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SKOPJE, October 9 (FENA) - More than 200 participants gathered today at a regional conference in Skopje to mark the start of the second phase of the joint program of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey II” worth 41 million EUR.
In this way, the EU and the Council of Europe continue to support reforms in the areas of human rights, democracy and the rule of law in the Western Balkans and Turkey. The second phase of this program will run until 2022 and will cover broader topics, including the topic of freedom of expression and freedom of the media for the first time.
The conference was opened by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Northern Macedonia, Nikola Dimitrov, who emphasized the importance of this program, as it provides the Western Balkan countries and Turkey with concrete support to the reform processes in key areas that are necessary for moving towards the EU and adopting European standards.
He considers strengthening of the regional dimension of this program important, which, he points out, is an additional opportunity for exchange of experience and regional expertise.
Director-General of the Council of Europe Directorate General of Programs, Verena Taylor, stresses that the EU and the Council of Europe care about the Western Balkan region, which is why the best instruments have been combined under this program to support reforms and the adoption of European standards.
He explains that the continuation of the program is an upgrade to the results of the first phase, which was carried out from 2016 to 2019.
Support for the implementation of the second phase of the Horizontal Facility program was also given by Colin Wolfe, Head of Unit of the Western Balkans Regional Cooperation and Programs, saying that plans and activities had been upgraded for each beneficiary country.
He emphasized that each of these areas covered by the second phase is crucial for all aspects of citizens' lives and therefore focused on mobilization of experts and capacity building, as well as an increased number of actions to be taken.
Themes covered by the Horizontal Facility include ensuring justice, fighting economic crime, combating discrimination and protecting the rights of vulnerable groups and freedom of expression and freedom of the media.
In the first phase, significant results were achieved through the Horizontal Facility - the prison system and prisoners' rights were improved, more tolerant school environments were built, and anti-corruption laws and measures were strengthened. This program also supported the efficiency of beneficiary justice systems and provided more equal opportunities for members of vulnerable groups.
Over the next three years, the program will address other challenges in these four areas, through flexible mechanism that allows beneficiary institutions to act in accordance with the recommendations of the Council of Europe advisory and oversight bodies.
Particularly important will be the exchange of experience and successful practices to overcome the challenges common to all actors in the Western Balkans and Turkey.
The European Union/Council of Europe Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey (Horizontal Facility II) 2019-2022 is a cooperation initiative of the European Union and Council of Europe for the Western Balkans and Turkey. This program supports the reform processes agreed upon the institutions, in line with the relevant recommendations of the Council of Europe bodies responsible for oversight and consultation in the fields of human rights, the rule of law and democracy.
(FENA) A. B.
