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The four days pre-deployment training course Kosovo is starting today at Jable Castle. The training will equip 22 participants from 14 countries with the essential knowledge and information necessary to be active mission and team members and to operate smoothly in the respective area of assignment in Kosovo.

Today, leaders from the private and public sector gathered again at Bled to attend the 8th Bled Strategic Forum and address some crucial issues of today's Europe and the world. Under the title "A Changing Europe in a Changing World" the participants addressed the future geostrategic positioning of Europe in the modern world, the water challenge in the MENA region, the possibilities for boosting economic growth from the perspective of high technology development as well as efficient international criminal justice system, the future of economic and monetary union, and some burning EU enlargement related topics.

The current Public Procurement Act, which came into force in early 2012, is largely in line with the relevant EU directives on public procurement. Nevertheless, new modifications are in preparation, based on the principle that full harmonization with the European legislation should be achieved in order not to become a stumbling block for users at a later stage. These are the main findings of the advisory visit of Slovenian experts in Montenegro.

Advice and assistance were offered to their counterparts in Podgorica, 25 and 26 July 2013 by Mr Borut Smrdel, Chairman of National Review Commission of the Republic of Slovenia and Commission Member Ms Vida Kostanjevec. Montenegro devotes considerable attention to the law on public procurement, since their annual output value accounts for 12% of the total GDP of the country.

This project is a continuation of the project by the Centre for European Perspective (CEP) 'Help in the accession process to the EU "- this time in the field of public procurement, which is the fifth chapter of thirty-five negotiating chapters in the accession negotiations process with the EU.

The project is part of the CEP programme activities funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' funds for international development cooperation.

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Črnogorska zakonodaja o javnem naročanju večinoma usklajena z EU

Trenutno veljavni Zakon o javnih naročilih, ki je stopil v veljavo v začetku leta 2012, je v veliki meri usklajen z ustreznimi evropskimi direktivami s področja javnega naročanja. A v pripravi so že nove spremembe, ki temeljijo na načelu, da morajo biti popolnoma usklajene z evropsko zakonodajo in formulirane tako, da kasneje ne bi postale kamen spotike za uporabnike, so glavne ugotovitve svetovalnega obiska slovenskih strokovnjakov v Črni gori.

Svetovanje in pomoč sta konec julija v Podgorici svojim kolegom z Državne komisije za kontrolo postopkov javnih nabav nudila predsednik Državne revizijske komisije Republike Slovenije Borut Smrdel in članica komisije Vida Kostanjevec. Črna gora posveča velik pomen zakonodaji na področju javnih naročil, saj njihova letna vrednost predstavlja kar 12% skupnega BDP v državi.

Gre za nadaljevanje projekta Centra za evropsko prihodnost (CEP) 'Pomoč pri procesu pogajanj o pristopu k EU' – tokrat za področje javnih naročil, ki je peto poglavje izmed petintridesetih pogajalskih poglavij v okviru predpristopnih pogajanjih z EU.

Projekt je del programskih aktivnosti CEP, ki jih financira Ministrstvo za zunanje zadeve iz sredstev za mednarodno razvojno sodelovanje.

In the framework of the project "Assistance in development of EU standards in the food safety and quality in BiH - development of veterinary control according to the EU standards" the first part of the training for laboratory analysts is taking place at the National Veterinary Institute in Bihać.

In the framework of the International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Assistance of the Republic of Slovenia a three-day training titled Strengthening the Capacity of Albanian Representatives on Local Level IPA Funds Management (Module No. 1) organized by the Centre for European Perspective (CEP) started yesterday in Koraca, Albania. The participants will be acquaint with broader knowledge of IPA fund management.

Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia in Tirana Bojan Bertoncelj, opened the training stressing the importance of such cooperation between Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Albania for the strengthening of the capacities of the Albanian institutions for disbursement of funds from Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) and for the further cooperation of the country in the European integration process.

In the framework of the International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Assistance of the Republic of Slovenia Centre for European Perspectives (CEP) will start a three-day training titled Strengthening the Capacity of Albanian Representatives on Local Level IPA Funds Management (Module No. 1) in Albania on Wednesday. The training is designed for representatives of regional and local authorities and representatives of other public bodies working at the operational level on IPA projects in Albania.

The first stage of the Young Bled Strategic Forum (Young BSF) came to a close in Ljubljana on Friday after some 50 young people from Slovenia and across the world spent two days discussing and defining challenges in youth employment, politics and doing business, keeping in mind the entire time that the development of the internet caused a drastic power shift: away from governments and media corporations to the individual.

The Challenge Conference, which started on 27 June in Ljubljana City Hall, was opened by the Secretary General of the Bled Strategic Forum Mr Alain Brian Bergant. He expressed in his address a cordial welcome to international guests who came to Slovenia from Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, India, Israel, Italy, Macedonia, Montenegro, St. Kitts and Nevis, the Vatican City and the United Kingdom. The patron of the conference the Deputy Major of Ljubljana Ms Tjaša Ficko told the participants to be courageous and dare to take risks.

The Challenge Conference of the Young Bled Strategic Forum (Young BSF) started yesterday in Ljubljana, bringing together some 50 participants from across the world to identify some of the main challenges faced by the youth today.

On Thursday and Friday participants are defining the challenges in discussions dedicated to some of the most significant global changes that have seen a shift in power from governments and media corporations to individuals and groups of individuals. The seven panels are focused on unemployment and the future of the youth in the EU, digital revolution and its effect on politics, as well as the many new and innovative approaches of doing business.

PRESSING ISSUES TACKLED IN A RELAXING ENVIRONMENT
Between 1 and 3 September 2013 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and the Centre for European Perspective will organise the eighth Bled Strategic Forum (BSF). Held in the picturesque resort town of Bled, the BSF offers a platform for discussing the most pressing issues of our age in a relaxing environment of the beautiful alpine lake. This explains why it developed into one of the most well-known high-level forums in this part of Europe, attracting prominent speakers, important policy makers, successful businessmen, as well as academia and media representatives. Every year, the Forum is attended by more than 450 participants from 50 different countries.

2013 BLED STRATEGIC FORUM: A CHANGING EUROPE IN A CHANGING WORLD
The 2013 BSF will be held under the title "A Changing Europe in A Changing World". As the main theme suggests, the forum will address the problems that Europe is facing, both internally and externally, in a constantly changing political and economic climate. As a sui generis structure, the European Union has always been a work in progress, ready to respond and adapt to changing circumstances. Today, more than ever before, it has to overcome the hurdles posed by the economic crisis and global challenges and – also in the light of European Year of Citizens – find a winning recipe for its institutional structure and roadmap for the future.

Today, the Montenegrin daily newspaper Pobjeda published a short article regarding activities in the framework of CEP twinning project 'Harmonization and Implementation of the Regulations of Labour Inspection and Safety at Work'. The article draws special attention to the theater performance 'Napo in the World of Hazardous Substances', performed for the Podgorica preschool children by Slovenian actor Aleš Kolar.

The twinning project 'Harmonization and Implementation of the Regulations of Labour Inspection and Safety at Work' deals among other with the safety of young people at work and emphasizes the importance of the education of preschool children and pupils on safety at work. For better understanding of the issue the play focused on health and safety symbols used in product labeling and packaging of chemicals as well as basic rules for the handling of hazardous substances.