In this 11th episode of WeBER2.0 podcast, a special edition of European Talks focusing on the EU integration of the Western Balkans, host Miloš Đinđić, Programme Manager of the European Policy Centre, Belgrade, and WeBER Lead Researcher, welcomes a distinguished guest, Professor Kalypso Nicolaïdis. Professor Nicolaïdis is the Chair of Global Affairs at the EUI School of Transnational Governance in Florence, and her contributions to the field of International Relations and European integration are remarkable. During this engaging conversation, Professor Nicolaïdis shares her extensive insights into various aspects of European integration, global affairs, and democratic theory. With her wealth of knowledge in these domains, she explores the relevance of citizens' consultations and the role they play in WeBER's initiatives. The Democratic Odyssey, a groundbreaking project, serves as a blueprint for our discussion, offering valuable insights into the future of citizen engagement in the Western Balkans. Join us in this enlightening conversation as we delve into the exciting realm of democratic participation and its potential to shape the future of the Western Balkan region. We are delighted to have Professor Nicolaïdis on board for this inspiring episode. Visit her website for more information: www.kalypsonicolaidis.com *** www.par-monitor.org

In the tenth episode of WeBER Talks, we welcome Ms. Simonida Kacarska, Director of the European Policy Institute (EPI) in Skopje, a member of the Think for Europe Network and WeBER partner from North Macedonia. With her extensive background in Politics and International Studies, Ms. Kacarska provided unique insights into the world of deliberative polling (DP) and its relevance in our region. Delving into her experience, we explore the inception and implementation of DP, uncovering valuable lessons and takeaways. Simonida highlights the vital resources necessary for successful DP endeavours, discussing the human, financial, and time-related aspects. She also sheds light on the key challenges that Western Balkan CSOs, think tanks and research organizations might encounter when embarking on their own DP journeys. Discover how DP can lead to informed public opinion and affect advocacy in the region, ultimately influencing decision-makers. To learn more about the work of EPI, please visit: www.epi.org.mk. *** www.par-monitor.org

U novoj epizodi ovog serijala, naša gošća je bila Jelena Stefanović, turistički vodič, avanturistička travel blogerka i influenserka. S diplomama iz marketinga i turizma, ona je pravi spoj kreativnosti i ljubavi prema putovanjima. Kako je Jelena završila u Veneciji? Šta je doživela tamo i kako je to oblikovalo njenu viziju budućnosti? Sa njom razgovaramo o iskustvu života u drugoj zemlji, kao i tome gde vidi svoju budućnost, budući da je njena karijera sve samo ne obična - i kako je to imati posao koji nije "od 9 do 5" i koji je ne vezuje za jedno konkretno mesto. Pored toga, Jelena mladim ljudima koji razmišljaju o studijama ili poslu van matične zemlje daje savete koji će im sigurno pomoći da donesu odluke koje će oblikovati njihovu budućnost. U serijalu „Cirkularne migracije pre depopulacije!” razgovaramo sa cirkularnim migrantima različitih obrazovnih kategorija i profila i fokusiramo na pronalaženje načina za povećanje broja cirkularnih migranata u cilju prevencije depopulacije. Serijal pruža zanimljiv uvid u iskustva mladih ljudi iz Srbije koji trenutno žive ili su živeli u inostranstvu u prethodnim godinama, kao i u različite perspektive o migraciji i njenom uticaju na društvo. Projekat „Cirkularne migracije pre depopulacije!” sprovode Fondacija za razvoj ekonomske nauke – FREN i Centar za evropske politike – CEP. Projekat se realizuje uz finansijsku pomoć Evropske unije.

U novoj epizodi ovog serijala, naš gost je bio doktor medicinskih nauka, Vladan Čokić. On je magistrirao na medicinskoj genetici i doktorirao na hematologiji Medicinskog fakulteta Univerziteta u Beogradu, a poslediplomske studije obavio na Nacionalnim institutima za zdravlje u Americi, gde je i živeo do 2004, nakon čega se vratio u Srbiju. Sa njim razgovaramo o razlozima njegovog povratka i razlikama između života i rada u Srbiji i u SAD-u, zašto se i kada odlučio za budućnost ovde, kao i šta bi savetovao mladima koji razmišljaju o studijama ili poslu van matične zemlje. U serijalu „Cirkularne migracije pre depopulacije!” razgovaramo sa cirkularnim migrantima različitih obrazovnih kategorija i profila i fokusiramo na pronalaženje načina za povećanje broja cirkularnih migranata u cilju prevencije depopulacije. Serijal pruža zanimljiv uvid u iskustva mladih ljudi iz Srbije koji trenutno žive ili su živeli u inostranstvu u prethodnim godinama, kao i u različite perspektive o migraciji i njenom uticaju na društvo. Projekat „Cirkularne migracije pre depopulacije!” sprovode Fondacija za razvoj ekonomske nauke – FREN i Centar za evropske politike – CEP. Projekat se realizuje uz finansijsku pomoć Evropske unije.

U novoj epizodi ovog serijala, naša gošća je bila Maša Sladojević. Maša od pre nekoliko meseci živi i radi u Srbiji, nakon života provedenog u Austriji. Sa njom razgovaramo o tome kako se Srbija razlikuje od Austrije, zašto se i kada odlučila na budućnost ovde, gde planira svoju budućnost, i šta bi savetovala mladima koji razmišljaju o studijama ili poslu van matične zemlje. U serijalu „Cirkularne migracije pre depopulacije!” razgovaramo sa cirkularnim migrantima različitih obrazovnih kategorija i profila i fokusiramo na pronalaženje načina za povećanje broja cirkularnih migranata u cilju prevencije depopulacije. Serijal pruža zanimljiv uvid u iskustva mladih ljudi iz Srbije koji trenutno žive ili su živeli u inostranstvu u prethodnim godinama, kao i u različite perspektive o migraciji i njenom uticaju na društvo. Projekat „Cirkularne migracije pre depopulacije!” sprovode Fondacija za razvoj ekonomske nauke – FREN i Centar za evropske politike – CEP. Projekat se realizuje uz finansijsku pomoć Evropske unije.

U trećoj epizodi ovog serijala, naš gost je bio Predrag Đorđević. Predrag trenutno živi i radi u Srbiji, nakon završenih osnovnih studija u Srbiji i razmene i mastera u Austriji, Nemačkoj i Italiji. Sa njim razgovaramo o tome kako je živeti i raditi u drugoj zemlji, koliko se druge zemlje razlikuju od Srbije, gde planira svoju budućnost, i šta bi savetovao mladima koji razmišljaju o studijama ili poslu van matične zemlje. U serijalu „Cirkularne migracije pre depopulacije!” razgovaramo sa cirkularnim migrantima različitih obrazovnih kategorija i profila i fokusiramo na pronalaženje načina za povećanje broja cirkularnih migranata u cilju prevencije depopulacije. Serijal pruža zanimljiv uvid u iskustva mladih ljudi iz Srbije koji trenutno žive ili su živeli u inostranstvu u prethodnim godinama, kao i u različite perspektive o migraciji i njenom uticaju na društvo. Projekat „Cirkularne migracije pre depopulacije!” sprovode Fondacija za razvoj ekonomske nauke – FREN i Centar za evropske politike – CEP. Projekat se realizuje uz finansijsku pomoć Evropske unije.

In this episode of WeBER Talks, we host Maja Handjiska-Trendafilova, Director of the Regional School of Public Administration (ReSPA), a regional organisation that supports PAR in the Western Balkans. Ms. Handjiska-Trendafilova shares her extensive experience in the EU integration and regional cooperation processes, having worked on various policy areas, including the Regional Economic Area and Common Regional Market agendas. She discusses ReSPA's approach to fostering regional cooperation and exchange, as well as the organization's current initiatives, including the Regional CAF Centre, which aims to improve public services through quality management. Join us for this insightful conversation on the importance of regional networking and cooperation in PAR and how ReSPA is contributing to this process in the Western Balkans. For more information about ReSPA, please visit their website at respaweb.eu. For more information about WeBER, visit > par-monitor.org

U drugoj epizodi ovog serijala, naša gošća je bio Katarina Ćuković, Katarina trenutno živi i radi u Danskoj, nakon završenih osnovnih studija u Srbiji i mastera u Nemačkoj. Sa njom razgovaramo o tome kako je živeti i raditi u drugoj zemlji, koliko se Danska razlikuje od Srbije, gde planira svoju budućnost, i šta bi savetovala mladima koji razmišljaju o studijama ili poslu van matične zemlje. Podkast „Cirkularne migracije pre depopulacije!” u kojoj razgovaramo sa cirkularnim migrantima različitih obrazovnih kategorija i profila i fokusiramo na pronalaženje načina za povećanje broja cirkularnih migranata u cilju prevencije depopulacije. Serijal pruža zanimljiv uvid u iskustva mladih ljudi iz Srbije koji trenutno žive ili su živeli u inostranstvu u prethodnim godinama, kao i u različite perspektive o migraciji i njenom uticaju na društvo. Projekat „Cirkularne migracije pre depopulacije!” sprovode Fondacija za razvoj ekonomske nauke – FREN i Centar za evropske politike – CEP. Projekat se realizuje uz finansijsku pomoć Evropske unije.

Dobrodošli u novu kategoriju podkasta „Cirkularne migracije pre depopulacije!” u kojoj razgovaramo sa cirkularnim migrantima različitih obrazovnih kategorija i profila i fokusiramo na pronalaženje načina za povećanje broja cirkularnih migranata u cilju prevencije depopulacije. Serijal pruža zanimljiv uvid u iskustva mladih ljudi iz Srbije koji trenutno žive ili su živeli u inostranstvu u prethodnim godinama, kao i u različite perspektive o migraciji i njenom uticaju na društvo. U prvoj epizodi novog serijala, gost je bio Đorđe Dimitrov, trenutno stažista u Centru za evropske politike. Sa njim razgovaramo o njegovom iskustvu boravka u inostranstvu, studiranju i praksama koje je obavio, razlozima za povratak i planovima za budućnost. Projekat „Cirkularne migracije pre depopulacije!” sprovode Fondacija za razvoj ekonomske nauke – FREN i Centar za evropske politike – CEP. Projekat se realizuje uz finansijsku pomoć Evropske unije. Za više informacija: www.fren.org.rs / www.cep.org.rs

In this episode, recorded within WeBER2.0, our guest is Mr Gregor Virant, Head of SIGMA, an initiative of the OECD and the EU. The Principles of Public Administration were developed by SIGMA in order to define requirements for a well-functioning public administration in each of the core areas. Now, SIGMA principles are being reformed themseves. Why and how? Milena Lazarević, European Policy Centre – CEP Programme Director and WeBER2.0 initiative Team Leader, talks about that in conversation with Gregor, and also discussing the lessons learned after many years of experience in the region. Find out more about WeBER2.0 here: par-monitor.org.

In this episode, recorded on the margins of the Third WeBER Regional "Citizens First" Conference, our guest is Admirim Aliti, Minister of Information Society and Administration of North Macedonia. In a conversation with Milena Lazarević, European Policy Centre – CEP Programme Director and WeBER2.0 initiative Team Leader, he reflects on North Macedonia's Public Administration Reform Strategy's achievements. While talking about them, he highlighted that countries should not perform reforms solely for the sake of the EU integration process but primarily for the citizens. Cyber-security issues of digitalized services and the necessity of utilizing the CSO's potential for better policymaking were also discussed. Find out more about WeBER2.0 here: par-monitor.org.

The 2022 Italian general elections were held in Italy on 25 September 2022, after the fall of the Draghi government. The centre-right coalition led by Giorgia Meloni's party, Brothers of Italy, a radical-right political party with neo-fascist roots, won an absolute majority of seats in the Italian Parliament. Why did the right-wing coalition win the majority in Italy? What does this have to do with the events of the past few years? What does this mean for the future of Italy and Europe? Our guest is Marina Dosijanoski, an Italian with Macedonian roots. She is an Alumna of the College of Europe and she is currently pursuing a traineeship at the European Policy Centre(CEP).

Srbija se suočava sa ozbiljnim problemom emigracije. Globalni indeks konkurentnosti 2018–2019. svrstao je Srbiju na 134. mesto od 137 rangiranih zemalja u kontekstu njene sposobnosti da zadrži talenat ili spreči „odliv mozgova“. Mnogi sektori u Srbiji su pogođeni trendom povećane emigracije kvalifikovanih radnika kao što su medicinske sestre, lekari, vozači itd. Bolji uslovi rada i perspektive za razvoj karijere koje se nude u razvijenim zemljama, posebno u EU, su najčešći faktori privlačenja radnika u datu zemlju. Sa Ivanom Brkljačem, direktorom "Tačke povratka" pričamo o cirkularnim migrantima - motivaciji za njihov povratak, preprekama, pomoći koja im je potrebna, programi podrške Vlade, kao i o tome šta "Tačka povratka" radi. Više o "Tački povratka": www.tackapovratka.rs Ovaj podkast je snimljen u okviru projekta "Cirkularne migracije pre depopulacije" koji CEP sprovodi sa Fondacijom za razvoj ekonomske nauke – FREN. Više o projektu: cep.org.rs/projects/cirkularne-migracije-pre-depopulacije

The countries of the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe have been facing several different crises in recent years, which lead to, in some countries, the phenomenon of shrinking space for civil society, populist policies and authoritarian leaders. All this is interconnected with the raising the level of corruption, which is further related to the weakening of democracies, and as a consequence, we have reduced trust of citizens, non-functional and non-transparent public administrations and captured states. Setting the principle of citizens' trust and the supreme value of democracy as the best path that humanity has discovered for building a successful society that has citizens in the focus, and which never reaches the goal but is constantly improving, Mr Ruslan Stefanov, Director of the Economics Program of the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) and manager of the CSD's SELDI network reminds civil society that it is necessary to have responsible leaders at the top, independent institutions that control them, and governments willing to cooperate with civil society and experts. Host: Milos Djindjic, lead researcher of the WeBER2.0 Initiative. SELDI is an initiative of some 30 think- tanks and NGOs in South-Eastern Europe seeking to achieve better governance in the region. Find out more about SELDI's work here: seldi.net Find out more about WeBER2.0 here: par-monitor.org

The European Union and national governments should provide citizens with a safe and democratic digital space in collaboration with civil society actors. The rationale behind the digital spaces should not only be profit-making, but also a public service that strengthens democracy by enabling safe communication and participation as well as protection of people’s privacy. In building digital infrastructure, safety, resilience and societal impact on communities should be prioritised. European youth plays an important role in promoting such values. We are proud to present you the last episode of the new mini-series of five podcast episodes within our MladiRini Talks, achieved in cooperation with the EU Balkans Forum. We wanted to give you an opportunity to hear what their experiences were, what they learned, and what are the common problems that young people from the EU and the Western Balkans share. In the last episode, our guests were the Italian Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Carlo Lo Cascio, and Đorđe Manov, a student of the Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Belgrade. He was included in Working group 5: Many societies, one virtual space. How do the youth see the issue of creating one virtual space as integral to the process of EU enlargement and European integration? Being the most media literate generation, should the youth be completely in charge of this process? Subscribe to European Talks and do not miss our next episodes! More information: www.mladirini.org / www.eubalkanforum.org

We are proud to present you a new mini-series of five podcast episodes within our MladiRini Talks, achieved in cooperation with the EU Balkans Forum. EU Balkans Forum is an opportunity for youth from the entire European continent to discuss common issues, face policymakers and mobilize new energies from below, facilitating the emergence of a young transnational network to engineer new initiatives and bring about fresh views on both the EU and Balkan integration. The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), Study Center for International Politics from Rome, and the Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa were involved in the creation and work of the forum. The forum was financially supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Within this initiative, two university students for each of the 27 UE Member States and four from each of the Western Balkans 6 countries gathered together in Rome to discuss topics on the importance of the Western Balkans and the EU. They were divided into five working groups. Now, you have an opportunity to hear what their experiences were, what they learned, what are the common problems that young people from the EU and the Western Balkans share. In the fourth episode, our guests were the Italian Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Carlo Lo Cascio, and Veljko Ristić, Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Belgrade. He was included in Working group 4: One Market, Many Challenges. In the WB-6, the public sector does not always serve the needs of citizens and companies, because of a lack of transparency and persistent inefficiencies. All too often, products from the WB-6 face barriers that prevent them from reaching consumers in the EU-27 markets. Youth inactivity rates in the labour market remain high. The prospect of EU integration has lost credibility in the whole region due to profound doubts about admitting new members in some EU capitals, creating a dangerous vacuum for nationalist projects. Did the Western Balkan youth encounter that the participants from the region had different views on the discussed issues from the colleagues from the EU? How hard was it to come to conclusions and recommendations? And what was the main point that youth took away from being participants in this WG? Find out in this episode! The new episode will arrive every Monday at 14.00. Subscribe to European Talks and do not miss our next episodes! More information: www.mladirini.org / www.eubalkanforum.org

We are proud to present you a new mini-series of five podcast episodes within our MladiRini Talks, achieved in cooperation with the EU Balkans Forum. EU Balkans Forum is an opportunity for youth from the entire European continent to discuss common issues, face policymakers and mobilize new energies from below, facilitating the emergence of a young transnational network to engineer new initiatives and bring about fresh views on both the EU and Balkan integration. The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), Study Center for International Politics from Rome, and the Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa were involved in the creation and work of the forum. The forum was financially supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Within this initiative, two university students for each of the 27 UE Member States and four from each of the Western Balkans 6 countries gathered together in Rome to discuss topics on the importance of the Western Balkans and the EU. They were divided into five working groups. Now, you have an opportunity to hear what their experiences were, what they learned, what are the common problems that young people from the EU and the Western Balkans share. In the third episode, our guests were the Italian Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Carlo Lo Cascio, and Dragana Grahovac, student of Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade. She was included in Working group 3: One continent, one environment There is a strong disbalance between the adoption and implementation and enforcement of environmental laws and regulations. What did youth leaders propose as a solution? Is civil society one of the key stakeholders in the fight against and adaptation to climate change? Find out in this episode! The new episode will arrive every Monday at 14.00. Subscribe to European Talks and do not miss our next episodes! More information: www.mladirini.org / www.eubalkanforum.org

We are proud to present you a new mini-series of five podcast episodes within our MladiRini Talks, achieved in cooperation with the EU Balkans Forum. EU Balkans Forum is an opportunity for youth from the entire European continent to discuss common issues, face policymakers and mobilize new energies from below, facilitating the emergence of a young transnational network to engineer new initiatives and bring about fresh views on both the EU and Balkan integration. The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), Study Center for International Politics from Rome, and the Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa were involved in the creation and work of the forum. The forum was financially supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Within this initiative, two university students for each of the 27 UE Member States and four from each of the Western Balkans 6 countries gathered together in Rome to discuss topics on the importance of the Western Balkans and the EU. They were divided into five working groups. Now, you have an opportunity to hear what their experiences were, what they learned, what are the common problems that young people from the EU and the Western Balkans share. In the second episode, our guests were the Italian Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Carlo Lo Cascio, and Uroš Anđelković, Serbian UN Youth Delegate at Una Serbia. He was included in Working group 2: United In Diversity, Beyond Past Wars. The last 25 years have shown the lack of a real engagement of high-level politicians and governments in supporting and promoting the multi-lateral reconciliation process. That’s why, for example, educational systems in many Western Balkan countries have been shaped by mono-national narratives based on the concept of victim vs. antagonist. Being a very sensitive issue within the region, could such topic be adequately discussed with colleagues from the EU? If youth is involved in the reconciliation process as well as the EU integration process, will they be able to get some sense of ownership of their present and future and hence become less sceptic of the process? The new episode will arrive every Monday at 14.00. Subscribe to European Talks and do not miss our next episodes! More information: www.mladirini.org / www.eubalkanforum.org

We are proud to present you a new mini-series of five podcast episodes within our MladiRini Talks, achieved in cooperation with the EU Balkans Forum. EU Balkans Forum is an opportunity for youth from the entire European continent to discuss common issues, face policymakers and mobilize new energies from below, facilitating the emergence of a young transnational network to engineer new initiatives and bring about fresh views on both the EU and Balkan integration. The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), Study Center for International Politics from Rome, and the Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa were involved in the creation and work of the forum. The forum was financially supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Within this initiative, two university students for each of the 27 UE Member States and four from each of the Western Balkans 6 countries gathered together in Rome to discuss topics on the importance of the Western Balkans and the EU. They were divided into five working groups. Now, you have an opportunity to hear what their experiences were, what they learned, what are the common problems that young people from the EU and the Western Balkans share. In the first episode, our guests were the Italian Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Carlo Lo Cascio, and Jovana Popova, a master's student from the Faculty of Political Sciences. She was included in Working group 1: The New EU between governmental cooperation and democracy below. How to couple deepening and enlargement? What role can the Balkans play in this? Find out in our new episode! The new episode will arrive every Monday at 14.00. Subscribe to European Talks and do not miss our next episodes! More information: www.mladirini.org

Today we are discussing the use of quality management tools in public administrations in WB, and specifically the EU-promoted Common Assessment Framework (CAF). For the Western Balkan countries this topic is relevant in the context of public sector modernisation, and specifically for making more user-oriented administrations. In the EU accession process, countries in the region are encouraged to apply some of the available QM tools, CAF included, and are also regularly monitored in this regard. For insightful discussion on the importance of QM tools such as CAF, advantages of its application, and experience of WB countries who are using it, we have the pleasure of welcoming Mr Thomas Prorok, Managing Director at the KDZ - Centre of Public Administration Research, and Head of the CAF Centre at the KDZ, who has hands-on experience in supporting administration in the region in the CAF implementation. Mr Prorok is also WeBER Advisory Council member.