WeBER Podcast Arhive - European Policy Centre

Bridging the Gap: Convergence strategies for Western Balkans’ EU future

Milena Mihajlović Denić — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 15:22:28 +0000

This episode of WeBER Talks is dedicated to economic growth challenges and opportunities for the Western Balkans. WeBER 3.0 guest is Nicola Pontara, Country Manager of the World Bank in Serbia. He talked with Milena Mihajlović, CEP Programme Director and WeBER 3.0, about the region’s future and how reforms, governance, and technology can propel the Western Balkans toward convergence with the EU.

1. Growth Slowdown & Socioeconomic Divergence: While the Western Balkans experienced solid growth in the early 2000s, the region has struggled to maintain momentum post-2008. Nicola highlights the “golden period” between 2000 and 2008 but warns that without significant reforms, convergence with the EU could stretch as far as 2093 in a pessimistic scenario.

2. Governance Deficit: Poor governance remains a significant roadblock. Nicola emphasizes that countries in the region must focus on improving the rule of law, combating corruption, and increasing government accountability to accelerate growth and reduce the trust gap with their citizens.

3. The Role of State-Owned Enterprises: The discussion provides a key insight into the incomplete transition to market economies in the region. Many state-owned enterprises (SOEs) still dominate critical sectors like energy, limiting the private sector’s potential to drive growth. Privatization and the introduction of market competition are seen as crucial steps forward.

4. Digital Transition & Innovation as Key Catalysts: Excitingly, digital transformation can help bridge the institutional and governance gaps. Serbia has become a leader in digital innovation, spearheading initiatives in AI, biotech, and IT services. The region can leverage this momentum to modernize public services, increase transparency, and reduce bureaucracy.

5. Youth, Women & Brain Drain: Nicola calls for urgent reforms to integrate young people and women into the workforce. Improving educational curricula and fostering labour market flexibility will prevent further brain drain and ensure that economic benefits are more inclusive.

Looking forward, both experts agree that focusing on second-generation reforms is vital: deepening financial markets, boosting regional trade and connectivity, investing in human capital, and addressing the urgent need for green transition and sustainable development.

While challenges persist, especially in governance and institutional reforms, there is hope that with the right policies and an embrace of digital transformation, the region can achieve sustained growth and converge with the EU in the coming decades.

Find out more – www.par-monitor.org

Članak Bridging the Gap: Convergence strategies for Western Balkans’ EU future se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

Pursuing More Deliberative Democracy and Citizen Participation: Where and How to Begin?

Miloš Đinđić — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 11:16:51 +0000

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

Članak Pursuing More Deliberative Democracy and Citizen Participation: Where and How to Begin? se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

From Opinions to Impact: Experience in Implementing Deliberative polling in North Macedonia

Miloš Đinđić — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 11:11:20 +0000

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

Članak From Opinions to Impact: Experience in Implementing Deliberative polling in North Macedonia se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

Building Bridges: The Role of ReSPA in Fostering Regional Cooperation for Better PAR

Miloš Đinđić — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 13:35:03 +0000

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

Članak Building Bridges: The Role of ReSPA in Fostering Regional Cooperation for Better PAR se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

Fitting public administrations for new challenges through revamped EU standards

Milena Mihajlović Denić — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 13:48:07 +0000

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 themselves. 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 discusses the lessons learned after many years of experience in the region.

Find out more about WeBER2.0 here: par-monitor.org.

Članak Fitting public administrations for new challenges through revamped EU standards se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

Taming corruption necessary for achieving a good public administration: What can CSOs do?

Miloš Đinđić — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 10:31:00 +0000

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.

Članak Taming corruption necessary for achieving a good public administration: What can CSOs do? se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

Common Assessment Framework: A way of making continuous improvements in Public Administration

Miloš Đinđić — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 15:35:00 +0000

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.

Članak Common Assessment Framework: A way of making continuous improvements in Public Administration se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

The smaller the states, the bigger the issues? Challenges of achieving good administration

Miloš Đinđić — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 15:24:00 +0000

“Smallness does not justify corruption,” said Professor Tiina Randma-Liiv, guest of the fourth WeBER Talks. She is a member of the WeBER Advisory Council as well as a Chair of Public Management and Policy at Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia. Currently, Professor Radma-Liiv also serves as a Vice Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Member of the University Council.
She spoke with Milos Djindjic, WeBER Lead Researcher about how more attention must be given to the size of the state in the process of public administration reform. Smaller states have a smaller “pool” of people from which they can choose and hire experts from. Moreover, in smaller states, people know each other much better which can subsequently lead to corruption, as a high-ranking civil servant is often your neighbor or relative. Often, smaller states have a greater number of public servants per capita, making their public administrations larger than states that are bigger. Is a small state an obstacle on the way to a quality public administration or are two variables not correlated? Does the size of the country affect state functioning?

WeBER Talks is a special edition of European Talks, a podcast produced by the European Policy Centre – CEP Belgrade.

More information:

WeBER: www.par-monitor.org
CEP: www.cep.org.rs
Public governance in small states: from paradoxes to research agenda
Small States and Innovation: www.researchgate.net/publication/23…and_innovation
Public governance in small states: from paradoxes to research agenda: ams.hi.is/en/publication/10/
Public management and policy-making in small states: ams.hi.is/en/publication/12/

Članak The smaller the states, the bigger the issues? Challenges of achieving good administration se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

Long and Winding Road to professional civil service in the Western Balkans

Miloš Đinđić — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 19:30:00 +0000

Welcome to the third episode of our WeBER Talks, in which Jan-Hinrik Meyer-Sahling, Professor of Political Science at the University of Nottingham and a member of the WeBER Advisory Council and Lead WeBER Researcher, Milos Djindjic, discussed what lessons can be drawn from the EU member states and beyond.

For more information about Professor’s Sahling work, visit: meyer-sahling.net

For more information about WeBER2.0, visit: www.par-monitor.org

Članak Long and Winding Road to professional civil service in the Western Balkans se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.

Policy planning on the road to the EU: The case of Montenegro

Milena Mihajlović Denić — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 12:59:00 +0000

Welcome to the second episode of the WeBER podcast series of European Talks podcast, a new communication tool in the regional WeBER initiative context. Each podcast episode will be devised around a relevant public administration reform and civil society related topic in the region. With this series, we mainly target civil society, experts, government officials and external interested audience (rather than public).

Highly conversational in nature, they are available on the WeBER portal too – www.par-monitor.org/weber-podcast-series/

In the second episode, our guest is Zorka Kordic, Chief Negotiator for the EU Accession of Montenegro. Milena Lazarević, an expert on the topic of public administration, European Policy Centre – CEP Programme Director and WeBER initiative Team Leader, talked with her about the Montenegrin road to the EU and the role of policy planning, the WeBER initiative and why civil society must monitor the public administration reform process.

Članak Policy planning on the road to the EU: The case of Montenegro se pojavljuje prvo na European Policy Centre.