb on March 17. First prize went to Majda Pilibaityte and Mindaugas
Nastaravicius for their report “A new nuclear power station for
Lithuania: Would it really pay?”
Serb master class
kicks off CSO campaign
Strengthening the Role and Function of Civil Society Organisations to
Promote Change and Enable Action in the Urban Environment is the title
of a series of master classes aimed at capacity building for civil society
organisations (CSOs) in the West Balkans. The master class series is part
of a Sida-funded programme to promote development of a democratic environmental
civil society in SEE, and to promote sustainable development and improved
living conditions in urban areas. The project period is from April 2006
to March 2010.
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