European Fund for the Balkans – Think and Link Programme

Building National Capacities: Harmonisation, Legislation and Management

Project date: June 2008 – May 2009


The overall objective of the proposed research is to contribute to sustainable development in Macedonia and wider in the region of the western Balkans by enhancing the understanding on the challenges in the field of environment and increasing the knowledge on the needs for strengthening the administrative capacities to enforce environmental legislation.

The research purpose is to assist central and local level governments to strengthen their administrative capacities for environmental management, through research of current institutional and legal framework and proposing the way forward for the implementation and enforcement of the EU Environmental Directives transplanted into national legislation, specifically in the fields of waste management and relevant aspects from the IPPC and EIA.

Under Analytica’s multi-annual (three year) planning strategic document that sets out concrete programs and projects to be conducted in coming three years, environment is among the main programmes tackled due to its importance for socio-economic development and it being one of the key sectors for Macedonia’s as well as of other western Balkan countries’ integration into EU. Macedonia, as has been highlighted in its National Development Plan of 2007, setting the development priorities for coming 3-4 years, as well as in the Accession Partnership/Progress Report of the European Commission, lacks the needed environmental legislation (both in its adoption and enforcement) and institutional framework for management of the environmental sector. Environment is quickly becoming the top priority on the agenda of the government. Macedonia needs to develop a clear strategy; therefore ANALYTICA with this research proposal aims to contribute to the adoption of the needed legislation and to support the institutions with necessary Information for the implementation of the environmental reforms.

Research Activities and Outputs

Type of Product

Title and date released

Reports

1. “Composting in Macedonia: Sound Alternative or just a Rotten Idea” October 2008

2. “Wastewater Issue: High Time for Better Management: The Case of Macedonia” January 2009

Brief

1. “Is Macedonia ready to start negotiations for EU membership on Chapter 27” June 2009

Newsletters

1. “Ecotourism in Macedonia” June 2008

2. “Water solutions in a changing climate ” August 2008

3. “Macedonian GHG reduction potential – Chances for less polluted air” October 2008

4. “New plastics recycling industry in Macedonia” May 2008

Photo Story

“Day at a Farm” May 2009

Journal

“Environmental Challenges in Developing Societies”. Analytical Vol1. No.2, December 2008.

Type of activity

Activity Description

Interviews

Interviews with stakeholders and experts for each of the reports and briefs, in order to gather the necessary data for analysis.

Field trips and visits

1. Field visit to Euroland farm in Petrovec municipality. August 2008.

2. Field visit to Prilep municipality preparing a WWTP project for IPA. January 2009.

Archive search

Archive search for legislative and strategic documents relating to environment and specific policy solutions in the area of environment.

 

Type of Event

Event Name and Date

Lecture Series

1. Prof. Vladimir Dzabirski (Institute of Agriculture)“EIA in Agriculture”, September 2008.

2. Ms. A. Veljanoska (TEHNOLAB) “EIA procedure in Macedonia”, September 2008.

3. Mr. S. Memedov, (UNDP) “Local Agenda 21”, October 2008.

4. Ms. K. Temkova (Gazi Baba municipality), “Local Environmental Action Plans (LEAP)”, October 2008.

5. Dr. G. Popsimonova (Institute of Agriculture) Reduction of source pollution from agro-chemicals and Biological treatment of wastewaterDecember 2008.

6. Mr. I. Kungulovski (Bioengineering), “Alternative energy from wastewaters”, December 2008.

Workshop

1. Informal workshop with experts in environment discussing the draft Wastewaters report of Analytica. January 2009.

Public Debate

1. Challenges in waste management: Regionalisation of municipal landfillsMarch 2009.

Meetings with decision-makers

1. Meeting with Mr. Nexhati Jakupi, Minister for Environment and Spatial Planning in the Government of Macedonia. February 2009.

Trainings attended

1. “Course of Specialization in Agricultural and Rural Development Policy Analysis in the Western Balkan Countries”, Porreta Terme, Italy, July 2008.

2. “Course on Local Sustainability and Action”, Venice, November 2008.

 

 

Event Name and Date

Public Debate, March 2009. Interviews. Policy meetings. Ministry for Environment and Spatial Planning. Government of Republic of Macedonia.

Interviews, Policy meetings, lecture and debate participants. European Commission Delegation in Skopje

Lectures, Workshops, Debate. Private sector entities: Enviro L, Tehnolab, Bioengineering, Farmahem etc.

Networking meetings, lecture invitations, data and product sharing. Environmental organizations: DEM-dvizenje na ekologistite na makedonija, EKO-svest, MED-makedonsko ekolosko drustvo, PROAKTIVA etc.

Event co-organization, Lectures, Workshop. Educational institutions: Foundation ‘Agro-centar’, Institute of Agriculture etc.

Meetings and field visits, Local government units: Prilep, Kumanovo, Gazi Baba. November 2008, December 2008, January 2009.

Policy meeting, Interview. SECO-State Secretariat for Economic Affairs

SDC-Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. February 2009.