Monthly e-bulletin of the Secretariat for European Affairs Government of the Republic of Macedonia March 2016 Representatives of the Secretariat for European Affairs on a study visit in Zagreb Within the twinning project: "Further strengthening of the administrative and organisational capacity of the European integration process" financed by IPA TAIB 2010 study visit is realised currently by the State Secretary for European Affairs Mrs. Ana Blazheska and some employees from SEA in Zagreb, Croatia. During the lectures at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, the employees of the Secretariat for European Affairs had the opportunity to exchange views and to learn about the operation of the newest Member State of the European Union. more Participation of State Secretary Ana Blazheska on the second Western Balkans donors coordination meeting The State Secretary of the Secretariat for European Affairs Mrs. Ana Blazheska participated in the second Western Balkans donors coordination meeting held in Sarajevo. The meeting was attended by all major donors active in the Western Balkans as well as representatives from international organisations and governments in the region. This coordination meeting was organised by the Regional Cooperation Council in order to emphasise the priority issues facing the countries in the region. The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Mr. Goran Svilanovic during the meeting stated that it is often a case that more donors allocate funds for the same area, while other areas remain completely neglected. It would be good, said Svilanovic, if they could avoid this overlapping when donors would cover all the needs of the region equally. more State Secretary for European Affairs Ana Blazheska paid a working visit to Poland State Secretary at the Secretariat for European Affairs, Ana Blazheska -Guest lecturer at the fourteenth session of POLITEA Signing of Memorandum of cooperation between the Secretariat for European Affairs and the Macedonian Academy of Science and Arts The Secretariat for European Affairs and the Macedonian Academy of Science and Arts- MASA today signed Memorandum of cooperation in favour of acceleration of the integration of the Republic of Macedonia in the European Union. Also the Council for European Integration of MANU was constituted to promote cooperation between the two institutions in the spirit of good understanding. The memorandum which was signed by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia in charge of European Affairs, Fatmir Besimi PhD and the President of the Academy, Academician Taki Fiti provides establishment of a platform for creating synergies between the scientific potential, the administration and the business community through various forms of cooperation. more Deputy Prime Minister Besimi on an on-site visit of the migrant camp "Vinojug" in Gevgelija regarding donor coordination Programming mission for Western Balkans Investment Framework The Secretariat for European Affairs held Programming mission for Western Balkans Investment Framework for programming of 2016. Head of the Department of DG NEAR Mr. Wolfgang Schlager had a presentation at the meeting who pays a working visit to the Republic of Macedonia and had a special focus on the Call for co-financing of infrastructure projects for the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) for 2016. Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Fatmir Besimi welcomed the commitment and support that the EU gives to strengthen the capacity of the Western Balkans countries in order to join the European Union. more Held meeting of the Second (technical) Level of the National Investment Committee The Secretariat for European Affairs today held the second level meeting of the National Investment Committee (NIC). The meeting was chaired by State Secretary Ana Blazheska and representatives of the Delegation of the European Union, international financial institutions, bilateral partners and the donor community with a permanent mission in the country participated at the meeting. The Ministry of Transport and Communications presented the project proposal grant within the second call for Investment grants through the Investment Framework for the Western Balkans Countries 2016 (WBIF 2016), Construction of railway Corridor 8 Phase 2 (construction works on Beljakovce - Kriva Palanka - 34km). The proposal is one of the priorities in the Single list of projects of the Republic of Macedonia which comprises a total of 120 infrastructure projects. more Workshop on fundamental rights in Macedonia The Secretariat for European Affairs supported by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) held a workshop on fundamental rights in the Republic of Macedonia. Representatives from the civil society organisations participated on the workshop and Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia, Fatmir Besimi PhD, Deputy Ambassador of Federal Republic of Germany in Macedonia, Mr. Hans Helge Sander and the Director of the GIZ Office in Macedonia, Mr. James Macbeth had their introductory remarks. The Secretariat for European Affairs (SEA), supported by the Project of the German- Macedonian bilateral cooperation "Support to the Secretariat for European Affairs" implemented by GIZ (German Agency for International Cooperation), has analysed the national institutional arrangements in the area of fundamental rights. The result of this analysis is the mapping of all national stakeholders involved in the field of fundamental rights, their responsibilities as well as identifying the existing coordination structures in this area. This analysis forms the basis for commencement of due diligence to determine the level of compliance with the EU. more Workshop held to establish the terminology for chapters 23 and 24 of the Acquis The Secretariat for European Affairs with support from the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) organised a workshop to establish the terminology for chapters 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights) and 24 (justice, freedom and security) of the European Union law. The workshop was attended by representatives of the NPAA working groups for chapters 23 and 24, coordinators of Chapters 23 and 24 of the Secretariat for European Affairs as well as translators, language revisers and coordinators of the process of developing the national version of the European Union law from the Department for the preparation of national version of the European Union at the Secretariat for European Affairs. Opening remarks had the state counsellor of SEA, Ms Ljilja Trpkovska, representative from GIZ, Mr Michael Samec and Professir Simon Sazdov PhD as an aexpert in Macedonian language. more Secretariat for European Affairs organised and held a presentation on "Erasmus +" of South East Europe At the South East European University in Tetovo, the Secretariat for European Affairs in cooperation with the National Agency for European Educational Programmes and Mobility, held a presentation on Union programs, namely the programme - "Erasmus +". Deputy Prime Minister Fatmir Besimi PhD, the Director of the Agency for European Education Programmes Mr. Darko Dimitrov as well as the Vice Rector for International Cooperation of the University, Blerim Reka PhD had their address at the opening. At the beginning of his lecture, Deputy Prime Minister Besimi stressed that the Union programmes represent an integrated set of activities adopted by the EU in order to increase the cooperation between the Member States and the European countries that are not members in order to become better acquainted with the methods and policies of the EU and thus to enable exchange of experiences and good practices. more Working meetings Meeting of the Deputy Prime Meeting of the Deputy Deputy Prime Minister Minister Besimi with the Prime Minister Besimi Besimi welcomed the Minister of Foreign Affairs of with the Minister for Secretary General in the Austria, Mr. Sebastian Kurz Europe of Great Britain Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Italy on a Deputy president of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of meeting Government of the Republic of Macedonia for European Affairs, Macedonia, Fatmir Besimi Fatmir Besimi PhD paid a working The decisive distinguished bilateral PhD had a meeting with a high visit to the Republic of Austria. relations between the both countries delegation from Great Britain, Deputy Prime Minister Besimi had were stressed and the open and led by the Minister for Europe a meeting with the Minister for sincere support of Italy for our of Great Britain, H.E. Mr. David Europe, Integration and Foreign Euro-Atlantic aspirations was Lidington. The British Affairs of Austria, Mr. Sebastian emphasised, Italy"s position that the Ambassador in the Republic of Kurz. process of EU enlargement will not Macedonia H.E. Mr. Charles The support from Austria is be complete without connecting all Garrett accompanied the essential for Macedonia and it is countries Western Balkans was Delegation, as well as strengthened with the adoption of highlighted. representatives from the British the Action Plan Austria-Macedonia, During the meeting the current Ministry of External Affairs. during your visit in the country in political situation in the country was Both sides underlined that the February, said Deputy Prime discussed, and the Deputy Prime cooperation between the Minister Besimi. The bilateral Minister Besimi stressed the Republic of Macedonia and relations between the