Today, the SMART Balkan team is in Ohrid at the invitation of our partner and recipient of financial support through the National Initiative, the Center for Ecological Democracy “Florozon,” to attend training to strengthen the capacities of institutions and other stakeholders in the fight against corruption in the environment. In his opening speech, the Project Coordinator of SMART Balkan, Aleksandar Cekov, greeted the participants and wished them successful work, emphasizing the program’s commitments to good governance and combating corruption in society.
Corruption in the environment is a widespread phenomenon that affects all citizens. However, numerous analyses indicate the need to raise awareness through the media, develop an appropriate methodological framework to identify corruption risks in this area, and establish a set of public policies that systematically prevent corruption in the environment. This initiative was recognized by SMART Balkan, which provided financial support to CED Florozon to address these deficiencies in the fight against corruption.
Over the next two days, relevant actors, including public prosecutors, judges, inspection services, media, and representatives of the civil sector, will engage in an in-depth exploration of case studies from various perspectives. This endeavor aims to strengthen their capacities and will be facilitated through expert lectures on corruption in the environment and interactive workshops organized to provide comprehensive insights into the subject.
It is also worth noting that in October of this year, SMART Balkan organized a study visit on the same topic. Participants from the civil sector in the Western Balkans had the opportunity to exchange experiences, visit key institutions in North Macedonia involved in the fight against corruption in the environment, and initiate the formation of a regional network of civil organizations promoting the fight against environmental corruption through a regional approach.
