MINELRES: King Baudouin Foundation: Update about our activities in the Balkans

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Original sender: King Baudouin Foundation <kbs-frb@kbs-frb.be>


King Baudouin Foundation: Update about our activities in the Balkans
October 2006

Background information about our activities in the area of the Balkans
is given below. You can also consult this information on www.kbs-frb.be

If you wish to receive regular updates about all our calls for projects,
events, publications and so on, register for our general e-news.


TOPICS

EPC: Bulgaria and Romania: The last lap or the extra mile?
EPC: Security sector reform in the Balkans
EPC: Fighting corruption : patterns in Eastern Europe and Central Asia
EPC Breakfast meeting: Future EU enlargement in peril?
Helsinki Conference on the position of Kosovo minorities 
Serbia and Kosovo: Round table on Kosovo and minorities in Serbia
Croatia: Public discussion of ethnic rights
Romania: Promoting Good Governance in Multicultural Communities
Bulgaria: Minority rights on the 7th Annual Media Coalition agenda
Advocacy training for 35 minority rights trainers thanks to DIANET
Protection for human trafficking victims


EPC: Bulgaria and Romania: The last lap or the extra mile?
At the May 24 Policy Dialogue on Bulgaria and Romania, it was agreed
that both countries have made significant progress in reforming the
judiciary and stamping out corruption in public life, but that further
efforts were needed as the EC still had four serious concerns about
Romania and six about Bulgaria. There also remained the �burning
question� of discrimination against the Roma, Europe�s largest ethnic
minority. You can read the report at
http://www.kbs-frb.be/files/db/EN/EPC_Documents-
Bulgaria_and_Romania_the_last_lap_or_the_extra_mile_%2024.05.2006.pdf.

EPC: Security sector reform in the Balkans
The June Policy Brief looks at SSR as a key component of ending conflict
in the Balkans and an area where the EU can make a decisive contribution
to achieving sustainable peace and democracy. SSR is generally not a
priority for governments in the regions, but the prospect of EU
membership is now a driving force for reform. There are three major
policy issues: the need for tailoring plans and guidelines whilst
maintaining SSR guidelines; clear definition of the roles of local and
international forces; and reconciling strategic objectives and tactical
opinions. You can read the report at
http://www.theepc.be/TEWN/pdf/156614831_Security%20sector%20reform.PB.new.pdf.

EPC: Fighting corruption: patterns in Eastern Europe and Central Asia
The September Policy Dialogue discussed the recent World Bank Report on
corruption. Whilst levels of corruption had fallen between 1999 and
2005, there was still a big gap between levels in Western Europe and
those in some Eastern European countries. The greatest motivator for
reform has been �the carrot of EU accession� whilst candidate countries
can learn from the experience of new members. Research from Transparency
International was broadly in line with the World Bank report but warned
about the emergence of larger-scale political corruption, whilst
Eurobarometer found that 72% of EU citizens believed corruption to be a
major problem in their countries. You can read the report at
http://www.kbs-frb.be/files/db/EN/EPC_Documents-
Fighting_corruption_patterns_in_Eastern_Europe_and_in_Central_Asia_08.09.2006.pd
f.

EPC Breakfast meeting: Future EU enlargement in peril?
EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn argued that enlargement should
not be made a scapegoat for the deadlock in talks on the 2007-2008
budget nor the halt in ratification of the EU constitution. He argued
that enlargement was a �survivor� of political upheaval and a success
story. He said that the momentum of enlargement should continue on the
basis of the �Three Cs�: EU Consolidation, the �Conditionality� of new
member states and �Communication� with EU citizens. You can read the
report at
http://www.kbs-frb.be/files/db/EN/EPC_Documents-
Challenges_of_EU_enlargement_19.05.2006.pdf.

Helsinki Conference on the position of Kosovo minorities 
This item reports on the June 2006 conference, the fifth in a series of
dialogues between intellectuals, human rights workers, analysts and
politicians from Serbia and Kosovo to discuss issues crucial to securing
quality coexistence for Albanians and Serbs in Kosovo and a modus
vivendi that would guarantee the stability of Kosovo and the entire
region. The conference declaration stated that mechanisms are needed to
provide security for all minority communities, especially the Serbian
minority, that the Kosovo Serbs should be encouraged to stay despite
pressures exerted on them to leave. Partition of Kosovo should be ruled
out as an option. Click here for details:
http://www.kbs-frb.be/files/db/EN/EPC_Documents-
Challenges_of_EU_enlargement_19.05.2006.pdf.

Serbia and Kosovo: Round table on Kosovo and minorities in Serbia
Participants from state institutions, NGOs, international organisations,
embassies and the media met to initiate dialogue on the crucial issue of
the status of Kosovo and the position of minorities in Serbia. The round
table was remarkable for the constructive and frank nature of
discussions and for the culture of dialogue exhibited in discussing this
critically important issue. Click here for details:
http://www.kbs-frb.be/files/db/EN/Enews-06-10-RoundTable-Report-Day-After-
Final.rtf.

Croatia: Public discussion of ethnic rights
The first of two round tables examined the issues behind the significant
rise in ethnically motivated incidents reported by NGOs in 2005. A
second event discussed the regional process initiated in January 2005 to
provide fair and transparent solutions for refugees in Croatia, Bosnia
and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro. Click here for details:
http://www.kbs-frb.be/files/db/EN/Enews-06-10-RoundTable-Report-Day-After-
Final.rtf.

Romania: Promoting Good Governance in Multicultural Communities
A partnership between EDRC and the Romanian police force has been
working to improve understanding between the forces of public order and
minorities in the community. The approach focused on organizing police
training sessions and meetings between them and local community members
to develop communication and conflict management skills and on
encouraging more young people to join the police force. Click here for
details:
http://www.kbs-frb.be/files/db/EN/Enews-06-10-Promoting-Good-Gov-Multicult-
Communities.rtf.

Bulgaria: Minority rights on the 7th Annual Media Coalition agenda
For the first time ever, the role of the media in promoting
ethnocultural tolerance and minority rights featured on the agenda of
the Annual Media Coalition. Discussions were chaired by minority members
and were so successful that it was agreed to maintain the topic for
future annual meetings. Subjects ranged from minorities representation
in the media to the portrayal of minorities. Click here for details:
http://www.kbs-frb.be/files/db/EN/Enews-06-10-BMC%20-%20BANSKO.rtf.

Advocacy training for 35 minority rights trainers thanks to DIANET
>From June to September 2006, 35 selected professionals from Albania,
Macedonia and Serbia attended an intensive 4-day training course as part
of the Training of Trainers Advocacy Programme for Minority Rights, the
main constituent of the DIANET project. Material collected will form
part of a toolkit and trainers� handbook that will be available on line
this autumn. Click here for details:
http://www.kbs-frb.be/files/db/EN/Enews-06-10-DIANET.rtf.

Protection for human trafficking victims
100 participants met at a conference in Belgrade to draw up conclusions
on the International Organisation for Migration�s Regional Temporary
Residence Permit Programme. The programme introduced legal,
institutional and operational mechanisms for issuing TRPs to victims of
trafficking in six countries of Southeast Europe. Experts believe that
more than the 36 residence permits issued could have been provided
during the three years of the programme. Click here for details:
http://www.kbs-frb.be/files/db/EN/Enews-06-10-TRP-Conference1.rtf.


The King Baudouin Foundation sincerely thanks the Belgian National
Lottery and all those who have supported its efforts with their
generosity.

For practical details: 
please e-mail: info@kbs-frb.be or telephone: +32 70 233 728

King Baudouin Foundation, rue Brederodestraat 21, B-1000 Brussels
Tel: +32 2 511 18 40, fax: +32 2 511 52
21

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