IDM Albania - SMART Balkans

GLPS Policy Analysis: (TWO) SOVEREIGNS ON A TRAIN

On October 26, Group for Legal and Political Studies (GLPS) organized a Roundtable Discussion on the topic: “(Two) Sovereigns on a Train: the few highs and many lows of Kosovo’s Sovereign Fund Initiative”, held in Prishtina. The aim of this event was to discuss the Government’s proposal for the establishment of its Sovereign Fund, from the viewpoint of its constitutionality and impact in economic policies. At the beginning of the event, GLPS presented a Policy Analysis titled: “(Two) Sovereigns on a Train”, that provides a detailed analysis on the Kosovo Sovereign Fund proposal in general and the corresponding Draft Law with its precursory Concept Document in specific. It starts by briefly providing a general overview of Sovereign Wealth Funds and then narrows down to the mainstay of the paper, Kosovo’s Sovereign Fund initiative. The latter section is three-pronged: comprising legal arguments, policy perspectives, and theoretical examinations which push back on several grounds of the initiative. Afterward, the paper concludes with final remarks and recommendations, excised from the substantive parts of the paper.

The author of the Policy Analysis and Research Fellow, Mr. Levik Rashiti, argued that the main problem does not come from the relationship between the Fund and the management of public enterprises, but from the authorizations of the Sovereign Fund to invest in domestic companies, where the criticism was more detailed in the concept of national champions. Adding to this, he further noted that the aspect of public finances (as stipulated in the current Draftlaw) is also a constitutional violation in relation to the free market economy, fair competition, public finances (through derogation without legal alternative). For these, the arguments were built from the legal angle, but amalgamated with issues of politics and economic philosophy (competition rights and issues of monopolies and oligopolies, among others) and comparative aspects.

On the other hand, Mr. Emanuel Bajra, Member of the Working Group for the Sovereign Fund, put emphasis on the positive impact that the Sovereign Fund will have, stressing that a pragmatic approach is required when discussing for the Fund and its structure, a topic discussed since back in 2009. Among other things, Mr. Bajra emphasized the importance he sees in the creation of the capital market and offered his views in support of the aspect of national champions. He also emphasized that an important issue is the investment in foreign markets by the Kosovo Sovereign Fund. In addition, he offered clarifications on the issue of mediation in relation to the external investments of the Sovereign Fund of Kosovo.

Lastly, Ms. Rudina Nallbani Hoxha, Programme Manager at Friedrich-Erbert-Stiftung Office in Kosovo, emphasized the importance of the capital market for the economy and the aspects of the opportunity for investment by citizens as necessary for the latter (investments in startups as an example).

This Roundtable Discussion was organized with the support of the “SMART Balkans – Civil Society for Shared Society in the Western Balkans” regional project implemented by Centar za promociju civilnog društva (CPCD), Center for Research and Policy Making (CRPM) and Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM) and financially supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA).

You can read the full Policy Analysis here: Policy Analysis: (TWO) SOVEREIGNS ON A TRAIN

Vatra Psycho-Social Center “Protect the victim, maximum punishment for perpetrators.”

“…From the very moment I heard the news on the media portals about the sexual abuse of a girl, I thought that as a society, we need to do something to seek protection for the victim. And there was no other way… Vatra Psycho-Social Center was at the forefront of work to protect the girl and demand justice on her behalf, but also on behalf of dozens of girls and women who find themselves in situations of abuse and exploitation… On Vatra’s social media (which I follow due to my activism), I became aware of the efforts that Vatra and other organizations in Albania had joined to seek justice, protection, and solidarity. “M.N (activist)

This account from a Vatra activist represents one of the numerous voices that emerged. Vatra Psycho-Social Center engaged in advocacy activities to ensure the protection of a girl who was sexually abused in the city of Vlorë by a group of perpetrators. Immediately after the incident, the center was involved in urging the immediate functioning of the Coordinated Referral Mechanism to take protective measures.

In addition to institutional engagement, Vatra committed to raising the voices of numerous activists, organizations, members of networks, and coalitions it is part of, giving a voice not only to that girl but also to all those girls who are victims of violence, abuse, and exploitation. The protest announced by Vatra and partner organizations on social media with the slogan “We protect the victim, maximum punishment for perpetrators” took place on November 2, 2023, with the participation of representatives from different cities of Albania, civil society activists, and media representatives. Vatra and its partners addressed the Prosecutor’s Office to take protective measures for the victim; conduct a criminal investigation, as well as requested the maximum punishment for the perpetrators.

“…We demand justice for the victim, we demand that law enforcement institutions enforce existing legislation and international conventions… We have hope in you this time!” (Civil society member) *.

“The time has come to change our mindset; we need to educate young people, not only to avoid situations of violence and abuse but to condemn them, not to remain indifferent!” (Civil society member) *

Two days after the protest, it was learned from law enforcement authorities that, as a result of the investigation into protective measures, measures were taken for some violations that occurred in the protection of this case.

ANAD: “Imagine yourself in the local government”

The lack of accessible spaces and activities in Albanian sign language is a barrier to the social inclusion of deaf youth in society, and it is the responsibility of institutions to minimize or eliminate these barriers. Young people and the deaf community have little or no information about local government institutions, their roles, responsibilities, and the services they provide. Therefore, it becomes the duty of these institutions to distribute accessible information in Albanian sign language for equal treatment and access to services. Understanding local self-governance units by citizens is the first step towards a participatory and inclusive democracy. With the aim of educating and informing young people who are deaf about local government, its role, responsibilities, and services, as well as promoting youth activism and inclusive communities, the project “Imagine yourself in the local government” is being implemented. As part of this project, young people who are deaf will have the opportunity to learn more about local government, and the information acquired will be shared with their peers.

Find out more watching the videos prepared by ANAD here: Imagine yourself in the local government

SHKEJ: The importance of collaboration among institutions involved in the child protection system

Our cooperating partner “Shoqata Kombetare Edukim per Jeten” presents an informative and awareness-raising video on the importance of collaboration among institutions involved in the child protection system, promoting an integrated social protection system. Professionals from rural and urban areas of the Municipality of Tirana share insights into challenges and effective solutions, showcasing how collaboration can minimize these issues.

You can watch the video here: The importance of collaboration among institutions involved in the child protection system

Monitoring Visit in Kosovo

The SMART Balkans team visited Pristina and North Mitrovica to meet some of our cooperating partners in Kosovo. We were pleased to have a close discussion with Green Art Center, Udruzennje mladih-Mlada aktivna Gracanica, Community Building Mitrovica, and Advocacy Center for Democratic Culture, beneficiaries of #LocalInitiative grants. Representatives from these organizations shared with the project team the progress of their initiatives, the achieved results and the challenges faced during this period. SMART Balkans project remains committed to promoting stability and sustainable peace based on cooperation and constructive dialogue among communities in Kosovo. Western Balkans need a SMART approach! #SMARTlyconnected

Monitoring Visit in Albania

The SMART Balkans team continued its monitoring visits in Albania. Last week, we met with representatives from Institute for Strategic Development, EU Policy Integration Forum – EU Policy HUB that are our cooperating partners of #LocalInitiative grants and “Tirana Art” Center, supported by #CreativeBox Grants. The keynote of these meetings seems to be Youth. Covering a wide range of topics, from monitoring and supporting Local Youth Councils in Divjakë and Fushë Arrëz municipalities to involving young people in the public discourse on European Integration, and even using art to convey sensitive and awareness-raising messages, the SMART Balkans project aims to contribute to the active involvement of youth in democratic processes in the region. SMART way – participate today! #SMARTlyconnected

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SDK (Community Security and Development)- Youth policies in the municipality of Podujevo

SDK (Community Security and Development) conducted a meeting with municipal authorities to discuss youth policies in the municipality of Podujevo. In this discussion forum, SDK gathered relevant actors from municipal authorities, including representatives from the youth, culture, education, and finance sectors.

The purpose of this meeting was to engage in a dialogue about the challenges and issues encountered during the development of youth activities at the local level. Initially, the challenges presented by young people in relation to local governance were introduced, and simultaneously, the difficulties faced by municipal authorities in the formulation and effective implementation of youth policies at the local level were discussed and elaborated.

NGO ACDC: “Promoting the rights and role of citizens through reducing the risk of natural disasters”

The overall objective of the project “Promoting the rights and role of citizens through reducing the risk of natural disasters,” implemented by the NGO ACDC from North Mitrovica, was to create an impact by enhancing awareness about disaster risks, and climate change, and fostering social cohesion among community members.
As part of this project, a strategic social media campaign was conducted. Utilizing the power of online platforms, a series of four impactful posters served as visual aids, outlining various human factors contributing to the risk of flooding in our region. The two-month campaign was designed to inform and engage the community, highlighting the critical link between human activities and the rising threat of natural disasters, specifically flooding.
Along with the social media campaign, the NGO ACDC published an informative brochure that focused on the significant role played by human factors such as negligence, deforestation, unauthorized construction, and illegal waste dumping in exacerbating the risk of floods. It not only highlighted these factors but also outlined preventive measures to mitigate the risks and prevent flooding.

Moreover, the project involved the strategic development of a local plan. Created by an expert, this plan was specifically tailored to minimize the risks associated with flooding and to ensure an efficient response in times of crisis. It was designed to bring together all stakeholders within the Municipality of North Mitrovica, including non-governmental organizations, residents from diverse multi-ethnic neighborhoods, and representatives from various sectors.

The Balkan Forum: “𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 – 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗹𝗼𝗴 𝗔𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻”

“𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 – 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗹𝗼𝗴 𝗔𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻” is a collaboration between youth in Kosovo & The Balkan Forum and aims to equip youth with media literacy skills so they can be powerful frontline fighters against false information using critical thinking skills and disseminate the knowledge with their peers. These educational videos created by 20 Media Smart Ambassadors, together with their 4 mentors, aim to promote critical thinking and combat misinformation by advocating for accurate and reliable information in society.

Today, more than ever, we are witnessing that as a society, we are under a growing threat from disinformation and propaganda. Therefore, the growth of critical thinking in society is crucial to cope with this phenomenon of the 21st century. The vlog “Disinformation,” produced by the group of students from AAB, can be viewed here: Dezinformimi (thebalkanforum.org)

The promotion of critical thinking in society is essential to confront phenomena such as “Propaganda,” which is recognized as a powerful weapon for distorting the truth and influencing the polarization of public opinion on important issues. You can watch the vlog here: Propaganda (thebalkanforum.org)

The group of Media Smart Young Ambassadors, led by mentor Fjolla Gjinovci from FrontOnline, addresses the impact of misinformation in society: Informimi Keqdashes (thebalkanforum.org)

Through the vlog, the group of Media Smart Young Ambassadors, led by mentor Shqipe Pajaziti from KosovaPress, discusses the influence and consequences of misinformation in society. Keqinformimi (thebalkanforum.org)

SMART Balkans visits the Balkan Forum “Vlogs presentation” event.

The SMART Balkans team goes to Pristina!

On October 19, in the premises of Hotel Prishtina, the final event was held as part of the “Media Smart: Youth Fight Against Fake News” initiative implemented by the organization The Balkan Forum. Over the course of 6 months, 20 young social sciences and communication students, under the guidance of mentors and field experts, developed 4 vlogs targeting misinformation, propaganda, disinformation, and malicious news. During this ceremony, in his opening speech, Mr. Gazmend Bërlajolli from the Balkan Forum emphasized the importance of media literacy as an essential tool to combat the aforementioned phenomena. Meanwhile, in her speech, Ms. Enxhi Lipa, Grants Officer at SMART Balkans, highlighted the importance of investing in the younger generation and the contribution that SMART Balkans is making to the entire Western Balkans region.

To watch the vlogs created by the youth, click the video below: