Fourteen grants awarded within ‘SMART Balkan – Civil Society for Shared Society in the Western Balkans’ project
Skopje, 28 April 2023 (MIA) – As part of the “SMART Balkan – Civil Society for Shared Society in the Western Balkans” project, 14 local initiative, media and creative box grants were awarded Friday in Skopje.
The Executive Director of the Center for Research and Policy Making (CRPM), Marija Risteska, said it’s good that the project is focused on several areas, i.e., local communities are included as well.
“This is a project financed by the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs with EUR 17.5 million. It is being implemented by a local consortium of three organizations led by Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and Albania. As part of this process we chose organizations whose activities are not only concentrated in Skopje, which will contribute to the national policies and processes, but also those who work with the local communities and can transform the way of life of the citizens even in small rural areas,” said Risteska.
Risteska said that the project aims to contribute to better living and promote the region on its path to Euro-Atlantic integrations.
“The goal of the project is to strengthen civil society, to mobilize the citizens to participate in the democratic processes and the Euro-Atlantic integrations of all countries of the region, and in that way to help contribute to an inclusive, stable and secure Western Balkans,” said Risteska.
The grant award ceremony was also attended by Nela Jovic, Senior Program Advisor at the Royal Norwegian Embassy to North Macedonia, based in Belgrade.
“Norway wanted to help the entire Western Balkan region and civil society so that it can become more relevant, sustainable and secure in its functioning. The fundamental goal is to aid stability and security in the Western Balkans, and the way to do so is through Euro-Atlantic integrations,” said Jovic.
The “SMART Balkan – Civil Society for Shared Society in the Western Balkans” project is a four-year project that foresees the awarding of a total of 450 grants for the Western Balkans, 60 of which are for North Macedonia.
Photo: MIA
