Western Balkans Environment Programe

Regional Expert Meeting took place on November 18^th-19^th in Budva, Montenegro. The Expert Meeting hosted the environmental experts from six countries/ territories involved in the Western Balkans Environmental Programme, programme beneficiaries and partners such as representatives of the national and local governments, management authorities of the remediated sites, civil society organizations, etc., as well as representatives of the international community.

During the meeting participants had an opportunity discuss the importance of regional cooperation in reducing pollution and remediating the “brownfield” sites located in the Western Balkans, to present the results and the achievements of the Western Balkans Environmental Programme, and to discuss the national challenges and priorities, as well as next steps for further regional cooperation in this area.

For more information about the expert meeting, all presentations, recommendations and conclusions please visit the Activity section, under the Regional Coordination

UNDP Montenegro under the umbrella of the Western Balkans Environmental Programme is organizing a Regional Expert Meeting that will take place on November 18^th-19^th in Budva, Montenegro. The Expert Meeting will host the environmental experts from six countries/ territories involved in the Western Balkans Environmental Programme (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and UNATSCR 1244 Kosovo), programme beneficiaries and partners such as representatives of the national and local governments, management authorities of the remediated sites, civil society organizations, etc., as well as representatives of the donor community who are interested to fund activities in this area.

UNDP Montenegro organized in frame of the Western Balkan Environmental Programme for 2009 a study tour to Slovak Republic from 25^th- 31^st October. The subject of the study tour was “Learning from Slovak experience in environmental management and remediation of priority mine sites”. Participants on the study tour were mining experts from six countries/ territory: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro, UNATSCR1244 Kosovo and Serbia. The host organization in Slovakia was the Comenius University in Bratislava, with Mr. Peter Sottnik and Mrs. Bronislava Lalinska acting as project manager and project assistant from their side.

The fifth Programme Management Board (PMB) meeting, but the first non-virtual one, was held on 24th June in Montenegro.

The goals of organizing the meeting were threefold:

a) To present and discuss about the Environmental Hot Spots Project Proposal submitted to MB IPA; b) To discuss the draft concept of the regional expert workshop to be held in late October or early November this year; and c) To discuss the theme of the third and final regional study tour which will be policy orientated one (regional study tours organized so far were of more technical nature).