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EASTERN Neighbourhood

Projects in Action EU regional cooperation through the eyes of journalists

“Our cooperation with Eastern partners is founded on a joint commitment to fundamental values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Therefore further strengthening of democracy in partner countries remains our overarching priority.” Commissioner Štefan Füle

The Eastern Partnership The EU offers its Neighbours a privileged relationship, building upon a mutual commitment to common values (democracy and human rights, rule of law, good governance, market economy principles and sustainable development). The level of ambition of the relationship will depend on the extent to which these values are shared. The Eastern Partnership (EaP) completes the EU’s foreign policy towards Eastern Europe and Southern Caucasus countries as a specific Eastern dimension of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). Launched in May 2009 at the Prague Summit, the EaP fosters the necessary conditions to accelerate political association and further economic integration between the European Union and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

Contents

Taking root in the neighbourhood interview with Commissioner Štefan Füle

EU regional cooperation through the eyes of journalists

10 Our network of journalists

People 13 Eastern Partnership: supporting ‘homegrown’ reforms Interview with Andrea Matteo Fontana 15 The young say ‘no’ to corruption by Dmitri Kalak – Moldova

Environment 49 By protecting trees, we protect our future by Shain Abbasov – Azerbaijan 52 Returning rivers to the fish by EU Neighbourhood/ITAR TASS – Russia

21 Students without borders by Aghavni Harutyunyan – Armenia

58 Preserving a natural wonder by Aghavni Harutunyan – Armenia

24 The Danube Wreath Festival: Noah’s Arc Odessa style by Oksana Butuk – Ukraine

61 Chisinau working hard to protect itself from flooding by Dmitri Kalak – Moldova

27 The shield of law against the menace of war by Maia Edilashvili – Georgia

Transport

33 Crumbling avant guard buildings being given a new lease of life by EU Neighbourhood/ITAR TASS – Russia 37 Another leap forward on the new Silk Road by Maia Edilashvili – Georgia 40 Supporting budget, supporting change Interview with Luca Oriani Vieyra Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

46 INOGATE in push for more energy investment Interview with Simone Rave

18 Providing a home for my baby by EU Neighbourhood/ITAR TASS – Russia

31 The World Wide Web at the service of small business by Tatyana Korovenkova – Belarus

43 Mayors pushing for more energy efficiency by Dmytro Hubenko – Ukraine

55 Do not litter, it’s a sin. Even the Church goes Green by Dmytro Hubenko – Ukraine

Economy

Young artists creating paintings on the occasion of Europe Day in the Armenian capital Yerevan (photo EPA©EU/ Neighbourhood Info Centre).

Energy

65 Do not keep the train waiting (to be loaded on the ferry) by Shahin Abbasov – Azerbaijan 68 TRACECA – Turning transport blueprints into real transport links Interview with Philippe Mikos 70 The better the metro system, the happier the citizen by Aghavni Harutunyan – Armenia 73 How many hours a day should a truck driver work? by Maia Edilashvili – Georgia 77 For your wedding, get a trolleybus by Dmitri Kalak – Moldova

Taking root in the neighbourhood

Interview with Commissioner Štefan Füle

EU relations with its Neighbours are at a turning point, says Commissioner for enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, Štefan Füle in an exclusive interview with the EU Neighbourhood Info Centre.

What is your assessment of EU relations with its Neighbours at this point in time? EU relations with its Neighbours are probably at a turning point. Since the adoption in May 2011 of a new European Neighbourhood Policy, based on mutual accountability and a stronger partnership with societies, the EU has been quick and determined in establishing the policy’s new foundations. We can say that we are now better equipped to develop our links with each partner as far as their own aspirations, needs and capacity allow. We have new Instruments and after the Lisbon Treaty a much more coherent approach. This approach is already yielding encouraging results. After years of relative stagnation, democracy is increasingly taking root in the neighbourhood. The general trend points towards a more accountable form of governance and increased respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Structural reform, where pursued, has helped to reduce poverty and attract foreign investment, while important social challenges remain. Continued approximation to EU norms and standards has helped to contribute to strengthened trade links, notwithstanding the unfavourable economic climate. Increasingly intense sector co-operation with the EU is helping to address transport and energy bottlenecks and to tackle environmental and climate challenges. The EU and its Neighbours must now keep the momentum to strengthen their relations. What are the priorities in the East, in particular in the context of the Eastern Partnership? The overall priority in our relations with Eastern partners is the effective implementation of the ambitious agenda set by the Eastern Partnership Warsaw Summit (29-30 September 2011). We will seek to assist reforms in partner countries in order to complete the process of transformation towards sustainable democracies based on a competitive market economy. Therefore, we have offered our partners close political association and deep economic integration. Importantly, our cooperation with Eastern partners is founded on a joint com-

People on the Khreschatyk street in Kyiv, Ukraine (Photos by EPA©EU/ Neighbourhood Info Centre). 4

mitment to fundamental values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

“We will seek to assist reforms in partner countries in order to complete the process of transformation towards sustainable democracies based on a competitive market economy.”

Therefore further strengthening of democracy in partner countries remains our

a breakthrough. The full realisation of the potential of the ENP will require more

overarching priority. In May 2012, the High Representative and the Commission

credible and sustained efforts on the part of concerned neighbouring countries

published a Road Map of the Eastern Partnership which would streamline the im-

to make progress towards conflict resolution. Conversely, the EU stands ready

plementation of the EaP and provide a means for more regular monitoring.

to provide necessary support for the implementation of settlements once they

Our main tools in the implementation of the EaP agenda are Association Agree-

have been agreed.

ments which include also the aim of establishing deep and comprehensive free

Building and consolidating sustainable democracies remains another major chal-

trade areas, where appropriate. With Ukraine we have finalised negotiations on

lenge. Progress is being made but there is still a long road to go in some countries.

the Association Agreement and now Ukraine’s performance, in particular in re-

Freedom of expression, association and assembly needs to be fully guaranteed

lation to respect for democratic values and the rule of law, will be crucial to the

in law and in practice, and a strong culture of respect for human rights must be

speed of its political association and economic integration with the EU. With the

established across the board in particular the protection against all forms of dis-

Republic of Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, the negotiations of the As-

crimination in politics as well as day-to-day life. This will secure a space where civil

sociation Agreements are under way and our priority is to advance them as quickly

society can play its crucial role as an agent for democratisation ensuring the sus-

as possible so that until the time of the next EaP Summit in autumn 2013 we would

tainability and inclusiveness in the reform process.

be close to their finalisation or even able to initial them.

The third challenge is the promotion of inclusive economic development. Unem-

We also have an ambitious agenda in the area of mobility where our final goal is a

ployment, social exclusion, inequality and poverty are at the heart of people’s con-

visa free regime. Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova are already implementing

cerns for the future in all countries. They are among the root causes of instability

Visa Liberalisation Action Plans. Georgia continues implementing visa facilitation

and unrest and need to be addressed to make democratisation sustainable. They

and readmission agreements and the Commission is to present the roadmap. Two

require partner countries to reform and adopt an integrated approach of econom-

remaining South Caucasus countries are negotiating similar agreements. The EU

ic, fiscal, employment, social and education policies. The EU is ready to support

has also offered to launch negotiation of such an agreement to Belarus for the

such reforms through targeted measures aimed at promoting social cohesion and

benefit of its population.

employment (in particular for young people).

We will also continue close cooperation with partners on the Comprehensive In-

“Our cooperation with Eastern partners is founded on a joint commitment to fundamental values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.”

stitutional Building programmes which aim to strengthen capacities of partners’

How will the EU’s policies towards its Neighbours evolve in the near future?

government administrations. At the same time, we are determined to deepen our

I see a number of areas where, on the EU side we also need to make significant

partnership with civil society, increase financial assistance for civil society organi-

progress in the near future. We need to do more to promote EU investments in

sations and invest more in young people from EaP countries through increasing

partner countries. We need to take forward the mobility agenda both in the east-

their participation in our educational programme “Erasmus for All”.

ern and in the southern Neighbourhood inter alia by persuading EU Member

“The overall priority in our relations with Eastern partners is the effective implementation of the ambitious agenda set by the Eastern Partnership Warsaw Summit.”

States to make more systematic use of the possibilities provided by the European In this Partnership, what does the EU consider as the most serious challenges that are

Visa Code. We need to do our best to accelerate the process leading to opening

common for the Neighbours in the East and in the South?

DCFTA negotiations in the South. Ongoing bilateral negotiations on the liberali-

I would mention three major interrelated challenges. First, the resolution of exist-

sation of trade in services and establishment should be accelerated. Sector co-

ing conflicts. Finding peaceful settlements to protracted conflicts remains a key

operation should be re-enforced with the view to achieving concrete results in the

challenge throughout the neighbourhood. But let’s be clear: the main responsi-

next few years. And progressively we should open EU programmes and agencies

bility for this lies with the conflicting parties, which must enhance their efforts to

to partners’ participation. The reviewed European Neighbourhood Policy defines

find agreements in a genuine spirit of compromise. Otherwise, continued inter-

the “end game” in this regard, an ambitious one with a concrete idea about what

national mediation efforts in established formats cannot be expected to lead to

we want to see as results.

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

The Regional Communication Programme The EU funded Regional Communication Programme, which runs from 2011 to 2014 with a total budget of €14 million, aims to improve knowledge of the European Union and its neighbourhood policy. The programme contributes to greater understanding of EU policies and highlights cooperation actions carried out in the region. The programme works on developing sustainable communication networks and aims to strengthen the capacity and competences of journalists in the area of European affairs. It follows on from the previous phase of the Regional Communication Programme. The programme covers three projects EU Neighbourhood Info Centre www.enpi-info.eu Media Neighbourhood – Journalist training and networking project www.medianeighbourhood.eu www.facebook.com/MediaNeighbourhood Opinion polling and media monitoring in ENPI countries (EU Neigbourhood Barometer) www.enpi-info.eu/maineast.php?id=405&id_type=10 www.euneighbourhood.eu

EU regional cooperation through the eyes of journalists

Cooperation between the European Union and the countries participating in the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) exists on two levels. The first is the political. The meetings where leaders get together to decide the policy areas on which emphasis should be given. The second deals with turning these decisions into actions on the ground, through the funding of projects, offering the Partners practical support in their efforts to bring about change and modernization.

Participating countries Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine (East); Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, occupied Palestinian territory, Syria, Tunisia (South).

The EU Neighbourhood Info Centre – which is part of the Regional Communication Programme – has tracked down, written about and photographed some of the projects funded, in cooperation with journalists and photographers in the partner countries. The journalists researched projects’ activities and spoke to the people who have benefited from them about their experiences, what they have gained, their considerations and thoughts about the future. On their part, the photographers captured the story with their lens. This magazine includes stories covered in 2011-2012, and gives a flavor of EU Cooperation in the Neighbourhood region on the ground. The reportages are divided into four main categories: people, environment, transport, economy. All the stories are available on the “Feature Section” of the EU Neighbourhood Info Centre’s website www.enpi-info.eu in English, French, Russian and Arabic, depending on the country.

“Telling the story of a Partnership: the journalists researched projects’ activities and spoke to the people who have benefited from them about their experiences, what they have gained, their considerations and thoughts about the future. On their part, the photographers captured the story with their lens.”

Europe Day celebrations in Chisinau, Moldova (Photos by EPA©EU/ Neighbourhood Info Centre). 8

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

Our network of journalists

Oksana Butuk is a Ukrainian journalist and editor of the independent news agency “Reporter”. Since 2008, she is also a lecturer at the Department of Journalism of the Odessa National University named after Ilya Mechnikov.

Dmytro Hubenko is an International Section Editor at the Ukrainian Week newsmagazine (Kyiv, Ukraine). Prior to this he worked on the same position for Ukrainian weeklies Novynar and Bez Tsenzury.

Tanya Korovenkova is a Belarusian journalist and correspondent of the information company BelaPAN. She attended several international programmes for journalists in the USA and the EU. She is covering political, international relations and human rights issues.

Dmitri Kalak is a Moldovan journalist based in Chisinau. He is deputy editor-inchief of “Ekonomicheskoe obozrenie” (Economic Survey), a weekly private newspaper. Dmitri Kalak attended several training programmes for journalists including a course offered by the South-East European Network for Professionals of the Media (2000) and a summer school on investigative journalism in St-Petersburg (2002).

Maia Edilashvili is a Georgian journalist presently working as editor of Georgia Today, an English weekly newspaper. She is also contributor with the Tbilisi-based English business magazine Investor. ge. She attended several international training programmes in journalism.

Aghavni Harutyunyan is an Armenian journalist based in Yerevan. She attended several local and foreign training programmes in journalism. Since 2001, Aghavni Harutyunyan has been covering regional issues, conflicts in South Caucasus, legal and human rights issues working for the AZG Armenian Daily.

Shahin Abbasov is an Azerbaijani journalist and correspondent of Eurasianet, a New York based on-line resource in Azerbaijan. Previously he contributed to Country Forecast on Azerbaijan for EIU (Economist Intelligence Unit, London) and worked as a correspondent and editorin-chief for several leading Azerbaijani newspapers.

Journalists collaborating with the EU Neighbourhood Info Centre 10

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

Eastern Partnership:

People

supporting ‘homegrown’ reforms Interview with Andrea Matteo Fontana Head of Unit of Geographical Coordination Neighbourhood East The Eastern Partnership (EaP) initiative seeks to boost the EU’s relations with its eastern neighbours. The main goal is to support reforms in Eastern European countries and promote closer political association and economic integration with the EU. The EaP offers a range of tangible cooperation initiatives whose aim is to transform the lives of ordinary citizens and create a climate where the voice of civil society is heard, says Andrea Matteo Fontana, Head of Unit of Geographical Coordination Neighbourhood East at the European Commission in an exclusive interview with the EU Neighbourhood Info Centre. How would you explain the Eastern Partnership to a trolley-bus driver in Moldova or a high school student in Ukraine? The Eastern Partnership (EaP) is an effort by the European Union to reach out to its six neighbours on the European continent (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) and bring them closer to the EU through political association and economic integration, but also by allowing free travel across Europe through cooperation on mobility, with the aim of gradually establishing a visa-free regime. The EaP can bring positive changes in the daily life of our neighbours, since a huge chunk of EU legislation will be introduced in their countries. This will mean a better quality of life (e.g. higher food safety standards), more trade opportunities, better business environment, easier travel to the EU, and many other very tangible results. Importantly, the EaP also wants to strengthen respect for democracy, fundamental freedoms and human rights. People of these countries, regardless of their social status - whether bus drivers or students - deserve the right to freely develop their skills and abilities in free societies. In other words, the EaP is a political initiative that aims to bring governments and ordinary people closer to the EU, to foster cooperation both directly with each country and across the region, to help boost their economies, to create jobs, increase growth and give people

Europe Day celebrations in Yerevan, 12 May 2012 (Photo by EPA©EU/ Neighbourhood Info Centre). 12

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

greater opportunities so that they can build a decent life in a democratic society. Significant financial resources stand behind the Partnership. Since it was launched in May 2009, over €2 billion has been made available for projects and programmes that have a direct or indirect impact on the public – funding that has helped to buy new trolleybuses in Moldova or fund scholarships for Ukrainian students to EU universities. How important is civil society for the Eastern Partnership? Civil society is one of the key elements of the Eastern Partnership, as illustrated by the launch of the Civil Society Forum (CSF). The idea behind the CSF was to give a stronger voice to civil society and to encourage it to contribute to our dialogue with EaP countries, so that not only do governments or institutions communicate with one another, but with civil society as well. This happens through the Forum and its national platforms in each EaP country, which are consulted on our policies and initiatives. Their opinion is taken into account when the EU puts in place a new programme. The role of civil society is essential in fostering democratic values and monitoring what governments do by way of reforms, often with our support. We believe these reforms will be more effective if civil society monitors their implementation. With this in mind, the EU has created a Neighbourhood Civil Society Facility, a new financial instrument that provides additional support to civil society organisations, in particular strengthening their capacity to hold governments to account. Since the launch of the EaP, our assistance to civil society has more than doubled. It now stands at €57.5 million for 2011-2013 for all six countries.

“Civil society is one of the key elements of the Eastern Partnership”

“The aim is a better quality of life, more trade opportunities, better business environment, easier travel to the EU” On the ground, what kind of actions does this money support? Our programmes work in concrete areas and produce results with a direct impact on the life of EaP citizens. We support many programmes that foster regional cooperation between several countries, and help our partners to share their experience. We work for example in the area of border management, where one of the things we are doing is helping to upgrade the crossing points between EaP countries, for example between Georgia and Armenia, so that it takes less time for people to cross the border, while security is increased. Or take energy. Here, for instance, we support an initiative called the Covenant of Mayors, which aims to reduce CO2 emissions in European cities by 20% by 2020. So far, 54 cities in the Eastern Partner countries have joined this network embracing more than 4,000 cities and 100 regions in Europe. Another area is the environment, where problems in one country do not stop at the border. Here, for example, we help to improve forest governance under a project called FLEG (Forest law enforcement and governance). This initiative tackles the problem of illegal logging so eventually it helps to preserve forests, which in turn positively impacts on the environment. But we also fund specific bilateral projects. Take for instance our support to health. In Georgia, we conducted an awareness campaign and organized various trainings to support health sector reforms. Or in Ukraine we help

People > Moldova

“In Ukraine we have improved access to medical services. For example, the medical centre in Bayrak village” local communities to improve their access to medical services. For example, the medical centre in Bayrak village received new medical equipment funded through an EU grant. We also support renewable energy and energy efficiency, for example by promoting biomass as a heating source in public and private buildings in Moldova, where a kindergarten in Ermoclia was the first public building in the Stefan Voda district heated with energy produced from agricultural waste, thanks to an EU-funded project. I could go on… these kinds of initiatives are taking place all over the EaP region, with the EU supporting actions that are making a real difference on the ground for the daily life of citizens. … and what about big structural reforms? For the larger projects, the main way in which we support reform is through what we call ‘sectoral budget support’. This means that we support reforms in a specific sector where a partner country has developed a ‘homegrown’ reform strategy, in a key area such as justice, energy, education, health, or agriculture and rural development. This approach has a high degree of conditionality, which means the EU transfers money to support the given sector only if and when the country fulfills its reform commitments. What we support here are major policy changes, which over time will have a direct impact on people’s livelihoods. In Armenia for example we have supported justice reform. With EU support, new laws (on the new Judicial Academy or on Advocacy), as well as the 2012-2016 Justice Reform Strategy have been adopted. In addition, a new school of advocates was established and five new court buildings built.

Or take another example in Azerbaijan, where our budget support operation in the energy sector fosters the use of renewable energy. This country is rich in wind and solar resources, which so far have been underused in view of massive oil and gas reserves. This budget support programme has helped create a state agency for alternative and renewable energy, as well as a strategy and policy development for energy efficiency and renewable energies. What are the EaP priorities for the near future? The EaP is a relatively young initiative, and the emphasis now is on implementing jointly agreed objectives and initiatives. We have defined an agenda for our relations with these countries, detailed in the ‘Roadmap for the EaP’, which indicates the main results to be achieved, including for cooperation programmes that support policy reforms in key sectors. One of the priorities is institution-building. The EaP requires effective institutions able to implement ambitious reforms and take up commitments of association and integration with the EU. This is why we have stepped up capacity development through our Comprehensive Institutional Building programmes (see box). Secondly, the EaP will increase concrete support at the level of citizens, by providing additional assistance at the regional level aimed at reducing socio-economic disparities between

regions within the same country through Pilot Regional Development Programmes (see box). Thirdly, to create stronger incentives for democratic reforms and respect for human rights, we will apply the so-called ‘more for more’ principle. This means that those who are most advanced on reforms will get more support, including financial assistance. For this we want to fast-track funds provided under the EaPIC, the EaP Integration and Cooperation programme (see box). Finally, we will focus on the programming of funding for the next financial period 20142020. We will use all the lessons learned since the launch of the EaP to make sure there is a solid basis for cooperation that will help to bring about long-term changes in the partner countries. I mean changes that will transform the lives of ordinary citizens and create a climate where the voice of civil society is being heard.

“In Armenia for example we have supported justice reform, a new school of advocates was established and five new court buildings built”

Eastern Partnership: new initiatives to support reforms The Comprehensive Institution Building programme Helps partner countries to strengthen the capacities of key institutions involved in preparing, negotiating and implementing the new Association Agreements with the EU, the creation of free trade areas and the management of enhanced mobility opportunities in a secure environment. http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/where/neighbourhood/regional-cooperation/enpi-east/cib_en.htm

The young say ‘no’ to corruption They are selected on a voluntary basis from the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. They come to attend courses where they discuss, they study, they learn. They are even asked to conduct opinion polls at the country’s border, or to come up with new ideas to counteract corruption and to raise awareness of the issue within society. The students are happy to contribute to this fight, and they say loud and clear their “no to humiliating practices that prevent investment and business development” in their countries. Stories from a course organised by the EU Border Assistance Mission to the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM), together with the authorities of both countries.

The Pilot Regional Development programmes Aims at introducing a policy approach based on the reduction of socio-economic disparities between regions within the same country. http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/where/neighbourhood/regional-cooperation/enpi-east/prdps_en.htm

Chisinau – “I got lost in this city: and the people I was afraid to meet, are the ones who helped me out…” Yevgeniy Tsarenko lives and studies in Tiraspol, capital of the unrecognized separatist Moldovan Republic of Transnistria. He has been to Chisinau, the capital of the Republic of Moldova, only three times in his life. No wonder he got lost in this city of 800,000 people during his last trip. He was helped out by his Moldovan colleagues, who were to be his companions during ‘Youth Against Corruption’, the week-long school camp for Ukrainian and Moldovan students held near Chisinau. The future belongs to the young “I was very nervous before I got here,” Yevgeniy says. “Moldova and Transnistria are in a state of unsettled conflict, and we do not get to see our Moldovan peers very often… But I was received very well,

The EaP Integration and Cooperation programme (EaPIC) Provides increased support to institutional and sector reforms: based on the ‘more for more’ principle (the more a country advances in reforms for greater democracy, respect of human rights and the rule of law, the more support it can expect from the EU). http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/where/neighbourhood/regional-cooperation/enpi-east/eapic_en.htm

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

N Students participating in the course “Youth against corruption”.

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

we even became friends. This is great! It is interesting for us to talk with each other, to discuss things. I think the more meetings like this, the more discussions we have between the residents of the right and left banks of the Dniester, the closer we will be to each other and the easier it will be to find ways to make our country a single whole again.” Young people from Moldova and Ukraine came to the week-long course, 13 from each country. They were picked out on the basis of questionnaires. In the last two years, four such meetings of students have been organised by the EU Border Assistance Mission to the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM), the State Border Service of Ukraine and the Centre for Combating Economic Crime and Corruption in Moldova. “The European Union gives much attention to corruption issues and plays a key role in taking 15

People > Moldova

N Albena Kuiumdzhieva, EUBAM anti-corruption advisor.

“They are the future leaders of their countries. And they can become the key participants in the long-term fight against corruption”

measures to prevent corrupt trans-border transactions,” says Dirk Lorenz from the EU Delegation in Chisinau. “The EU has always provided all-round assistance to the governments of Moldova and Ukraine in developing and implementing mechanisms of long-term and effective corruption prevention.” Udo Burkholder, the Head of the EUBAM Mission, stresses the significance of young people’s active involvement into the fight against corruption. “Effective anti-corruption actions can only be taken based on combined efforts of the government, non-governmental organisations, the media and society as a whole,”

he declares. “International institutions including EUBAM, are assisting Moldova and Ukraine in eradicating corruption and will continue doing so. However, of great importance is the active standing of all citizens, especially the youth. They are the future leaders of their countries. And they can become the key participants in the long-term fight against corruption.” Maria Kolesnik, a second year student at the Ukrainian Academy of Customs Service in Dnipropetrovsk, has come to Moldova for the first time. She admires the beauty of the Moldovan landscape and its main river – the Dniester. However, what she enjoys most are the new friends she has made at the course. “Being together like this is great,” she says, “but the reason I came in the first place was to get knowledge and practical experience of counteracting corruption. You know, I always feel very embarrassed if I have to take a box of chocolates or

N Family photo of students and teachers at their visit to the CCECC headquarters (Centre for Combating Economic Crimes and Corruption of the Republic of Moldova).

something else with me when I go to see a doctor. This is humiliating, but that is how things are done. I know that both for Ukraine and Moldova corruption is one of the main factors that prevent investment and business development. I think that we all must eradicate this dangerous phenomenon. And I hope very much that most people here hold the same view.” It is always time to say no to corruption “The idea of holding such school camps came up last year, while we were searching for new forms and methods of changing the attitude of people in both countries,” says Albena Kuyumdzhieva, the EUBAM adviser on anti-corruption issues. “We understand very well that such a complex problem cannot be solved by single actions. This requires long, painstaking and purposeful work. But involving young people in the process seems the most effective method to achieve a long-term cure of society from corruption.” It is not by chance that one of the slogans of the fourth course is “It is always time to say no to corruption”. Alongside theoretical and practical classes, the weeklong programme of the course includes tours around Moldova to learn about concrete anti-corruption actions taken by the institutions of the two countries.

“You know, I always feel very embarrassed if I have to take a box of chocolates or something else with me when I go to see a doctor. This is humiliating, but that is how things are done” The students go from the Centre for Combating Economic Crime and Corruption in Moldova, to the EUBAM field office in Chisinau, to the Customs Service General Administration. They are given detailed information on the anti-corruption law and its practical application. They are told about the civil service’s ethical standards as one of the important factors of corruption prevention. Then, it’s time for a N Student Maria Colesnic (L) speaks with media representatives during the first day of the course “Youth against Corruption”.

practical contribution to the fight against corruption. At the border checkpoint at Tudora-Starokazachye, the students conduct a public opinion poll on corruption cases observed while crossing the border between Moldova and Ukraine. Participants in an earlier course also conducted a similar poll at the same point. The data received and their comparison help the students to get a live picture of the situation at this checkpoint. “What should we do to make anti-corruption trendy?” At the end of the school camp, the participants are asked to brainstorm about the most effective ways to counteract corruption and to inform society about it. Several ideas come up, from publishing an anti-corruption newspaper, to producing and broadcasting videos. And somebody suggests creating T-shirts with symbols and slogans like “It’s always time to say no to corruption”. And to dress bunches of young people with them. Text by Dmitri KALAK Photos by EPA©EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre

EUBAM EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine Enhances the capacities of customs and border guard services, supports the development of risk analysis capabilities and improves co-operation with other law enforcement agencies, through monitoring, training and advice. www.eubam.org/en/ Participating countries Ukraine, Moldova Timeframe 2007-2011 Budget € 24 million plus in-kind contribution from Member States (86 seconded experts) Objective The EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM) supports the two countries to harmonize and modernize their border management standards and procedures in accordance with European standards. It also aims to enhance the professional capacities of the Moldovan and Ukrainian customs and border guard services at operational level. In addition, it offers help to develop risk analysis capacities and to improve cross border co-operation between the border guard and customs services and with other law enforcement agencies. Find out more EU Neighbourhood Info Centre Project fiche www.enpi-info.eu/maineast.php?id=188&id_ type=10 UBAM press release: Youth against corruption initiative www.enpi-info.eu/maineast. php?id=24244&id_type=1&lang_id=450 Education and training – EU Neighbourhood Info Centre Thematic portal www.enpi-info.eu/themeeast.php?subject=11

“Such a complex problem cannot be solved by single actions. This requires long, painstaking and purposeful work. But involving young people into the process seems the most effective method of long-term healing of society from corruption”

According to the Transparency International study “Corruption Perception Index – 2010”, Moldova took the 105th place out of 178 states included in the research. It went down 13 positions compared with its 2009 rating. The Moldovan index was 2.9 out of maximum 10 points. In the same rating, Ukraine took the 134th place, with 2.4 points, and went up 12 positions. The new rating for 2011 is expected to be published later in 2011. References > www.eubam.org

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

People > RUSSIA

Providing a home for my baby In Ekaterinburg, every three days or so a young mother abandons her child after birth, leaving him or her behind in the maternity ward. The key problem is always the same. There is a shortage of temporary residences where lonely, needy and often adolescent mothers can take refuge, pull themselves together and undergo a course of psychological and social rehabilitation. Thanks to the efforts of several nonprofit organisations, the regional and municipal welfare centres and the European Union, 300 mothers in need have been supported in the last three years and many children who might have been abandoned are today with their original families. What follows are some stories from the Temporary Housing for Mothers in Need project.

“Psychologists, lawyers and social workers helped me overcome my problems. The housing issue was solved. I understood that I was not alone. I am so glad that I didn’t panic and give my baby away…”

feelings of despair and loneliness. “I didn’t want to have an abortion, so I decided to have the baby,” she adds. “I must thank my friend for advising me to turn to the Centre for Social Support of Family and Children. There I was told about a project called ‘Temporary Housing for Mothers in Need’, which is run by the non-profit organisation Family for Children. I became a member. As a result, N Young mothers receive some advice from a lawyer at the Centre’s premises. N A young mother kisses her child at the Mother and Child Centre in Bogdanovich.

EKATARININBURG – Alexandra’s son is 18 months old. The child is hyperactive and requires constant supervision. The young mother was taught the basics of bringing up her child not by relatives but by welfare workers. Alexandra’s mother was ruined by drink a long time ago and she was eventually stripped of her parental rights. So Alexandra was sent to a boarding school. There, she met her first love. Everything was alright until Alexandra learned that she was pregnant. The young father then started drinking and life went downhill.

“I asked my boyfriend to give up alcohol. I thought he would be glad to learn that I was pregnant, that he would pull himself together. But he didn’t care. I realised that I could never live with the guy,” says Alexandra. “Naturally, I was completely lost. I didn’t know what to do next. Where should I go? Who should I ask for help?” At the age of 19, the girl found herself virtually in the street. She was unable to find herself a job because she was pregnant. Alexandra started thinking that there was no way out. She was wracked with Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

psychologists, lawyers and social workers helped me overcome my problems. The housing issue was solved. I understood that I was not alone. There are people who are always ready to help,” she says. “I am so glad that I didn’t panic and give my baby away.” She looks back at her past as something of a nightmare but is today preparing to enter one of the lyceums in Ekaterinburg. Support for 300 mothers in need Dozens of women find themselves in a similar situation every day. As a rule, the high-risk group is made up of young mothers aged between 17 and 19 plus women who are already bringing up several kids but cannot afford another one. There are no official statistics and no-one knows how many mothers have to choose whether to accept their child or to abandon him/her on a daily basis. The public Centres for Social Support are trying to help. “For a long time the centres have not been able to solve the key problem, which is a shortage of temporary residences where mothers can take refuge, pull themselves together and undergo a course of psychological and social rehabilitation. This problem needed to be solved and this is how the project called ‘Temporary Housing for Mothers in Need’ was launched, says Alexandra Dovidenko,

the coordinator for the Sverdlovsk region. In 2005, the project founders received a grant from a Swiss charity organisation. This provided enough money to buy a two-room flat in Revda, which was equipped with everything that two mothers needed to live with their babies. It was the starting point. “In a number of other cities the project was launched in 2009,” adds Dovidenko. “But during the latest economic crisis, funding was scarce. The project managed to survive only thanks to the backing of the Ministry for Social Support of the Sverdlovsk region and to the financial aid provided by the European Union.” As a result, the project has provided support for 300 mothers in need in five cities of the Sverdlovsk region. All 300 mothers had been on the brink of abandoning their children because they had nowhere to live. They were given special temporary housing facilities, where they could feel socially protected. While the mothers were there, they were supported by psychologists and social workers, who provided advice on welfare benefits and jobs, helped them to patch up relations with their relatives, husbands or children’s fathers and taught them how to handle their new babies. “One of the key aims of the project,” continues Dovidenko “was to create a network of various organisations

“For a long time the centres have not been able to solve the key problem, which is a shortage of temporary residences where mothers can take refuge, pull themselves together and undergo a course of psychological and social rehabilitation” 19

People > RUSSIA

People > ARMENIA

N Children playing at the Mother and Child Centre.

Temporary Accommodation for Vulnerable Mothers The number of young children abandoned in Russia increases every year. Most of these infants end up in state care centres, and only some of them are given a chance to be adopted. Stronger social services could support young mothers and prevent them from leaving their children behind. http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/ documents/case-studies/ russia_civil_vulnerable_mothers_en.pdf

Students without borders

N Erasmus Mundus students in Greece.

Participating countries Russia Timeframe 2009-2011 Budget € 183,036 (80% of total budget)

“One of the key aims of the project was to create a network of various organisations which could work towards preventing early baby abandonment” which could work towards preventing early baby abandonment. Such a network was developed based on the Centres of Social Support for Families and Children, which could in the future share the experience obtained during the project”. The ‘Mum +’ project: fighting discrimination The staff of the Family for Children nonprofit organisation pay special attention to HIV-infected pregnant women. This category of young mothers suffers most from discrimination and biased social 20

attitudes. And the sick women themselves perceive this diagnosis as a death sentence. They do not realise that, if properly treated, they can still give birth to healthy babies and live full lives. Such women need to be given timely psychological and social support so that they do not panic and abandon their babies. In the Urals, HIV-infected mothers have been getting help within the framework of the Mum+ Ekaterinburg project. This project is supported by the social organisation Doctors for Children, which is based in St.Petersburg. The model has being successfully implemented both in Russia and abroad. According to the project’s coordinator, Alexandra Melyakh, it is due to the support of non-profit organisations, the regional AIDS Centre staff, the centres for social support and doctors, that, in 2011 the number of mothers who abandoned their babies in the Sverdlovsk region has fallen so sharply. “In 2011,only seven HIV-infected mothers abandoned their children in Ekaterinburg, by comparison with 28 in 2010”.

Objective To develop a network of services in the Sverdlovsk region to support vulnerable mothers and to prevent young child abandonment. Project’s results 355 women and 267 children supported 57 babies prevented from abandonment Networks of services established in 4 cities Teams of interdisciplinary experts established National authorities supported

Some of them go abroad to live independently or to improve their knowledge, others to establish contacts and to gain new friends. Most of them end up having the greatest experience of their life. Thousands of students every year join the EU-funded Erasmus Mundus programme, one of the most efficient tools Europe has created to bring up a new generation of youth, free from stereotypes and prejudice. If Erasmus Mundus supports students, Tempus promotes transfer of expertise between universities. Both programmes are powerful instruments to strengthen education and to promote European values and ideals throughout the world.

To find out more Project fiche: http://ec.europa.eu/ europeaid/documents/case-studies/ russia_civil_vulnerable_mothers_en.pdf EU Neighbourhood Thematic portal: Civil Society & local authorities http://www. enpi-info.eu/list_projects_east.php? EU Neighbourhood Country page: Russia http://www.enpi-info.eu/countryeast. php?country=61

Text by ITAR-TASS Photos by EPA©EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

YEREVAN – “I learned to live independently, to communicate freely and openly, I gained new friends and new knowledge: it was the greatest experience of my life”. Shushanik Khachatryan was doing her bachelor studies at the Armenian State University of Economics, when she was presented with the opportunity to continue her studies in Thessaloniki, Greece. She accepted it. And the 10 months she spent in Europe thanks to the EU-supported Erasmus Mundus project, have changed her life forever. “During the first five months, I studied Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

management at a Greek university, then I continued my exchange year taking practical courses in one hotel. It was great. I’ll be forever thankful to this project, because it gave me the opportunity to study and live in a multicultural environment, to deepen my professional knowledge and to create new and useful contacts. It was a huge life experience,” she says. Erasmus Mundus supports students from third countries in their efforts to study at a European university for one or two years. On a different level, another EUfunded programme – Tempus – provides

opportunities for higher education institutions. “Since 1995,” says Lana Karlova, National Tempus office coordinator in Armenia, “this programme has helped us to develop curricula and teaching materials, to upgrade facilities, and to improve university administration.” Both Tempus and Erasmus Mundus are EU-funded programmes for the exchange of students and academic expertise between Europe and its neighbouring countries. According to Ara Avetisyan, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Armenia, Tempus and Erasmus 21

People > ARMENIA

“I learned to live independently, to communicate freely and openly, I gained new friends and new knowledge: it was the greatest experience of my life”.

Mundus are the most efficient international programmes in Armenia supporting education. “When many years ago we were making the first attempts to find partners,” he says, “the first steps were taken through Tempus.” Bridging the cultural, linguistic, social divide Erasmus Mundus is based on financing scholarships to exchange students between universities in Europe and neighbouring countries. Erasmus Mundus refers to both undergraduate and postgraduate students, and it aims at bridging the cultural, linguistic, and social divide. The scholarship covers all expenses, from plane tickets to tuition fees. Thanks to the programme, many Armenian students have been able through the years to explore European universities. At the same time, Armenia has received students from European universities. These exchanges have a deep impact on young people’s life, developing their overall personality and their professional knowledge. After coming back to Armenia, for example, Shushanik and her Erasmus Mundus friends have tried to increase the visibility of this programme and they have established AEGEE-Yerevan, a branch of the international non-governmental organisation “AEGEE-European Students’ Forum”. 22

“Now AEGEE is one of the biggest organisations in Europe with more than 15,000 members in 240 academic cities,” says Shushanik, who is now the president of the Armenian branch. Transferring expertise between universities On the other hand, Tempus is specialised in promoting higher education. It is based on transferring expertise between Euro-

pean educational institutions and their counterparts in partner countries. Tempus finances mostly two types of actions: joint projects and structural measures. The joint projects are based on multilateral partnerships. Such projects develop, modernise and disseminate new curricula, teaching methods or materials, they modernise the management and governance of higher education institutions. The structural measures contribute to the development and reform of higher education institutions in partner countries, enhancing their quality and relevance. Since 1995, Tempus has supported 42 projects in Armenia, 14 in the field of university management and 28 on curriculum development. “These projects cover many different domains,” continues Lana Karlova, the national coordinator, “we go from environmental studies to engineering and technology, from medical sciences to tourism, law and humanities.” Yerevan State University (YSU) Rector Aram Simonyan has no doubts: “Thanks to Tempus, a stronger cooperation has been developed between Armenian higher education institutions. Before the programme, each of them preferred to act alone.”

N Sargis Stepanyan.

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

N Lana Karlova, National Tempus office coordinator in Armenia.

Participating countries Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine (East), Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian territory, Syria, Tunisia (South)

Tempus IV – Modernizing higher education http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/ Timeframe 2007-2013 Budget €59.5 million in 2012 (ENPI countries), €70 million in 2013

“This programme has helped us to develop curricula and teaching materials, to upgrade facilities, and to improve university administration” Geographic information technology is the future “In 2010,” continues Lana Karlova, “four projects involving Armenian higher education institutions have been selected for funding.” One of them – Geographic information technology for sustainable development in Eastern Neighbouring countries – is the continuation of a successful cooperation started under a previous Tempus edition. This project deals with GIS (Gographic Information Systems) that capture, store, analyze and present data that are linked to locations. Such systems digitally create and manipulate spatial areas for decision making purposes, be it in urban planning or agriculture, natural resources management or archeology etc. In this project Swedish, Spanish and German universities will cooperate with two institutes from Ukraine, two from Moldova and three from Armenia. The total volume of the grant is € 925,941 for a three-year programme. Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

According to Sargis Stepanyan, head of the department of economics, law and management of Yerevan State University of Architecture and Constructions, in Armenia there is still no programme connected with GIS, though the growing importance of this sphere is nowadays of no doubt. “Thanks to the project,” he says, “bachelor’s and master’s programmes will be developed and laboratories established.” Text and pictures by Aghavni Harutyunyan ©EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre

“Thanks to Tempus, a stronger cooperation has been developed between Armenian higher education institutions. Before the programme, each of them preferred to act alone.”

Objective The Trans-European Mobility Scheme for University Studies (Tempus) supports the effort of the Partner Countries to modernize their higher education systems and creates opportunities for cooperation among higher education actors through joint projects. It also enhances understanding between cultures as it promotes a people-to-people approach and promotes convergence with EU developments in higher education leading to more jobs and growth. Find out more Fiche and news www.enpi-info.eu/mainmed. php?id=248&id_type=10 Website http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/ index_en.php

Erasmus Mundus II Promotes cooperation between higher education institutions through encouraging partnerships, mobility and exchanges of students, researchers and academic staff http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/ erasmus_mundus Timeframe 2009-2013 Budget €70 million in 2013, instead of approx €29 million Objective The Erasmus Mundus II – Action 2 Partnerships seeks to promote better understanding and mutual enrichment between the EU and third countries and in the medium term strengthens political, cultural, educational and economic links. Find out more Fiche and news www.enpi-info.eu/mainmed. php?id=246&id_type=10 Website http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus_ mundus/programme/programme_guide_en.php

People > UKRAINE

The Danube Wreath Festival: Noah’s Arc Odessa Style Pottery and weaving, embroidery and beadwork, blacksmiths’ works and rag dolls – but also dancing and cooking… From this year on, the 130 nationalities living in the Odessa border area have one more place where they can showcase their crafts, display the products of their extraordinary skills, and present their culture. Created within the framework of one of the 13 EU financed Cross Border Cooperation programmes, the Danube Wreath ethnic festival offers to local craftsmen one more opportunity to express themselves. And to show the world that people living in border areas can overcome their shared development challenges, by working together and finding common solutions.

“For Odessa, such festivals should become a tradition, it is important to show that national cultures cannot be allowed to die”

seaport building. The festival is organised by the Agency for Regional Development within the framework of one Cross Border Cooperation (CBC) programme – the Romania – Ukraine – Republic of Moldova one – financed by the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI). The programme aims at creating “bridges” among the three countries involved, in order to help the border areas to overcome their shared development challenges, by working together and finding common solutions. Hence, instead of dividing, the border unites the areas concerned. Through the CBC programme, the people in border arN Sampling national dishes during the Expert in Ethnic Cuisine competition.

ODESSA – In a world of rampant globalisation that is fast eroding national features, ethnic culture seldom becomes the focus of attention. There is a widespread opinion that stressing differences can lead to aggressive separation into “us” and “them”, as well as various manifestations of intolerance. Nevertheless, there

are still some enthusiasts who manage to prove the opposite: the thing that is exciting about ethnicity, is that through understanding a different culture you get a better understanding of your own. This is what the participants of the first international Danube Wreath ethnic festival are thinking as they leave Odessa Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

eas are encouraged to further develop the border economy, confront environmental challenges and enhance their preparedness for emergency situations. In fact, the choice of Odessa as a venue is not accidental. It is in this multinational region that 130 nationalities, who have managed to preserve their own cultural specificity, live side by side. All of them – the Russians, Bulgarians, Moldovans, Gagauz, Jews, Belarusians, Gypsies, Poles, Germans, Georgians, Azerbaijanis, Greeks, Koreans, Czechs, Ossetians, Chinese, Hindus, Vietnamese, Afghans and Italians – are cherished here and given every opportunity to express themselves. Amulet makers “During the festival, unique works are shown which illustrate and develop the regional traditions,” says Angela Khomanerian, one of the Danube Wreath organisers. “They include items of pottery, weaving, embroidery and beadwork. On show are works by Odessa blacksmiths and rag dolls; workshops are held by ingenious craftsmen.” Indeed, what the guests see is amazing in that it is such painstaking and minute work and, most of all, marked by utmost sincerity. It is not just a collection of craftwork, each item has been treated with loving care. Take amulets. They seem just like any talismans or embroidered items. But you will be told a story concerning each, which will help you understand what the nation has wrongly lost, as well as make you remember your own roots. “According to our beliefs, our ancestors are always with us and trying to help,” says Varvara, Festival participant, who we found hanging out kitchen towels, Ukrainian national style. “We can keep in touch with them through certain embroidery patterns. Look here, you think all these fanciful shapes are just ornaments, but this is not quite true. They are potent talismans. You see, even common cross-stitch used to have sacral meaning and was supposed to protect people from various troubles. It was only much later that embroidery became just a pastime.”

N This is how a real keeper of national traditions looks like.

Kids at the Festival In the opposite part of the hall, the Romanians are dancing. Men wearing tall black caps and ironed vests, women with hair tucked under their kerchiefs, thin skirts and embroidered chemise. Beautiful and great fun. Next to the stage are the children wearing Greek national dress, waiting nervously for their exit; they are welcomed by the applause that has been accompanying every performance. “It is always exciting to watch kids,” says Nikolai Petrovich, who has come to support his grand-daughter from a Ukrainian dancing group. “It is important for them that the audience claps their hands. So I will be also applauding them (he nods at the Greek children). There, look at how nervous they are, cannot stand still.”

“During the festival, unique works are shown which illustrate and develop the regional traditions: they include items of pottery, weaving, embroidery and beadwork” 25

People > UKRAINE

People > GEORGIA

N Made with creative hands: from rag dolls to embroidered landscapes – to ward off the evil.

“You see, even common cross-stitch used to have sacral meaning and was supposed to protect people from various troubles. It was only much later that embroidery became just a pastime” Would you like to have a bite? You could wander endlessly among the dolls, embroidered belts and books on the nations of the region. However, it is time to go upstairs, where the competition is going to take place for the title of Expert in Ethnic Cuisine. The main thing is not just to try traditional Ukrainian, Gagauz, Georgian, Indian or Jewish food, but learn the stories of various dishes. For instance, you would be quite sure that red borsch is an original Ukrainian dish, and it would be quite a shock to learn that the Poles, Lithuanians, Romanians and Russians have also included it among their national dishes. It is only that each nation has something special to add to the soup and the process 26

of cooking. And the most amazing thing is that borsch was invented by the French. “For Odessa, such festivals should become a tradition,” says Angela Khomanerian. “It is important to show that national cultures cannot be allowed to die. At present, there are two countries participating in the project: Ukraine and Romania. Our Romanian partners from Galaza, the Lower Danube cultural centre, were the first to hold the festival in their territory. At that time, we were amazed at the scale and number of participants. It seemed we could never match it. But the main thing is to aspire”. Text and photos by Oksana Butuk ©EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre

The shield of the law against the menace of war

CBC – Cross-border cooperation CBC, a key priority of the ENPI, seeks to reinforce cooperation between EU Member States and Partner Countries along the external EU borders. www.enpi-info.eu/mainmed. php?id=171&id_type=10 Timeframe 2007-2013 Budget €1.1 billion Objective CBC aims to promote economic and social development in border areas. It strives to address common challenges, ensure efficient and secure borders and promote people-to-people cooperation. Find out more EU Neighbourhood Info Centre project fiche www.enpi-info.eu/mainmed. php?id=171&id_type=10 Romania – Ukraine – Republic of Moldova CBC programme www.ro-ua-md.net/index. php?option=com_content&view=article&id =60&Itemid=99 Civil Society and Local Authorities – Thematic Portal www.enpi-info.eu/ themeeast.php?subject=14

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

They have faced the threat of military conflict in recent years and they know what war means for people, for cultural heritage and for humanity. Two cities, Byblos in Lebanon and Mtskheta in Georgia, which are on the UNESCO World Heritage list, have recently had to cope with military conflict wreaking havoc on their national soil. With the help of the EU financed CIUDAD project, the local civil and military authorities of the two countries are now developing appropriate policies to prepare and implement risk management plans. The ultimate aim is to apply for greater protection from UNESCO to shield against potential threats in the future.

N A general view of the fortress Bebris Tsikhe (14th century) in Mtskheta.

TBILISI – “The phone lines were down. We panicked,” says Nunu Mgebrishvili, the deputy head to the state representative in Georgia’s Mtskheta-Mtianeti Region, recalling the Russia-Georgia war in August 2008. As the Russian military were bombing the city of Gori, just 55 km away, people in Mtskheta, Georgia’s ancient capital, expected bombs to rain down on them at any moment. Mtskheta, which has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1994, survived the attack, but the episode raised

awareness of the potential danger. “We realised that efforts were essential to ensure that cities like Mtskheta never came under the threat of bombardment, as they are symbolic of the mankind’s best accomplishments,” said Mgebrishvili. ‘War Free World Heritage Listed Cities’, a grant project financed by the European Union under the Cooperation in Urban Development and Dialogue (CIUDAD) programme, is believed to be the right effort. The aim of the three-year project is to develop management models to pro-

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

tect Mtskheta and Byblos from the ravages of war. The project has a budget of EUR 540,740 and will end in April 2013. Bombing threats on the oldest inhabited city in the world The remains of the human settlements in Mtskheta (15 km from Tbilisi) date back to the 3000-2000 BC and include the Neolithic-period bathhouse and the remains of a lavish palace in proto-Hellenistic style. Mtskheta, which was the capital of Georgia until the fifth cen27

People > GEORGIA N Nunu Mghebrishvili, Deputy State Representative.

tury, witnessed the early developments of Christianity in Georgia. Illustrating the high achievements of medieval ecclesiastical architecture in the Caucasus, the city has three listed World Heritage sites – Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (11th century), Jvari Monastery (6th century) and Samtavro Nunnery (4th century and 11th century). Byblos (38 km from Beyrut) was added to the World Heritage list in 1984, around ten years before Mtskheta. The city, which was the major sea port N A building on fire during the RussiaGeorgia war in August 2008.

People > GEORGIA

in the eastern Mediterranean region in 3000 BC, is believed to be one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world and the birthplace of the Phoenician alphabet. Just as a threat had hovered over Mtskheta in 2008, Byblos came under threat during the Israel-Hezbollah war in 2006. The city itself was not hit but the Israeli bombing of a power plant in the South of Beirut and the subsequent oil spill caused considerable damage to the ancient port of Byblos. “Through this project under the CIUDAD Programme, Georgia and Lebanon are preparing two candidacy applications for ‘enhanced protection’ from UNESCO for Byblos and Mtskheta. They are also working on the related risk preparedness plans,” explains Nino Chanishvili, the project coordinator in Georgia. “Enhanced protection,” says Chanishvili, “is one of the features of the 1999 Second Protocol to the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict”. Such enhanced protection is granted to heritage sites in

“Due to the lower risk, Mtskheta could be more appealing not only for tourists but also for business activities”

CIUDAD – Sustainable urban development Aims to help local governments in the ENPI region address urban development problems in a sustainable manner, promoting cooperation between local actors and their EU counterparts www.ciudad-programme.eu

countries that are party to the second protocol under three conditions: when the site is of the greatest importance to humanity; when it is protected by relevant domestic legal and administrative measures; when it is not used for military purposes. Presently, Cyprus, Italy and Lithuania have their World Heritage sites under ‘enhanced protection’. Raising heritage awareness Manana Tevzadze, heritage consultant at the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Georgia, expects that, for Mtskheta, the new status would mean greater support from local and international communities to preserve the cultural heritage of the town. It could also serve as a model for other cities. “The conflicts at the end of the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s have shown the ineffectiveness of The Hague Convention,” says Tevzadze . “So the second protocol adopted in 1999 en-

“We realised that efforts were essential to ensure that cities like Mtskheta never came under the threat of bombardment, as they are symbolic of the mankind’s best accomplishments” 28

N A general view of the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta 20 km north of Tbilisi.

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

Participating countries Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria, Tunisia (South), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine (East) Timeframe 2009 – 2013 Budget €14 million

visions more efficient measures to protect cultural heritage sites and it also specifies the sanctions in case of violations”. Under this project, the representatives of the Ministries of Defence and Interior Affairs, some religious authorities, urban planners, international organisations and foreign experts have been involved in the production of interdisciplinary studies that will lead to an application for ‘enhanced protection’ and to the related risk management plan. This was done with full public backing. In fact, another vital mission, as Chanishvili notes, is to raise the public’s awareness about the importance of protecting heritage. This is accomplished throughout a number of initiatives, from publishing brochures on emergency situations to organising competitions for schoolchildren on the Hague Convention to printing out maps highlighting buffer zones where military operations will be prohibited etc. For Teimuraz Abashidze, the head of Municipality of Mtskheta, the enhanced protection status is also associated with a possible increase in the city’s income. “Due to the lower risk,” he says, “Mtskheta could be more appealing not only for tourists but also for business activities”. Underlining the importance of risk mitiProjects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

Text by Maia Edilashvili Photos by EPA©EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre

Objective The programme “Cooperation in Urban Development and Dialogue” (CIUDAD) aims to promote mutual understanding, dialogue and cooperation between local actors in the EU and in the Partner Countries of the Eastern and Southern Neighbourhood (ENPI region) through the provision of capacity building for the modernisation and strengthening of local and regional government. 20 projects receive grants under the CIUDAD ‘umbrella’: “War free World Heritage Listed Cities “ is one of them.

N Nino Chanishvili, local project coordinator.

Find out more

gation policies, Mr. Abashidze points out that, if there was a serious hazard right now, there would be no trained police, no evacuation plans, no fire brigades or well-trained contact persons at the site. “Thanks to this CIUDAD project,” he says, “all these shortfalls will be corrected”.

War Free World Heritage Listed Cities: project fiche www.ciudad-programme.eu/ grant_profile.php?lang=1&sector_ id=12&grant_id=16 CIUDAD – EU Neighbourhood Info Centre fiche www.enpi-info.eu/maineast. php?id=310&id_type=10 EU Neighbourhood Info Centre – Civil Society and local authorities thematic portal www.enpi-info.eu/thememed. php?subject=14 (South) www.enpi-info.eu/themeeast. php?subject=14 (East) EU Neighbourhood Info Centre – The people behind the project – Interview with Frank Samol – CIUDAD www.enpi-info.eu/mainmed. php?id=312&id_type=6&lang_id=450

ECONOMY > Belarus

Economy

The World Wide Web at the service of small business

General view of the metal working factory in Cherkasy city, some 200 km on south of Kiev, Ukraine, 16 May 2012. The project’s objective is to support the local authorities in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia to reduce their dependency on fossil fuels, to improve security of their energy supply, and to allow them to contribute more actively to climate change mitigation (Photos by EPA©EU/ Neighbourhood Info Centre). 30

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

E-government can do more. In Europe it has long been accepted that what is necessary for success in business is not only a good idea and initial capital, but also availability of information on market rules. The EU-supported Egoprise project – promoting e-government as a tool to improve quality of services for medium and small business – helps create a system in which enterprises have access to all the necessary information in electronic format, and do not suffer from administrative barriers. This project is part of the European Territorial Cooperation, more exactly of the Baltic Sea Region Programme for transnational cooperation. It involves 22 partners from Germany, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, Finland and Estonia, and its overall budget is €2.5 million. In 2010 Belarus also joined in.

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

Minsk – “The whole idea is about minimizing administrative procedures. As shown by international experience, business enterprises often fail because it is very difficult to find a way through too many and too different State regulations. E-government is a tool to improve the quality of services provided by public authorities for small and medium-sized enterprises.” Michael Doroshevich is an expert from Belarus. For him, it is essential that the government understands the purpose of the initiative. And he goes even further: “It is vital that the government realizes how important it is to stay in contact with the people. It is not enough to provide enterprises with information, or an opportunity to pay taxes, via an electronic system. It is also necessary to be aware of their opinions, to understand what they need and want”. The overall aim of EGOPRISE – an initiative supported by the EU – is to turn public administrations in rural areas into

more business oriented service suppliers. The idea is to relieve small and medium enterprises from administrative burdens and to improve their access to information and qualified staff. In the end, the final consequence should be an increased attractiveness of rural areas as places in which to live, work and invest. Remote regions made attractive for business In Belarus – as in many other countries – companies and their customers face a lot of problems when they try to start up and develop their own business. This is why the Strategy for Developing Information Society was adopted by the Belarusian government: for authorities, the establishment of an e-government is today a priority, and that is where the EGOPRISE project comes in as an important instrument to bring this concept into life. Igor Gancharyonok, Deputy Rector for Studies at the Academy of Public Admin31

ECONOMY > Belarus

istration – the EGOPRISE local partner – says the aims of the project are best expressed by the famous Belarusian motto ‘The State is there for the people’. “We addressed the development of small and medium business in the region – he says – and in this sector, the emphasis was put on rural districts. It is international cooperation in this field that enables us to optimize procedures, to attract labour and to make remote regions attractive for business,” Ganchryonok notes. The idea of an e-government was suggested as early as the mid-nineties. It was at that time that experts started discussing means to provide electronic information and public services for individuals and legal entities, using information technologies. However, even now many experts think that only Singapore and Estonia have an e-government that is up to the mark. “Even today, we think of an e-government as a way of managing public administration as a whole in an information-oriented society,” says Gancharyonock. “But the e-government concept is about changing the principles of public administration: it is an opportunity to transform it.” An opportunity to transform public administration Implementing EGOPRISE requires quite a lot of effort. In an initial phase, the idea is to identify the weak points in the flow of public information. Then procedures will be suggested to improve these information flows through technical instruments. Besides, a multi-language Internet resource is going to be developed for business registration, to enable businessmen

ECONOMY > Russia

“E-government is a tool to improve the quality of services provided by public authorities for small and medium-sized enterprises” to start new businesses in partner countries without leaving their own offices. The project will help create computer interfaces to enable users to obtain information relevant to their interests. For instance, each Executive committee in Belarus has its own website. Information from these sites should be more readily available to end users. How? For example, an advertisement is put up about a new service provided by the regional executive committee, offering a new benefit or new jobs. This information should not only “hang” on the site, but it should be loaded into the electronic system that is available to all entrepreneurs. Only in this case will it appear on every user’s screen. Attracting employers and employees from other countries Not only does EGOPRISE improve workflows and develop interoperable egovernment solutions; it also aims at simplifying the employment process of (foreign) labour for small and medium sized enterprises. In fact, the international nature of the project makes it possible to attract potential employers and employees from other countries. “So far the idea of a labour force operating across the borders has not been very popular in

Belarus – continues Gancharyonok – but this is a common practice in Europe. And we will have to attract human resources to regions where there is a shortage of workers.” “We study the European experience and try to get it across to our state officials” continues Gancharyonok, adding that the EGOPRISE project offers a unique chance for both Academy teaching staff and students, among whom are state officials and entrepreneurs from different Belarusian regions. “Our task is to train competent and highly qualified administrators” concludes Gancharyonok. Michael Doroshevich shares his view. “The more Belarus takes part in such projects, the more it will benefit,” he says. Text by Tatyana Korovenkova ©EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre

Egoprise The overall aim of Egoprise is to turn public administrations in rural Baltic Sea Region areas to more business oriented service suppliers, to relieve small & medium enterprises from administrative burdens, to improve their access to information & qualified staff and as a consequence to increase attractiveness of rural areas as places to live, work & invest in. www.egoprise.eu Participating countries Latvia, Estonia, Lituania, Belarus, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Denmark. Timeframe 2009-2013 Budget € 2,546,000 Objective Egoprise improves workflows & develops interoperable e-gov. solutions in order to: make public administrations more service oriented for enterprises; to simplify the employment process of (foreign) labour for small and medium enterprises; to provide easier entrance into public & business networks for such enterprises. Find out more Project information http://eu.baltic.net/ Project_Database.5308.html?&&contentid=29 &contentaction=single

N The idea of an e-government was suggested as early as the mid-nineties. E-governements enable to optimize procedures and to make remote regions more attractive for business.

N The e-government concept is about changing the principles of public administration.

Baltic Sea Region Programme http:// eu.baltic.net

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

Crumbling avant-garde buildings being given a new lease of life The fate of dozens of Russian and Ukrainian avant-garde buildings dating back to the 1920s and 1930 is today hanging in the balance. They are often crumbling, generally in a dilapidated state. And yet some of them, such as the Shukhov Tower and Gorky Park in Moscow, are real masterpieces of early Soviet architectural heritage. The EU-funded CIUDAD programme intends to shed light on their importance for Europe’s cultural heritage, including by developing tourist routes to show off the buildings. After all, Moscow’s 20th century architecture is part of Europe’s heritage, and preserving it is important both for the city and for Europe as a whole. But there’s another reason for preserving them, which is that these unique buildings can be a powerful agent for stimulating economic development and for promoting social and cultural growth within communities. Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

Moscow – Lost in the midst of the endless sea of high-rise buildings and business centres in Moscow are low-rise houses topped by turrets. In the middle of these houses sit masterpieces of avant-garde architecture, the period when the search for a new lifestyle was reflected in the aesthetics of functionalism and minimalism. Many of these monuments are now in a sorry state of disrepair. As it is usually considered cheaper to replace buildings than to preserve them, the very survival of many of these architectural jewels is now at stake. Russian and Ukrainian avant-garde and constructivist architecture from the 1920s and 1930s represents one of the most important contributions to the international modern movement. Moscow’s 20th century architecture is part of Europe’s heritage and so preserving it is impor-

tant both for the city and for Europe as a whole. That is why the European Union, via its CIUDAD programme, is financing the R(ome)K(iev)M(oscow) _Save urban heritage project, which aims to promote the early Soviet architectural heritage and to draw the public’s attention to the difficulty of preserving it. The municipal councils of Rome, Kiev and Moscow, the DATA Department of La Sapienza University in Rome and the Shukhov Tower Foundation have joined forces through the RKM Save Urban Heritage project financed by the EU under the regional CIUDAD programme to preserve the architectural heritage of the twenties and thirties. The partners in the project also include the International Committee on Building Documentation and Preservation and Moscow State Academy of Communal Services and Civil Engineering (MSACSCE). 33

ECONOMY > Russia

“Many avant-garde buildings are not even known to experts let alone ordinary Muscovites. So we must determine which of them are of historical value and then we must let people know about them” A hundred buildings at risk in Moscow alone International networked labs in Russia and Ukraine lie at the heart of the project. These labs have been set up to support partnerships between the state and private sectors, to develop new methods for preserving avant-garde heritage and to raise awareness of its importance. Moscow is a unique megapolis. It is one of Europe’s largest capitals and has over 8,000 cultural monuments. Around four million foreigners visit the city every year. “Tourists are particularly interested in the city’s architecture,” says Marina Khrustaleva, Board Chair of the Moscow Society for Architectural Heritage Preservation. “So the capital should find something new that could attract both its residents and tourists.” According to the project partners, avant-garde architecture could offer an opportunity to come up with a new and unusual itinerary attracting large numbers of visitors. “Here, they won’t find any ‘fancy’ décor, but this is a distinguishing feature and not a shortcoming,” stresses Khrustalyeva. The long list of avant-garde buildings in Moscow includes the Nikolayev communal hostel, the Central Telegraph building, residential houses, mechanised canteens, the famous Gorky Park (designed by the great architect Melnikov) and Shukhov Tower. The latter is an astonishing Soviet-era radio station that was built in 1922 by Lenin to spread the message of revolu34

ECONOMY > Russia N A group of people having a guided tour pass the Communal Hostel building, 1928-1930.

N The Shukhov Tower, Moscow’s unique Soviet-era radio station built by the engineer Vladimir Shukhov between 1919 and 1922.

will be available online on the RKM _Save urban heritage project website. Experts are developing special applications for computers and mobile phones so that residents or visitors to the capital can download or look up any particular route. As part of efforts to draw attention to the avant-garde buildings, the project partners believe that it is also important to give lectures to students and city residents, to put plaques on the buildings and to publish guide books in various languages. The project intends to demonstrate that avant-garde architectural

“The capital should find something new that could attract both its residents and tourists” tionary communism around the world. The tower is a delicate lattice structure of dazzling brilliance. It has five interlocking ‘hyperboloids’, each smaller in size, giving the impression of an inverted telescope. If the tower is not restored properly, it faces a grim future. In all, there are around a hundred buildings in the capital that date back to this period. “The European project gives us hope that all this heritage will be preserved,” says Arsenyev. Special tourist routes to attract visitors Special tourist routes are being developed as part of the project. They feature

monuments from the twenties and thirties in Kiev and Moscow and are aimed at attracting visitors, be they locals or tourists. “Many avant-garde buildings are not even known to experts let alone ordinary Muscovites. So we must determine which of them are of historical value and then we must let people know about them,” says Nikolai Vasilyev, an expert in architectural history. According to Silvia Brunella D’Astoli from La Sapienza University, “when developing such routes it is necessary to take into account that a historical monument does not exist by itself, but is part of a historical context”. The new routes, which come with descriptions, photos and video clips, Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

N People visit the Communa Gallery exhibition located inside the Communal Hostel building, 1928-1930, by architect I. Nikolaev.

heritage can be a powerful agent for stimulating not only economic development but also the social and cultural growth of communities. Students at work to preserve Gorky Park In 2011 the RKM _Save urban heritage project funded by the EU organised several lectures and workshops in Russia and Ukraine. Vadim Semenov, Professor of MSACSCE, who coordinates project workshops for students, says that “many young people understand the importance of avant-garde heritage and are ready to work in order to preserve it”. During the year, a team of students from Rome, Kiev and Moscow developed several projects to preserve and restore the heritage of the great avant-garde architect Alexei Melnikov: Gorky Park. RKM _Save urban heritage is a good example of dialogue between several countries. But the project team hopes that the initiative will also be backed both by local authorities and by the business community. “Only by pooling the efforts of all the stakeholders will it be possible to preserve this unique architecture,” says Paul David Blackmore from La Sapienza University. Text by ITAR-TASS Photos by EPA©EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre

“Many young people understand the importance of avant-garde heritage and are ready to work in order to preserve it” CIUDAD Sustainable urban development Aims to help local governments in the ENPI region address urban development problems in a sustainable manner, promoting cooperation between local actors and their EU counterparts. Participating countries Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria, Tunisia (South), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine (East) Timeframe 2009-2013 Budget €14 million Objective The programme “Cooperation in Urban Development and Dialogue” (CIUDAD) aims to promote mutual understanding, dialogue and cooperation between local actors in the EU and in the Partner Countries of the Eastern and Southern Neighbourhood (ENPI region) through the provision of capacity building for the modernisation and strengthening of local and regional government. 20 projects receive grants under the CIUDAD ‘umbrella’: Save “War free World Heritage Listed Cities “ is one of them. Find out more War Free World Heritage Listed Cities: project fiche www.ciudad-programme.eu/grant_profile. php?lang=1&sector_id=12&grant_id=16 CIUDAD – EU Neighbourhood Info Centre fiche www.enpi-info.eu/maineast.php?id=310&id_ type=10 EU Neighbourhood Info Centre Civil Society and local authorities thematic portal www.enpi-info.eu/thememed. php?subject=14 EU Neighbourhood Info Centre – The people behind the project – Interview with Frank Samol – CIUDAD www.enpi-info.eu/mainmed.php?id=312&id_ type=6&lang_id=450

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

ECONOMY > GEORGIA

Another leap forward on the new Silk Road N The Tbilisi-Rustavi section of the Tbilisi-Red Bridge highway.

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Once it is upgraded, transit, trade and tourism will flow. The old highway between Tbilisi and Rustavi causes frequent congestion and safety concerns both for commuters and long-distance travellers from Azerbaijan and Armenia to Georgia’s Black Sea ports or Turkey, and vice versa. A new project – part of the EU supported international transport programme TRACECA, or the New Silk Road – will upgrade the road to international standards, and ease the pain. Tbilisi – “This road is very congested and accidents are frequent,” says Zurab Tvalmikhelashvili, driver of a TbilisiRustavi mini bus. Though the road’s capacity is only 9,000 vehicles, approximately 12,000 automobiles are travelling every day on the Tbilisi-Red Bridge highway, which connects Georgia with the borders of Azerbaijan and Armenia. Due to the poor conditions of the 22km-long Tbilisi-Rustavi section of the East-West highway, driving is allowed at a maximum speed of 80 km/h. Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

To address the problem, the Georgian government is working on a project, which envisions construction of a first category road with a design speed of 120 km/h and four lanes. “Once the highway has been modernized, its capacity will reach 44,000 automobiles per day,” says Mamuka Vatsadze, at the time Head of Transport Policy Department at the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia, who has since become Deputy Minister at the same Ministry.

A comfortable drive to develop transit, trade and tourism Today, packed minibuses commuting between Tbilisi and Rustavi are seen everywhere, since many Rustavi residents work or study in Tbilisi. In reverse, Rustavi hosts factories and business centres, having close relations with Tbilisi-based partners, which increases demand for this direction. “The city of Rustavi has become part of the urban agglomeration of the capital and has very strong economic ties with it,” explains Giorgi 37

ECONOMY > GeOrgia

ECONOMY > GEORGIA

N Trucks on the Tbilisi-Rustavi section of the Tbilisi-Red Bridge highway.

Kiziria, coordinator of the ADB. “The new road,” he says, “will increase safety and cut travelling time, making Rustavi an integral part of Tbilisi.” The comfortable drive to the bordering countries and beyond will be another advantage. All this, the government hopes, will help develop transit, trade and tourism in the region, and enhance competitiveness of the TRACECA corridor. “In fact,” continues Kiziria, “this road provides an important link to the N Giorgi Kiziria.

neighbouring states of Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as with the central Asian countries, connecting them to Georgia’s mainland and the Black Sea Ports, thus impacting significantly on their trade portion.” TRACECA: promoting integration into the global economy Signed in 1998, and backed by the European Union, TRACECA – the Transport Corridor Europe – Caucasus – Asia, or

Ukraine, Moldova, Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the World Bank (WB), the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and Asia Development Bank have spent heavily on TRACECA projects. One of the achievements of the programme is a closer cooperation among governments and transport sector stakeholders: deals have been reached to keep transit fees at competitive levels, and customs procedures simplified.

“The new road will increase safety and cut travelling time, making Rustavi an integral part of Tbilisi” the New Silk Road – is an interstate programme aimed at supporting political and economic development in Black Sea Region, Caucasus and Central Asia through improvement of international transport – ports, railways and roads. This is expected to boost regional trade and integration of member states’ economies into the world markets. Actually, the idea is to restore the ancient route, carrying caravans from China and India across the Caspian Sea via Georgia to the Black Sea and then via the Bosporus to the Mediterranean countries as early as the 4th century BC. The ambitions European Union-backed programme unites Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

Intensive reconstruction work on the East-West Highway The increased cargo traffic on the TRACECA corridor shows growing interest in this route as the shortest, cheapest and potentially fastest land link for east-west traffic. According to the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia, in 2009 an average 200,000 trucks crossed Georgia’s borders from both directions every day, up from 50,000 trucks in 2003. This impressive growth has been a result of intensive reconstruction works financed by the World Bank along Georgia’s East-West Highway, increasing it from two to four lanes. The works have been underway since 2006 and some of the sections are already in operation. “The construction works along the East-West Highway, have already borne fruits,” says Vatsadze. “This is in line with TRACECA’s long-term strategy as well as with the European Union’s vision towards the South Caucasus – to make TRACECA part of European transport links.”

“In 2009 an average 200,000 trucks crossed Georgia’s borders from both directions daily: they were just 50,000 in 2003”.

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

N Mamuka Vatsadze.

“This road provides important links to Armenia and Azerbaijan as well as with the central Asian countries, connecting them to Georgia’s mainland and the Black Sea Ports”

Transport dialogue and networks interoperability (TRACECA) Facilitates regional cooperation in the field of transport through capacity building and training measures, as well as the development of transport forecasts and investment appraisals. www.enpi-info.eu/maineast. php?id=320&id_type=10 Participating countries Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan Timeframe 2009-2012

Private businesses are also getting the taste of that fruit. “Infrastructure is improving… Conditions are 1000% far better than ten years ago,” notes Steve Pipe, Branch Manager at FH Bertling Ltd Georgia, which specializes in project forwarding for construction and oil and gas companies to Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and beyond. Bertling has 150 offices worldwide and has been operating in Georgia since 1998. According to Pipe, for Georgia as a transit country, modern roads and bridges are essential. Georgia’s “good” customs system and “no corruption” environment, he underlines, also play a role. Construction works on the Tbilisi-Rustavi section are expected to start this year in the summer time, and will be completed by 2012. Currently, a detailed design is being developed for the road, and simultaneously, talks are underway with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) – which is financing the reconstruction – to negotiate on the loan terms. The exact amount of the loan will be known only after the final design is done. Text and photos by Maia Edilashvili ©EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre

Objective The project aims to facilitate regional cooperation in the field of transport, through capacity building and training measures, the development of transport forecasts and investment appraisals in the region covered by the EU-funded TRACECA programme. It also promotes effective regional transport dialogue among the Partner Countries, as well as between them and the EU. Find out more TRACECA programme web site www.tracecaprogramme.eu/en/home/ The EU Neighbourhood Info Centre fiche on the TRACECA programme www.enpi-info.eu/ maineast.php?id=272&id_type=10 The Silk Road of the 21st Century www.tracecaprogramme.eu/en/home/the-silk-road-of-the21st-century/

Budget € 6.576 million

Supporting budget Supporting change

Interview with Luca Oriani Vieyra

Responsible for Budget Support, Macro-Fiscal Policy and General Coordination with International Financial Institutions at the Neighborhood Directorate of the European Commission

EU Budget Support is not a gift. It is a mutually agreed contract aimed at supporting reforms in a jointly agreed sector, explains Luca Oriani Vieyra, responsible for Budget Support, Macro-Fiscal Policy and General Coordination with International Financial Institutions at the Neighborhood Directorate of the European Commission.

A student is seen during the first day of the Summer School “Youth against Corruption”, at Vadul lui Voda village, 35km east of the Moldovan capital, Chisinau. The Youth against Corruption initiative is a training programme launched in the Ukraine and Moldova. The programme involves 26 Ukrainian and Moldovan students and features practical and theoretical sessions on anti-corruption issues such as tools for corruption prevention, investigation, principals of good governance, ethics, as well as case studies from EU Member States, Ukraine and Moldova (Photo by EPA©EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre).

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

What is Budget Support in practical terms? It is a contract that involves the European Commission, on the one hand, and the government of the partner country, on the other. So it is a type of cooperation based on a clear set of mutually binding commitments. The EC authorizes the full transfer of the Budget Support funds when agreed commitments have been implemented fully by the partner country’s authorities. If this is not the case, the size of the financial transfer authorized by the EC is reduced accordingly or there is no transfer at all. So, in simple terms, budget support is “reforms done = money paid”. In the ENPI region, there are 9 countries benefiting from EU Budget Support, namely Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine in the East, and Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia in the South. The key objective is to support the policies of legislative and regulatory approximation in the European Neighborhood, and the types of reforms include promoting good governance, improving conditions for trade and investment, etc. – in other words, the EU Budget Support programmes help create a more favorable environment for the benefit of the citizens and businesses. Obviously, EU Budget Support is no silver bullet. The ultimate responsibility and merit for the success and the speed of reforms lie with the elected executive. How does Budget Support work? A Budget Support programme lasts 3-4 years and the money is disbursed based on conditions attached to the annual tranches. It is then clearly specified what the government should achieve, for example with regard to justice reform in Georgia, healthcare system reforms in Moldova or higher education reforms in Tunisia. Finally, and depending on the degree of success in the results achieved, the actual disbursement related to each tranche is paid by the EC.

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

What is the impact of Budget Support on the citizens? Citizens do not benefit from a Budget Support programme in an immediate way, as such programmes are not emergency transfers to fill, say, salary-related gaps in the budget, but rather focus on medium-term structural changes. However, when Budget Support programmes favour the acceleration of structural changes in the area of, say, education or transport, this benefits citizens and businesses, ensuring a more sustainable development of society as a whole. There is another important issue related to the citizen. Should you, as a donor, provide Budget Support to a country with questionable governance? One could say ‘no’ and wait until the situation reaches, say, Swiss levels. However, one should also bear in mind that positive changes for the citizens can take place through the support of reforms leading, for example, to a more educated and informed society. There are of course several aspects to consider but ultimately a decision is taken. In Belarus, for example, we are not engaged in Budget Support programmes.

“Positive changes for the citizens can take place through the support of reforms leading, for example, to a more educated and informed society”

“EU Budget Support is not a gift. It is a mutually agreed contract aimed at supporting reforms in a jointly agreed sector”

What are the criteria for providing Budget Support? We apply three eligibility criteria, namely there must be: • a sound national or sector development plan; • a stability-oriented macroeconomic framework, with fiscal and monetary policies conducive to economic growth; • a progressive improvement in the management of public finances. As long as such conditions are met, budget support can then be implemented in support of specific reforms in, say, trade or energy. How will Budget Support evolve in the future? Soon there will be one additional condition for countries to be eligible for EU Budget Support, and this will focus on budget transparency. Interested citizens will have better access to relevant information and see what exactly has been agreed in the area of, for example, justice system reforms, and this will further contribute to increasing transparency and accountability. To sum up, while being a rather sophisticated policy instrument, as reforms in the ENP region are increasingly complex, EU Budget Support is becoming a powerful means to support the strengthening of national ownership and accountability in critical areas such as public governance reforms.

ENERGY > UkrainE

Energy

Mayors pushing for more energy efficiency

The byproducts burn inside a city heating system using wood byproducts in Cherkasy, some 200 km on south of Kiev, Ukraine, 16 May 2012. The conference ‘Implementation of the Covenant of Mayors: The path to Ukraine’s energy security’ took place in Cherkasy. The project’s objective is to support the local authorities in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia to reduce their dependency on fossil fuels, to improve security of their energy supply, and to allow them to contribute more actively to climate change mitigation. The key objective focuses on the significant reduction in energy consumption and CO2 emissions by the municipalities as well as an increase in their renewable energy use and energy efficiency measures (Photo by EPA©EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre). 42

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

Ukraine is effectively the leader of the Covenant of Mayors movement outside the European Union, with Ukrainian mayors increasingly committed to local sustainable energy. As many as twenty five Ukrainian cities have already become signatories of the Covenant of Mayors, the EU initiative bringing together city councils in an effort to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% through energy efficiency and renewable energy actions. Ukrainian cities are working hard to cut their consumption of fossil fuels and to become more energy efficient. This story takes us to Cherkasy, where mayor Sergiy Odarych is showing the way forward by using only firewood to warm up his house…

N The conference participants visit the boiler station where the kindling wood is used as an alternative fuel.

As a first step, the mayor of Cherkasy, Sergiy Odarych appointed an energy manager and launched the energy monitoring use in municipal facilities. Since the 1st of January 2012 the use of energy has been monitored on a daily basis in 280 municipal buildings in the city of Cherkasy. The results were astonishing: just by measuring usage, proper targeting and keeping it under control, the city proved that it was possible to save 30%

of water consumption, 49% of electricity and 6% of heat. The battle for local sustainable energy was well and truly underway. Ukraine inherited quite a few problems from the Soviet Union in the field of energy management. Even now, long after the collapse of the centrally planned economy, Ukraine uses several times more energy per unit of production than European countries. For example,

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

it uses four times more than Germany. The infrastructure in Ukrainian cities is no exception on this. The central heating systems built in Soviet times are pretty inefficient. The underground pipelines that run across Ukrainian cities are overheating the environment. The buildings are poorly insulated, but their inhabitants do not seem to care, because the Ukrainian state heavily subsidises energy prices for residents. However, the price of 43

ENERGY > UKRAINE

ENERGY > UkrainE

N Communal workers load trash containers on a garbage truck in Cherkasy city.

“The word is spreading fast. We transfer the experience we already have to other cities. They realise how important it is to commit to local sustainable energy and they join in”.

natural gas and other fossil fuels is rising and this has given some of the mayors some food for thought. Cherkasy on the road to energy independence Among the leaders of the energy efficiency movement is Sergiy Odarych, the charismatic mayor of Cherkasy, a regional centre of 290,000 people in the middle of Ukraine. He has an ambitious plan: to stop using natural gas to heat the city. He has started with his own house, which is now heated using only firewood. However, it is not so easy a task to switch a whole city from gas to wood. Odarych has an innovative approach to-

“It’s difficult to change mentalities. That takes time. It’s not just a matter of technology, cities have to fight at different levels to become more energy efficient”. 44

wards energy management. First of all, he thinks that it is important to measure usage and keep it under control. Second, he had local heat metering and distribution stations installed in five municipal institutions, which has generated a 40% saving in heat consumption. But the mayor’s pride and joy is a boiler station using an alternative fuel called kindling wood. The city has invested about €820,000 in this and has already saved about €390,000 in one year. “Moreover, the money spent on bio-fuels stays in the region while the money that used to be spent on gas was transferred to Russia, where Gazprom is a major supplier of natural gas to Ukraine,” says Odarych. The city is planning to cultivate the perennial grass of Miscanthus, a bio-fuel that can grow to heights of more than 3.5 metres in one season… Mayors of Ukraine pulling together But in his quest for energy efficiency, the mayor of Cherkassy has come up against a few obstacles. One was at state level. An environmental inspection fined the city for using bio-fuels, because, as the mayor says, “the inspectors found out that the boiler station produces too much waste…”. “It’s difficult to change mentalities. That takes time. It’s not just a matter of technology,” he adds. “Cities have to

fight at different levels to become more energy efficient.” Municipalities thought that, if they joined forces, that would make their battle easier. In 2007, four mayors set up an association called ‘Energy Efficient Cities of Ukraine’, whose mission was to facilitate the promotion of energy efficient principles among member municipalities. So, when the Covenant of Mayors arrived in Ukraine in July 2009, the association became its natural supporting structure. The Covenant of Mayors initiative was launched in 2008, as a priority for action at local and regional level. It consists of a voluntary commitment by city councils to go beyond the EU’s objective of a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions through energy efficiency and renewable energy actions. 4,000 cities and towns in all 27 EU member states and a number of neighbouring countries, from Ukraine to Morocco, have signed it. Together, these cities represent more than 162 million people. It is no surprise then that most of the cities that have signed the Covenant of Mayors in Ukraine are also members of the Energy Efficient Cities of Ukraine Association. The number of signatories is growing quickly. In February 2009, ten Ukrainian cities were the first to Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

“Thanks to the covenant, we have the tools as well as the methodology and the financial resources to fight for local sustainable energy”.

sign the covenant and on 15 May 2012, Cherkasy became the latest and 26th Ukrainian signatory city. “The word is spreading fast. We transfer the experience we already have to other cities. They realise how important it is to commit to local sustainable energy and they join in,” explains Sergiy Kosharuk, Deputy Executive Director of the Association. Since 2011, a newly created Covenant of Mayors East Office (COMO) located in Lviv (Ukraine) and in Tbilisi (Georgia) has started providing administrative, promotional and technical assistance to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Many of these countries have also signed the Covenant already: beside Ukraine (with 26 cities), there is Moldova (with 10 cities), Georgia (with 5 cities), Kyrgyzstan (with 2 cities), Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus, for a total amount of over 10 million people. The COMO team leader Anatoliy Kopets is proud. Ukraine is effectively leading the Covenant of Mayors movement outside the European Union. “We have a unique chance,” he says, “to join the European community de facto”. “Thanks to the covenant, we have the tools as well as the methodology and the financial resources to fight for local sustainable Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

N Petro Kurlyaka – the Burshtyn city Mayor attends the conference “Implementation of the Covenant of Mayors: The path to Ukraine’s energy security” in Cherkasy.

energy” he adds. This commitment also sounds attractive to Petro Kurliak from Burshtyn. The mayor of this small city in Western Ukraine has already had some experience with energy management at international level. Recently he decided to join the Energy Efficient Cities of Ukraine Association Supporting participation of Eastern Partnership and Central Asian Cities in the Covenant of Mayors The project’s objective is to support the local authorities in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia to reduce their dependency on fossil fuels, to improve security of their energy supply, and to allow them to contribute more actively to climate change mitigation. www.eumayors.eu

Participating countries Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan Timeframe September 2011 – June 2015

and, of course, he is planning to sign the Covenant in the near future. “This will give us access to grants, both Ukrainian and international. That is the way to go in order to obtain information, experience, and, why not, even financial support.” Text by Dmytro Hubenko Photos by EPA©EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre Objective The purpose of the project is to encourage local authorities of the Eastern Partnership and Central Asian countries to sign the Covenant of Mayors to achieve and support them in the preparation and implementation of their Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP). The key objective focuses on the significant reduction in energy consumption and CO2 emissions by the municipalities as well as an increase in their renewable energy use and energy efficiency measures. To find out more Covenant of Mayors website www.eumayors.eu Energy Cities http://www.energy-cities.eu/ Association “Energy Efficient Cities of Ukraine” http://enefcities.org.ua/en European Association of local authorities “Climate Alliance” www.climatealliance.org Covenant of Mayors: signatories in Ukraine http://www.eumayors.eu/about/signatories_ en.html?country_search=ua EU Neighbourhood Info Centre Thematic portal: energy http://www.enpi-info.eu/themeeast. php?subject=6

INOGATE in push for more energy investment The ultimate aim of INOGATE is to try to help improve people’s quality of life by providing them with better access to energy resources and contribute to a cleaner and healthier environment. Originally it focused on building up the knowledge base and capacity of the partner countries to move towards harmonisation and integration with the EU energy market. More recently, the focus of the EU-funded energy programme has shifted more towards practical implementation of the policy changes and reforms and helping the region work out how to attract more investment in particular in the field of Renewable Energy, explains Simone Rave, Head of Sector for Energy and Economic Cooperation at the European Commission’s Regional Programmes Neighbourhood East Unit.

Interview with Simone Rave Head of Sector for Energy and Economic Cooperation at the European Commission’s Regional Programmes Neighbourhood East Unit.

What is the focus of the INOGATE Programme? The main aim of INOGATE, which has been in place since the 1990s, is to foster a stable supply of energy for all, at least cost and contributing to a sustainable and clean living environment. The EU’s support under the INOGATE programme addresses all these issues through measures that contribute to a further integration of markets, increase renewable energy and energy efficiency, and improve the investment climate in the energy sector. The INOGATE programme covers the countries of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia that together were the founders of the ‘Baku Initiative’, launched at the Energy Ministerial meeting that took place in Baku in 2006, which set the major course of actions for the programme as it is today. The launch of the Eastern Partnership discussions in 2009 has, however, intensified the energy dialogue, and INOGATE is playing an increasingly important role in this. Today, INOGATE is also focussing more on helping partner countries attract investment into the energy sector. This will be done through the identification of investments of strategic importance within the framework of the Eastern Partnership, but also through practical trainings to bankers, guidelines and legislative support to improve the investment climate. What is particularly different about INOGATE? What makes it special is its regional nature. Electricity and gas don’t stop at the border, so the harmonisation of rules between EU countries and these countries, and between the countries themselves is becoming very important. Without harmonised standards and rules, the market won’t be well integrated which is one of the preconditions to improve the access to energy while assuring affordable market prices. The advantage of INOGATE is that it involves producer countries, transit countries and energy-dependent countries, which allows a meaningful debate on how to effectively contribute to the security of supply of the region.

Oil extraction plant at night, Azerbaijan (Photo by EPA©EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre).

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

How does the INOGATE Programme work in practice? The programme covers a broad range of issues such as harmonisation of standards, gas losses and leakages, energy efficiency in the building sector, sustainable energy. We provide regional

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

training and support for specific issues requested by the countries. We have a large pool of experts and countries can request expertise in a certain field. For example, we gave Azerbaijan advice in the field of offshore wind potential in the Caspian Sea and for its State Agency on Alternative and Renewable Energy Resources. We’ve given training to banks across the region, helping bankers to read and interpret energy audits, to assess investment projects and to see the bankability of projects. This is to improve access to loans for sustainable energy or energy efficiency projects. Generally, we work through a network of INOGATE country coordinators and also experts in sustainable energy and electricity and gas that are represented in the INOGATE working groups. What is the impact of the INOGATE Programme on the general public? The ultimate aim of INOGATE is to try to help improve people’s quality of life, such as in terms of their access to energy and a clean living environment. In some of the countries, people have limited or no access to energy. There are also health issues. In some cities, there is a lot of pollution. Part of the pollution is of course caused by energy. We’re trying to address that in the INOGATE Programme, for example by supporting measures to help countries shift towards using cleaner energy sources combined with a more efficient use of energy sources. We’re now looking more and more at cities. In particular, we’re supporting the EU initiative of the Covenant of Mayors (a commitment by cities to reduce their CO2 emissions by 20% by 2020). Within INOGATE, we’ve provided assistance to three specific cities – Tbilisi, Sumgait and Yerevan, helping them to prepare sustainable energy action plans. The Covenant of Mayors is an interesting initiative as it addresses the direct needs of the citizens. In addition, we see that the priorities of the city sometimes differ from the priorities at national level. For example in Georgia, right now energy efficiency is not a first government priority as they aim to become 100% reliant on hydroenergy from their rivers. At the same time, cities consider energy efficiency as a priority as energy accounts for an increasing share of their budget. We want to support the cities and have therefore financed a branch of the Covenant of Mayors Secretariat in Lviv and Tbilisi providing support to cities in the INOGATE region.

What challenges have you encountered in the implementation of INOGATE? The main challenge is to quantify the impact of our assistance. Often people ask what the exact impact of INOGATE is on the progress achieved in the country. This is of course difficult to measure as there are so many factors that have an influence on the progress, notably the willingness of the country to make progress towards harmonisation with the EU. We’ve trained over 7,000 people since 1996 under the INOGATE programme. We note the success of these training sessions from the fact that many of the people trained have moved up the career ladder within their institutions but also from the fact that there has been a change of the mindset and interest in the countries towards harmonisation with the EU as they realise that this would bring benefits to their countries. In most of these countries, the standards and rules are based on the former Soviet system. The change from one system to the other cannot be done overnight. It needs legislative changes, staff training and considerable investments in some cases. This is very challenging but we now see a real interest from the countries to make this shift. In the new INOGATE programme that started in 2012 we will pay special attention to the identification of clear indicators that would allow us to measure the impact of our programme on the countries. How will INOGATE evolve in the future? We want to focus on helping countries create a positive investment climate. What can we do to attract investors to the region? For example, a country like Georgia has put in place a large range of measures to facilitate investments in the energy field, notably to attract investments in hydro energy. Nevertheless investors are still very reluctant to come. We want to understand why and to see if we can do something to improve the investment climate. We also want to concentrate our activities within INOGATE on those areas where we can make real progress. For example, if there is no commitment from a government to put in place measures to encourage renewable energy, the impact of our training of technical staff will be limited as they cannot put into practice what they have learned. Our support should therefore be coupled to those countries and stakeholders that are committed towards progress. This does not mean that we will stop assistance to the ‘slow movers’, but we will give more support to those who want to move faster in line with the ‘more for more’ principle.

Environment > AZErbaijan

Environment

Young Green Patrols in action: “By protecting trees we protect our future” N A forest in Azerbaijan Gabala region.

School-based forest units: the tradition existed in Azerbaijan before, now it’s time to restore it and to make it fit the contemporary environment. So far, children have been sensitised to forest protection thanks to the efforts of the Centre of Environmental Education in Baku. Now, a European-supported initiative is aiming to extend their work and to create school-based teams of ‘Young Foresters’. Because the necessity to prevent deforestation and to expand the green topsoil is today a priority in the country, which cannot be met without increasing the population’s environmental education. Baku – “The future is in our hands. The environment we will be living in depends very much on how we will protect plants and forests, how we will prevent deforestation.” This is the opinion of 14-year-old Sahavat Guseynov. He is a member of the “Green Patrol” unit, es-

Workers sorting out wood and bottles, caught in the net, which was installed across of the river Latorytsia, near Tchop, Ukraine (Photo by Dmytro Hubenko ©EU/ Neighbourhood Info Centre). 48

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

tablished under the Republican Centre of Environmental Education of Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Education. This Centre supports the idea of creating school-based teams of “Young foresters”, which is being implemented within the EU-funded ENPI-FLEG (Forest Law Enforcement

and Governance) programme. The Centre is located in one of the most beautiful spots of Baku, in a park where the residence of famous oil-magnates, the brothers Ludwig and Robert Nobel, stood in the early 20th century. “We plant trees regularly,” says Sahavat Huseynov, “and 49

Environment > AZErbaijan

“The future is in our hands. The environment we will be living in depends very much on how we will protect plants and forests, how we will prevent deforestation” our ‘Green Patrol’ also monitors the large Nizami Park in Baku, where we prevent pollution and do not allow other kids to break and harm trees. We try to explain to them that this damages not only nature, but the lives of people themselves.” Building on an old tradition: school-based forest units Azer Garayev, National Consultant of ENPI-FLEG in Azerbaijan says that the programme’s major objective is to inform the public about the need to prevent deforestation and the importance to expand the green topsoil. “But we were aware that this task cannot be fulfilled without some environmental education. That is why the Azerbaijani component of the programme came up with the idea of creating teams of ‘young foresters’ in schools,” says Garayev. “This idea existed in Azerbaijan before, and now our

Environment > AZErbaijan

purpose is to restore those traditions, modernize them for the contemporary environment.” The Republican Centre of Environmental Education is in fact the only place in the country where systematic work promoting children’s engagement in the protection of the environment has been organized. ENPI-FLEG’s education consultant in Azerbaijan, Lala Dadasheva, says the Centre works with teachers to increase their knowledge on the need to prevent deforestation. The teachers in turn work with their students, organizing study-tours and tree-planting actions. The centre has 54 branches throughout the country. Local NGOs and media are also very interested in the forest protection activities, says Dadasheva: “The forest is not only a source of fuel or raw materials for industries: it is also a source of the richest biological variety.” Pilot initiatives to create school-based forest units will be implemented under the Programme in three Azerbaijani provinces – in the South, North and Western regions. “If we are able to include at least 20% of the pupils in the young foresters’ teams, it will be success,” Garayev says. The teams will include mostly children from provinces who live close to forests. “But children from cities should not be left behind. There is an idea,” he continues, “to establish summer camps in forest

N Azer Garayev

areas where both kids from cities and local children would live together. They could do plenty of useful work regarding protection of forests, monitoring of climate changes, etc.” Such camps could also be international, to attract children from other countries. Deforestation doesn’t lead to a better life The ENPI-FLEG Programme, which has been implemented in Azerbaijan since mid-2010, covers a wide spectrum of issues. One of its components is research on “the economic and social impact of illegal deforestation and unsustainable use of forests resources on the life of local residents.”

“During the last two centuries the amount of land covered by forests has decreased almost three times, and currently it represents only 11.8% of the country’s land. This trend could continue if serious measures to save forest resources are not applied” The Programme’s scientific consultant on social and economic analysis, Azad Aliyev, says that the Ismailly region, 160km west from Baku, was selected for the research. An opinion poll was conducted among the people of the area to study the influence of deforestation. “The results showed that the average people in this region are poorer than in the rest of the country,” Aliyev says, adding that the picture is typical of other forest regions of Azerbaijan too. Local residents mostly use forest to get fuel. “Although this practice declined significantly in recent years due to a law banning deforestation and to awareness campaigns, people still cut forests illegally,” Azad Aliyev says. Mean-

while, not only does deforestation not lead to a better life for local residents, but it also has serious environmental consequences, even influencing people’s health. “Deforestation creates a large oxygen deficit,” continues Aliyev, “and it causes diseases among local residents.” During the last two centuries the amount of land covered by forests has decreased almost three times, and currently it represents only 11.8% of the country’s land. This trend could continue if serious measures to save forest resources are not applied. A lot has been done, more is to come Azer Garayev from FLEG believes that among the reasons behind the unsustainable use of forests since the mid-1990s, is the rise in unemployment and poverty levels, the lack of access to energy resources and the sudden development of livestock farming. “This last element negatively affects forests development,” says Garayev, “because uncontrolled pasture of animals results in cattle eating the sprigs.” Rahim Ibrahimov, head of section of the forests development department of Azerbaijan’s Ministry of ecology and natural resources, believes that the ENPI-FLEG programme meets the government’s strategy on the prevention of deforestation and increase in forest land from the current 11.8% to 25-30%. “Azerbaijan has done a lot of work in this sector:

between 2003 and 2008, a large number of trees were planted, resulting in more than 71,634 hectares of forests. But more is still to be done, so the ENPI-FLEG programme is very important for us, to inform, to increase the population’s environmental knowledge and to explain the practical advantages of forest areas.” Text and photos by Shahin Abbasov ©EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre

Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) Supports governments of participating countries, civil society and the private sector in the development of sound and sustainable forest management practices, including the prevention of illegal forestry activities www.enpi-fleg.org Participating countries Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Ukrainen Timeframe 2008-2011 Budget € 6 million Objective The project aims to tackle the growing problem of illegal forest activities in the Partner Countries by promoting legal and sustainable forest management and utilisation practices and seeks to strengthen the rule of law and to enhance local livelihoods. The European Commission grant has been provided to the World Bank through a multi-donor trust fund. The project’s implementing partners are the World Bank, the IUCN (World Conservation Union) and the WWF (World Wildlife Fund), ensuring that the public and private sectors as well as civil society are consistently included in the project’s activities. Find out more EU Neighbourhood Info Centre Project fiche www.enpi-info.eu/maineast.php?id=205&id_ type=10 EU Neighbourhood Info Centre news: FLEG – Teachers’ support pack www.enpi-info.eu/maineast. php?id=24074&id_type=1&lang_id=450

N Illegal deforestation is a serious problem in Azerbaijan.

N Sahavat Huseynov

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

EU Neighbourhood Info Centre, Environnemental Portal www.enpi-info.eu/themeeast.php?subject=6

Environment > Russia

Returning rivers to the fish Major changes to river ecosystems brought about by mankind over the years have had a negative impact on nature’s biodiversity. Rivers have suffered immensely from timber rafting, the construction of various hydraulic facilities, intensive navigation and agriculture. Populations of migratory fish have decreased or disappeared altogether, partly because of illegal fishing. The Baltic salmon has now been registered as an endangered species. This is a story about how an ENPI project co-funded by the European Union, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Finland is trying to bring back biodiversity to the rivers and to recover fish population levels. You could call it returning rivers to the fish… “Fish don’t recognise borders: crossborder rivers require joint efforts in many directions and we must work together if we want to ensure the very existence of the valuable fish population, particularly the salmon inhabiting these rivers,” said Matti Vaittinen, the coordinator of the Russian-Finnish project Rivers and Fish – Our Common Interest (RIFCI). The project is a crossborder, EU-funded initiative 52

“Fish don’t recognize borders: cross border rivers require joint efforts in many directions and we must work together if we want to ensure the very existence of the salmon inhabiting these rivers…” N Preparing for tagging of salmons.

because so much maritime traffic passes down the river. The end result is the destruction of sand banks and rapids which salmon badly need for spawning. The only river which has the potential for restoring the ‘wild’ salmon population is the Luga. According to ichthyologists, the spawning area in this river could provide between 20,000-30,000 breeders. But this task is hampered by illegal fishing – the spawning salmon is literally battered by poachers. “If we could organise effective protection, salmon numbers in the Luga would increase really fast,” says Titov. “However, at the moment, we can only dream about it.”

N Salmon smolts during tagging at the Nevsky fish factory outside of St. Petersburg.

to promote the sustainable use of nature’s resources as well as environmental awareness and people’s responsibility for their common environment. An endangered species battered by illegal fishing Within Russia’s geographic boundaries, Baltic salmon is present in the basins of the Barents, White and Baltic seas. In the early 20th century, the Baltic Sea yielded a minimum of 100 tonnes of this precious fish but now the Baltic salmon has been registered as an endangered species. Within the Baltic Sea basin, salmon populations remain only in three rivers – the Neva, Narova and Luga.

According to Sergei Titov, head of the GosNIORKh laboratory for monitoring salmon populations and the Russian coordinator of the project, the total amount of salmon in the Russian part of the Gulf of Finland is today no more than 4,000-5,000 spawners. And even this low number is made possible only through the use of fish hatcheries. In the Narova and Neva rivers, the salmon population almost wholly depends on hatcheries. Russian fishery biologists have little hope of restoring the ‘wild’ population to former levels: the Narova bed is blocked by a dam which prevents salmon from going up the river to spawn while the Neva bed is continuously subject to dredging Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

Weightless tags carrying telephone numbers… In 1997, the International Baltic Sea Fishing Committee included the Gladyshevka river in the list of potential salmonbreeding rivers. Nevsky fish hatcheries started releasing young salmon into the river in 2000. According to Titov, in 2004 the first female salmon was caught here after it had returned to spawn. Young fish of various ages were also found in the rapids. In 2011, 10,000 salmon were released into the Gladyshevka as part of the project and the same number were added in early May this year. Of particular note is that many of the fish were tagged for the first time after a long non-tagging Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

period. Finnish experts shared their experience in using plastic, weightless tags with their Russian colleagues. Each of the tags carries a number assigned to the 20-gramme fish as well as the releasing site address and the telephone number which the fisherman who catches every individual fish should call to tell where the fish was caught. “Releasing young salmon into the river, however, is a small part of the project,” stresses Vaittinen. “The main aim is to restore the spawning areas of salmon and their whole habitat.”

Restoring river beds and spawning areas The part of the programme relating to the restoration of river beds and spawning areas is a radically new experience for the Russians. For year, the fish hatcheries in the Leningrad region have conscientiously gone about the business of catching the breeders, inseminating the caviar, feeding the young fish and releasing them into the rivers. However, the population continues to fall while the revival of self-sustainable populations has not happened so far…

N Salmons are being released into the Gladyshevka river outside St. Petersburg.

Environment > Russia

In the last 30 years, Finland has accumulated a wealth of experience in terms of reviving its rivers. Old power stations have been pulled down or rebuilt while rapids and spawning areas have been restored. Finnish experts will be sharing their experience with their Russian colleagues. Besides the Gladyshevka, the RIFCI project involves two crossborder rivers: the Malinovka and the Seleznevka. Here, the aim of the project is to restore the population of kumzha, another representative of the salmon family. Unfortunately, the route to the spawning areas is blocked and not just by old power stations and sunken logs. On the Russian side of the border zone, the river beds are sealed off with screens made of iron bars. This is an issue that requires long and detailed discussions. Emphasising the good relations with Leningrad’s regional authorities, Matti Vaittinen explains that “it is of critical importance to access the border zone in the regions of the two rivers”. “So far we haven’t succeeded, but we will make other efforts,” he says.

Environment > UKRAINE

There are also other obstacles standing in the way of restoring the salmon habitat in the Gladyshevka, Seleznevka and Malinovka rivers. These relate to the legal differences between the two countries. In Finland, all the water reservoirs are privately owned and issues such as restoring rapids or clearing river beds are easily solved. The owners readily take part in such work and are glad when the fish population grows markedly. In Russia, however, any ‘amelioration’ works require an individual project to be launched by a licensed organisation, which means extra time and money, as well as submitting the project for approval to numerous state organisations. As a result, during the first year of the project’s implementation, five rapids were restored on the Finnish side of the Malinovka and Seleznevka and the plan is to achieve the same results this year. On the Russian side, work is still at the approval stage. However, team members of the project are not losing heart and still hope to meet the deadline. Text by ITAR-TASS Photos by EPA©EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre

CBC – Cross-border cooperation CBC, a key priority of the ENPI, seeks to reinforce cooperation between EU Member States and Partner Countries along the external EU borders. Timeframe 2007-2013 Budget € 1.1 billion Objective CBC aims to promote economic and social development in border areas. It strives to address common challenges, ensure efficient and secure borders and promote people-to-people cooperation. The South-East Finland-Russia Programme www.southeastfinrusnpi.fi/ Budget € 36,185 million Joint Managing Authority Regional Council of South Karelia, Finland To find out more Rivers and fish, our common interest (RIFCI) www.ymparisto.fi/default. asp?node=4032&lan=en Cross Border Cooperation: EU Neighbourhood Project fiche www.enpi-info.eu/maineast. php?id=171&id_type=10

“Don’t litter, it’s a sin” Even the Church goes Green In the battle to raise environmental awareness, Church and children are strong allies of the Ukrainian authorities. The waste management problem is acute in some regions, and an overall strategy for ecological education as well as illegal waste disposal has been put in place. The government is supported by an EU-funded project, launched in the Ukrainian region of Zakarpattia (Transcarpathia), and which is also being implemented in 7 other countries – because today garbage disposal is a real global issue. N The garbage catch of the net installed across the Latorytsia river.

Kyiv – “Where did the first garbage come from? When did the first ecological catastrophe happen?” Such unusual questions were heard during the first ever ecological sermon on April 10, 2011 by churchgoers in the Greek-Catholic cathedral of the main city in Zakarpattia. From that day on, ‘green sermons’ that call for respect of the environment and for proper waste disposal are heard throughout the churches of all major Christian denominations in this mountainous Ukrainian region. Cooperation with religious organizations is just one of the unique features of a project

N General view of the Nevsky fish factory outside St. Petersburg.

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

devoted to addressing the waste disposal problem in the region. In September 2010, the €5.9 million EU ‘Waste Governance’ project was launched in Zakarpattia (Transcarpathia). It is being simultaneously implemented in Ukraine and 6 other countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia). To fight indifference “When environmental problems are discussed in church,” explains Mons. Milan, the bishop of Mukachevo Greek-Catholic church, “this helps to realize that eco-

logical sins really exist… We do not have financial assets, but we have the means of moral influence. If the Church takes part in an environmental initiative, its followers understand that they cannot be indifferent about it.” And, really, Zakarpattia cannot afford to be indifferent about the problem of waste management. The issue in the region is very acute, especially in the mountains, where inhabitants often use rivers to dump their rubbish. That is why the banks of local rivers tend to look like improvised waste disposal sites. 55

Environment > UKRAINE

The region of Zakarpattia borders with four European Union members, so this problem automatically becomes international. “There are thousands of small rivers in Zakarpattia,” explains Eduard Osiyskiy, head of the water resource department of the regional administration, “and any plastic bottle thrown into them in the mountains, will appear downstream, in the Tysa river.” So the floating plastic tide crosses the state

border. This complicates Ukraine’s relations with Slovakia and Hungary, which have to collect the Ukrainian waste on their territory. The catch of the special net installed across the Latorytsia River near the border town of Tchop – another component of the project – illustrates the scale of this man-made disaster. A couple of days is enough to fill the net with plastic bottles. They are so many, that they almost block the river.

Eco-eagle teams hunting for plastic bottles The role of the net across Latorytsia – which is only one among the thousands of Transcarpathian rivers – is to draw public attention to the problem of waste management. The Waste Governance project has many objectives, among which the detection and inventory of illegal waste disposal sites, and the development of an integrated waste management strategy for Zakarpattia for the next 15 years. Simon Pow, the project’s team leader, thinks that the major task is not to fight the consequences, but to eradicate the roots of the problem. The waste should be stopped upstream, at the beginning of its journey down, not on the border with other countries. And in order to achieve this, people’s awareness needs to be increased and their attitude changed. From here, stems the cooperation with the Church, a very powerful force in the region. Another component aims at children’s ecological education. Little Transcarpathians have enthusiastically taken part in the ‘Day without Waste’ contest organized by the project in April 2011, together with a private company. The children had to draw ‘maps of happiness and sorrow’, showing pollution hot spots and ecologically clean spots of land. ‘To love is to know’ was the motto of the ‘Environment-2011’, team which explained the need for ecological knowledge. The children showed mature wisdom in their presentations.

‘Plastic treasures’ was the title of a second initiative, whose goal was to reward the team able to collect most plastic bottles from their villages. The 7 members of the ‘Ecoeagles’ team from Dovhepole gathered 94 big sacks of waste in just five days. The boys explained that they found the most on the dam where the river brings the garbage from upstream villages. Special containers for recycling Children’s ecological education is very important. But the problem of littering is critical, and it requires immediate action. One more contest, ‘Public Initiative – Life without Waste’, was aimed at the search for innovative ideas for proper waste management. The winning village – Kostylivka, with a population of 3,100 – does not have any place for landfill. In their application, the people offered a very practical option: to collect garbage in separate containers, and to recycle it. As for the whole of Zakarpattia, the biggest problem in Kostylivka is plastic bottles. “During the winter we remove 5,000 bottles every three weeks, in summer between 8,000 and 9,000,” says Olha Smetaniuk, the head of the village. “We already have 10 containers to collect bottles, but our village is 7 km long, and people do not want to walk so

NThe bishop of the Greek Catholic cathedral in Uzhghorod before the ‘green sermon’.

far to dispose of their garbage… We need 5 more containers, and we would like to install different ones, for plastic and glass. In this way, recycling could also be considered.” Simon Pow stresses that the problem of waste management needs a complex approach: “It’s not only a technical issue, but also an economic and public awareness one.” He sounds optimistic: “If we have the Church and the children on our side we have a tremendous future.” Text and photos by Dmytro Hubenko ©EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre

Waste Governance – European neighbourhood and partnership instrument (ENPI) East The project aims to improve the management of waste by promoting higher standards at waste facilities, more effective waste prevention initiatives, increased capacities for waste collection and sorting, as well as increasing reuse, recovery, and safe disposal of waste in the region. http://wastegovernance.org/ index_eng.html Participating countries Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine Timeframe 2009-2013 Budget € 5.9 million Objective The specific tasks faced by the project include the inventorisation of illegal waste disposal site, the strengthening of waste classification practices, the development of pilot waste management strategies at regional level and public awareness building campaigns.

“There are thousands of small rivers in Zakarpattia, and any plastic bottle thrown into them in the mountains, will appear downstream, in the Tysa river”

Find out more EU Neighbourhood Info Centre project fiche www.enpi-info.eu/maineast. php?id=22374&id_type=1 Environment – Thematic portal www. enpi-info.eu/themeeast.php?subject=6 N Ecological education is a very important task for the future.

N Trash by Nevytskyi Castle.

“It’s not only a technical issue, but also an economic and public awareness one. If we have the Church and the children on our side we have a tremendous future.”

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

Environment > Armenia

Preserving a natural wonder N The tourist area of Lake Sevan.

“We used savings achieved during project implementation to expand the coverage by 10 000 more people than was initially foreseen for the sewer network. We can consider this a real success” Sevan – “Sevan’s water is life,” says Michael Poghosian, citizen of the town of Sevan, who is in no doubt that the pollution of the largest lake in the Caucasus, a high-altitude natural wonder called Lake Sevan, should be stopped. Given that the level of the basin has been slowly rising in recent years, the 60-year-old Michael hopes that the blue waters of the lake will soon be so clean that Sevan trout (‘ishkhan’) will be cooked again with the lake’s own water as is traditional in the area. “Today people don’t dare to use this water but perhaps the time will come and then we will be able to eat our ishkhan in the most delicious way…,” says Poghosian, who adds that that people should not forget that the Ararat valley is mostly irrigated by the Sevan’s water. “This lake is our fortune and we should look after it as if it were the most precious of things,” he says.

Lake Sevan has been fighting an uphill battle to cope with the problem of pollution for decades. Untreated sewage from towns and villages scattered along its borders has been flowing directly into the basin of this high-altitude natural wonder, creating a serious environmental problem. Sewage networks and wastewater treatment plants, which date back to the Soviet era, were in a state of disrepair because they had been very poorly maintained. Recently, Armenia’s authorities decided that something had to be done. Fortunately, international assistance was available to support their efforts to reduce the amount of untreated sewage flowing into the lake. This is a report from the Lake Sevan environmental project, an EU-EBRD funded water initiative. 58

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

Clean wastewater for a cleaner lake In the 1950 and 1960s, sewer networks and wastewater treatment plants were built in a number of cities near the lake. But maintenance was hard and expensive and the network’s pipelines were no longer working properly. In addition, treatment plants could not work to their maximum potential and sometimes failed to work at all. After Armenia’s independence the situation got worse, with spare parts becoming inaccessible and prices skyrocketing. So recently Armenia’s authorities decided that something had to be done. Fortunately, international assistance was on hand to support their Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

of Gavar, Vardenis and Martuni and of the improvement of wastewater collection networks in the towns of Gavar, Vardenis, Martuni, Jermuk and Sevan.

N The old pumping station in Sevan.

N The new pumping station in Sevan.

efforts to reduce the amount of untreated water flowing into the Lake Sevan basin. This is the context in which the ‘Lake Sevan environmental project’ was developed. The project receives co-funding from the EU and the EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) to support a wastewater treatment improvement programme. The project receives a 5 million Euros grant through the EU TACIS Programme in support of the EU Water Initiative, a sum that is complemented by an EBRD loan of 7 million euros. There is also a technical assistance component with which to support the Armenian Water and Sewerage Company with engineering, design and project implementation as well as institutional development. The project consists of the construction of wastewater treatment plants in the municipalities

New sewer networks and pumping stations for five towns Before the project, all the untreated sewage from the five municipalities flowed directly into the lake. “Untreated sewage can cause serious environmental problems,” says Johan Fredholm, a representative from the EBRD. “And the government of Armenia wanted to curtail the pollution and to protect the lake. In order to do this, we had to work on two fronts: the network to collect the sewage, and the wastewater plants to treat it.” The construction work has progressed well and today the network is practically finalised. The whole project will be finalised in the summer of 2012 when the treatment plants have been completed. “Not all villages around Lake Sevan could be served through this initiative,” adds Fredholm. “But we were able to cover the largest communities around Sevan with a total of approximately 80,000 people, and used savings achieved during project implementation to expand the coverage by 10 000 more people than was initially foreseen for the sewer network. We can consider this a real success.” “In total, some 30 kilometres of wastewater collection pipelines have been replaced or built from scratch,” says Vardan Melkonyan, the Technical Director of the Armenian Water and Sewerage Company. “We have installed 650 observation chambers as well as five pumping stations.” “There are wastewater treatment stations in 16 towns in Armenia,” he goes on, “but they don’t work. This is because the price of water is 180 drams per cubic meter. That is enough to provide

“This lake is our fortune and we should look after it as if it were the most precious of things” 59

Environment > Armenia

safe drinking water but not to treat the wastewater”. Thanks to the project, the wastewater will now be mechanically treated. Filters will collect the solid waste, grease and sand. “At this stage,” concludes Melkonyan, “biological cleaning is not planned although the newly constructed treatment stations offer an opportunity to implement it in the future”. This project is part of a regional initiative to support Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), a key goal of the EU’s Water Initiative. The EU’s Water Initiative was launched in 2002 with the aim of reinforcing the capacities and commitment of the partner countries. This regional programme, which covers Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine, is a ten million euro strong co-investment by the EU and the EBRD in the field of water supply and sanitation and is for actions aimed at improving water governance, capacity-building and awareness.

Environment > MOLDOVA

Sevan’s clean and beautiful blue eyes “Our network today has been renovated and regulated,” says Michael Poghosian. “Our wastewater disposal has definitely improved and waters flow through pipes like in normal cities.” “After the independence of Armenia we often suffered from sewage clogging the pipes up,” says 38-year-old Shushan Melikian, “but today we do not experience that any more”. “I have two children who love swimming and who don’t come out of the lake for the whole summer,” adds Melikian. “Today I feel reassured that the authorities are concerned about this pollution problem and that there are organisations and institutions working together to keep our lake clean.” “We have many foreigners travelling to Armenia,” she concludes. “And it would be better if Sevan could look at its guests with its clean and beautiful blue eyes.” Text and pictures by Aghavni Harutyunyan ©EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre

“The government of Armenia wanted to curtail the pollution and to protect the lake. In order to do this, we had to work on two fronts: the network to collect the sewage, and the wastewater plants to treat it” N Working meeting with Vardan Melkonyan, the Armenian Water and Sewerage Company’s director.

Co-investment funding in the field of water and sanitation Support to investments in the field of water supply and sanitation in Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine. Participating countries Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine Timeframe 2006-2010

N Works on going at the sewerage network, near the Railway Station in Chisinau.

Budget €10 million (€3m in Ukraine – €7m in Armenia and Georgia) Objective The project supports Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), a key goal of the EU Water Initiative launched in 2002, through reinforcing the capacities and commitment of the Partner Countries for actions aimed at improved water governance, capacity-building and awareness. It also seeks to improve the Partners’ efficiency of water management through multi-stakeholder dialogue and coordination and strengthens coordination by promoting river basin approaches and identifying additional financial resources and mechanisms to ensure sustainable financing. Lake Sevan Basin Environmental project in Armenia, co-funded with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD),supports a wastewater treatment improvement programme to reduce the amount of untreated water flowing into the Lake Sevan basin. It helps fund three wastewater treatment plants and rehabilitate the wastewater networks in five towns located near Lake Sevan. Find out more EU Neighbourhood Info Centre project fiche www.enpi-info.eu/maineast. php?id=275&id_type=10 EU Neighbourhood Info Centre Regional projects list www.enpi-info.eu/list_projects_east. php?subject=6 EU Neighbourhood Info Centre thematic portal www.enpi-info.eu/themeeast. php?subject=6

Chisinau working hard to protect itself from flooding

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

The capital of Moldova, Chisinau, is surrounded by seven hills. Every time there is heavy rain, powerful streams of water rush towards the city centre. The storm sewage system in the city was built in the mid-twentieth century and has never been seriously cleaned up or repaired in the last twenty years. But the good news is that an EU-funded project is now supporting local authorities in their efforts to prevent the capital of Moldova from being flooded. CHISINAU – “Whenever it looked like it could rain, I used to rush to the railway station because I knew that trouble was coming and that there was work to be done there… ” said Nistor Grosavu, Chisinau’s Deputy Mayor. He goes on to explain that the railway station is located at the bottom of the valley and in the very heart of the city. “The powerful streams of water rushing down from the nearby hills collected right here, turning the square in front of the station practically into a lake,” he says. “The sewage system Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

just couldn’t cope with the flooding and we had to pump the water out to get the traffic moving.” In the summer of 2008, after a particularly heavy flood, the authorities finally decided to clean up the drainage and sewage system in the area. However, an in-depth analysis showed that a simple ‘face-lift’ would not suffice. In fact, a complete reconstruction of the storm overflow collection and drainage system needed to be done, not only in the station area but also in the nearby streets.

Unfortunately, the local budget did not have enough funds to do this. “We developed a project and proposed it for funding through the EU regional cooperation programme called ‘Civil Society and the Local Administration’, says Gabriels Tchumak, Head of the Chisinau Administration for Foreign Contacts, Regional Cooperation and European Integration. “It was the first time we had independently prepared a project and we won the competition and were given support under the EU partnership programme”. 61

Environment > MOLDOVA

N Constantin Andrusteac, expert in architecture (C) with Mayor of Chisinau Mr. Dorin Chirtoaca (R), analyzing the construction plan of the Pluvial Sewerage Project, near the Railway Station in Chisinau.

“It was the first time we had independently prepared a project and we won the competition and were given support under the EU partnership programme”

Old flaws in the underground pipeline system The project started in December 2009 and should be completed by June 2012. It is being run together with Odessa City Council (Odessa, in Ukraine, is just 17 km away from Chisinau). Out of a total budget of 900,000 EUR, 737,000 EUR will be spent in the Moldovan capital. The two cities have similar problems with sewage due to inefficiencies in their pipeline networks. “In Odessa, we will repair

the central sewer,” says Natalya Lipka, the project manager “while in Chisinau we are planning a more complex sewage reconstruction”. The project has been broken down into lots and is being implemented in stages. As a first step, the city public services have cleared up the gullies and the sewage systems together with the residents from nearby streets. This measure alone has had a noticeable effect. Last year, during the showery season, the railway station area was not flooded. In a second stage, several local companies have been selected for the construction of extra water collection channels and for the rehabilitation of the drainage system. Tudor Vartolomei, the contractor’s representative, says that the latest materials and technologies are being used in this process, which makes it possible to speed up the work and to guarantee high quality workmanship. The architect Konstantin Andruschak and the engineer Natalia Khotei are supervising the reconstruction process. “We have detected several mistakes in the layout of the city’s underground pipeline,” says Andruschak. “The sewage layout does not always correspond to the existing maps while the sewer connections don’t

always meet the technical standards. This is causing a reverse wave effect. So we can say that the project is not only creating an extra drainage system and modernising the city’s sewage system but it is also revealing old problems with the underground pipeline”. Cars were swept into the station in the 2008 floods Thousands of citizens will benefit from the project. The local population amounts to around 30,000 people and thousands of passengers travel by rail every day. During the 2008 flood, cars were swept onto the station’s steps. “In my office, the water was half a metre deep,” says the station master Dinu Karp adding that “in some places it reached

window level”. Not surprisingly, Moldova’s railway administration expressed considerable interest in the EU-supported project. Last year, the Moldovan Railway Council also took the decision to provide finance for one of the project’s lots, which was aimed at constructing a pumping station for storm overflow drainage. The residents of the adjacent streets are following the progress of the work and taking part in discussions about the reconstruction of the sewage system. It was based on their advice that a decision was taken to build an extra draw-off next to Tiraspol street. “I have lived here for 15 years,” says Lilia Rotar, “and every time heavy rain turned into a disaster. You couldn’t reach your home. The entrance was flooded.

“So we can say that the project is not only creating an extra drainage system and modernising the city’s sewage system but it is also revealing old problems with the underground pipeline” N A worker on the site of the project.

The ground floor rooms were all wet and mouldy. Even though the work has not been completed yet, last autumn the water didn’t reach our house and we didn’t experience such problems”. The work will not just stop once the EU project is completed either. According to the Deputy Mayor Nistor Grosavu, the city administration has also invested around 500,000 EUR into the implementation of the project. “We now have a clearer picture of what is required for the pipeline modernisation. So we can go ahead with the reforms that were started thanks to this project,” he says. According to Grosavu, new joint initiatives will also be developed under the EU regional cooperation programme. Text by Dmitry Kalak Photos by EPA©EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre

The pluvial sewerage: promoting and implementing innovative action to climate change It aims to reduce the effects of heavy rain and flooding by improving the pluvial water collection and evacuation systems and their orientation into natural water tanks Participating countries Moldova, Ukraine Timeframe December 2009 – June 2012 Budget € 900,000

N Experts inspecting works of the Pluvial Sewerage Project, near the Railway Station in Chisinau.

Objective The project aims to promote and implement innovative logistics operations and constructive adaptation to climate change in Chisinau and Odessa, by involving social actors in promoting these principles. Also, it aims to reduce the effects of heavy rain and flooding by improving the pluvial water collection and evacuation systems and their orientation into natural water tanks, as well as to optimize urban traffic by improving problematic areas created after the floods. http://chisinauprojects.eu/index. php?option=com_content&vi ew=article&id=52%3Apluvialsewerage&catid=38%3Achannelingrainwater&Itemid=62&lang=en EU Neighbourhood Info Centre Thematic portal http://www.enpi-info.eu/themeeast. php?subject=8 EU Neighbourhood Info Centre: MOLDOVA http://www.enpi-info.eu/countryeast. php?country=60

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

TRANSPORT > Azerbaijan

Transport

Don’t keep the train waiting (to be loaded on the ferry) N View of Baku’s Bay.

The Black and Caspian seas are the backbone links for transport connections between Asia and Europe: ferry transport and land routes are the keys to understand the Motorways of the Seas – Black Sea and Caspian Sea project. A second phase of the EU funded initiative focuses on transit and logistics: it’s time to optimize freight operations through ferry transport on the Caspian and Back Seas, and to improve the land cargo routes between them. Increasing the competitiveness of the TRACECA transport corridor, means in the end to be able to attract a higher volume of goods to be shipped from China to Europe and America. Baku – “The Black and Caspian seas are the backbone links for transport connections between Asia and Europe: their development is of the outmost importance for the Europe-Caucasus-Asia transport corridor, or TRACECA, as it is called.” Akif Mustafayev, Azerbaijan’s National Secretary of the EU’s TRACECA project, is a strong believer of the ‘Motorways of the Sea’ concept. And he’s proud to talk about the “Motorways phase 2” project,

Azerbaijan’s transport infrastructure needs serious investments. Under the new State Programme on railways system development, the railway between Baku and the Georgian border will be fully modernized (Photo by Shain Abbasov ©EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre). 64

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

which focuses on transit and logistics. A first EU-funded “Motorways of the Seas – Black Sea and Caspian Sea” project was implemented to increase volumes and efficiency of cargo transportation. The initiative also serves as external dimension of the multimodal maritime corridors of the EU Trans European Transport networks (TEN-T) to the neighbouring countries and beyond. The project was launched in 2009 and

will be soon completed. Now – according to Mr. Mustafayev – the cooperation continues within a new, joint and more comprehensive “Motorways of the Black and Caspian Seas: transit and logistics” project. As the previous one, it is technical and the participating countries themselves seek funds for concrete infrastructural projects – by means of direct government allocations or outside investments. 65

TRANSPORT > Azerbaijan

Improving the efficiency of ferry routes Ferry transport and land routes, these are the keys to understanding the “Motorways of the Seas – Black Sea and Caspian Sea” project. This initiative aims at optimization of intermodal freight operations through ferry transport on the Caspian and Back Seas, and land cargo routes between them. In particular, the Baku-Aktau and Baku-Turkmenbashi at Caspian Sea, and Poti-Ilyichevsk, PotiVarna and Poti-Constanza at the Black Sea ferry routes are concerned. Several seminars, bilateral and regional meetings with participation of all interested sides – managers of the sea ports, shipping companies, railways, govern-

“The project aims to improve cooperation between the main players for a better quality of cargo transportation”

“In general, the philosophy of logistics is to provide larger volumes of cargo with less transport means. This also helps to save energy resources and to preserve the environment” ment customs and transport bodies – were held within the EU-funded project during the last two years. Ways were discussed to improve the TRACECA transport corridor function and to increase its competitiveness. “The efficiency of ferry routes at the Caspian and Black seas is not satisfactory at present,” continues Mustafayev, “so the project aims to improve cooperation between the main players for a better quality of cargo transportation. For example, trucks or trains should not wait to be loaded on the ferry for hours. Everything should be ready by the time of their arrival to ports,” he says. And how could this be possible? “To begin with, the displacement time diagrams of transport should be drafted jointly by the different countries and players, in order to avoid wasting time during cargo operations.”

To achieve these goals, modern logistical centres are needed in the Caspian and Black Sea ports. The creation of such centres would significantly increase TRACECA’s competitiveness, Mustafayev says. Currently, about 10 million containers are being shipped annually from China to Western Europe and America. But – just as an example – in 2010 only about 16,000 containers were shipped to Afghanistan via TRACECA, and even smaller were the volumes to be shipped from China to Europe and America. The attraction of at least 3-5% of these cargos would bring serious economic benefits to the TRACECA corridor. Azerbaijani infrastructure developing fast Indeed, Azerbaijan has been actively developing its transport infrastructure,

NBaku’s international port.

which is part of the TRACECA corridor. The new 503km superhighway from Baku to the Georgian border is 75% ready and will be completed soon. Also the Azerbaijani government has enforced a new State Programme on railways system development, according to which the railway between Baku and the Georgian border will be fully modernized. The importance of this railroad system will increase after the completion of the new modern International Sea Trade Port (ISTP) in the Alat suburb, near Baku. Its construction was launched in November 2010 and it is expected to be completed in 2014. In the meantime, measures to increase cargo transportation are being applied in the current Baku International Sea Trade Port (BISTP). Vahid Aliyev, deputy General Director of the BISTP, says that 12 berths have recently been fully renovated and thus capacity of cargo transportation will increase of about 20-30%, to reach 8

million tons annually. Mr Aliyev says the capacity of the new sea port in Alat will be several times more and will exceed 60 million tons of cargo annually. “Of course this will open new opportunities to increase transportation within the TRACECA corridor,” he says. The importance of logistics: larger volumes, less means The top manager also emphasizes the positive importance of the EU “Motorways of the Seas – Black Sea and Caspian Sea” technical project. “Azerbaijan is very much interested to develop these motorways, to attract additional cargos,” he continues. And Akif Mustafayev from TRACECA adds that the solution of logistical issues and optimization of cargo transportation methods are of particular importance at this stage. Currently, the most optimal form of cargo transportation in the world is in standard-size con-

tainers. “Even components of industrial products and equipment are being produced to fit the standard-size containers for transportation,” Mustafayev says. And this practice should be introduced in the regional ports at Black and Caspian seas. “In general, the philosophy of logistics is to provide larger volumes of cargo with less transport means. This also helps to save energy resources and to preserve the environment,” Mustafayev says. Text and photos by Shahin Abbasov ©EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre

TRACECA Motorways of the Seas – Black Sea and Caspian Sea Promotes the Motorways of the Sea (MoS) concept and the creation of better maritime transportconnections in the wider Black Sea and Caspian Sea region www.traceca-org.org Participating countries

“The Black and Caspian seas are the backbone links for transport connections between Asia and Europe: their development is of the outmost importance for the Europe-CaucasusAsia transport corridor” N Akif Mustafayev.

N Vahid Alyev.

Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan Timeframe 2009-2011 Budget € 2.5 million Objective The project aims at improving transport connections between the EU and its Eastern neighbors, as well as better intermodal freight operations, through the integration of short sea shipping into the transport logistics, improving port operations and making hinterland connections more efficient. The project seeks to develop the potential of maritime intermodal transport in favor of a sustainable, safe and secure development of regional market trade and cohesion. Find out more EU Neighbourhood Info Centre – Transport webpage www.enpi-info.eu/maineast. php?id=208&id_type=10 European Commission – transport relations Caucasus/Central Asia http://ec.europa.eu/transport/ international/regional_cooperation/ caucasus_central-asia_en.htm Project website www.traceca-org.org

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

TRACECA – Turning transport

blueprints into real transport links TRACECA (Transport Corridor Europe Caucasus Asia) is a strange animal, points out Philip Mikos, Head of Unit of Regional Programmes Neighbourhood East at the European Commission, in an interview with the EU Neighbourhood Info Centre. In a nutshell, it is an EU programme and also an international multilateral agreement of 12 countries, both aiming to develop a regional network of transport routes stretching from China all the way to Europe, dubbed ‘the new Silk Road’. The TRACECA programme supports the modernisation of transport standards and practices in our partner countries. It also helps attract investment into transport infrastructure, through such initiatives as the TRACECA Investment Forum, says Philip Mikos.

Interview with Philip Mikos

Head of Unit of Regional Programmes Neighbourhood East at the European Commission

How does the Investment Forum contribute to attracting investment? National governments preselect particular transport projects of significance to the whole TRACECA corridor and present their project ideas to potential donors and investors at the forum. The proposals are a bit like an artist’s sketch of a house and are not detailed plans, but they do set out the expected costs and returns in terms of social and economic development. We then invite IFIs (International Financial Institutions), banks, the private sector and national governments to meet so that “offer can meet demand”. The role of the European Commission here is to facilitate this process whilst bearing in mind the priorities in transport cooperation agreed between the EU and partner countries. Through the TRACECA programme the Commission provides a team of experts to support our partners in defining a list of priorities and pre-select the projects. What are the criteria for selecting the projects to be presented at the forum? First of all the project must be relevant for the region as a whole, then environmental, technical and economic criteria come into play. The project should have limited impact on the environment, it should be technically sound and conducive to economic development. Each project is presented individually, so eloquence and the capacity to impress the audience certainly matters, but in the end it is the banks and other investors who decide which project has a potential to be funded.

“Over time, the TRACECA programme has become a useful vehicle for regional cooperation”

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

How would a project typically receive funding from donors or investors? Projects are mostly funded through loans, for example from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) or the European Investment Bank (EIB). The loan may be a 100% loan, or a partial loan, co-financed by governments from the region or by other donors. The EU’s Neighbourhood Investment Facility (NIF), is a possible donor which combines grants with banks’ loans. What are the results of the Investment Forum? In the first forum (October 2010) there were over 160 participants coming from TRACECA countries, the European Commission, international financial institutions, investors, operators and clients. two years later four projects have loan scheme appraisal or are being closely followed by IFIs, two have been financed by the national governments and the investment in several others are being negotiated. The process leading to implementation takes time, even more so in the present circumstances of market volatility, as the IFIs and other investors have to study the financial plans and returns on the investment to take a decision. Will the forum become a permanent feature? It all depends whether partner countries and EU member states find it a useful event. Our assessment of the first forum was positive. We hope that the second one will result in more projects attracting investors. If the second forum is as successful as the first one, we’ll probably consider organising a third one and then we’ll see. What type of projects found investors at the first forum? Take for example the modernisation of a highway in Georgia. The EIB and the EBRD have expressed interest in supporting this venture, as have the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. Parts of this highway around Zestafoni need rehabilitation, some stretches have to be rebuilt and some stretches have to be built from scratch. The project already

“The Investment Forum is not operating in a vacuum, but rather takes into account what is already happening” receives EU support via the Neighbourhood Investment Facility, which covers the feasibility study. This is an example of how our cooperation mechanisms are complementary to each other. The Investment Forum is not operating in a vacuum, but rather takes into account what is already happening. Another project illustrating our approach is the port of Ilyichevsk in Ukraine. It envisages the rehabilitation of the port. The idea here is that if, in the future, Ukraine works out a sound transport strategy, perhaps it should be linked to the extension of the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-Ts). There is another link here worth mentioning – between TRACECA and the Eastern Partnership (EaP). The TRACECA programme is part of the framework for transport cooperation in the EaP, which also takes place in the EaP Transport Panel. How will TRACECA evolve in the future? Over time, the TRACECA programme has become a unique vehicle for regional cooperation but at the same time the multi-lateral agreement has become the basis for a variety of cooperation initiatives among the countries well beyond the EU-funded programme. The fact that the Permanent Secretariat in Baku is funded by the TRACECA countries shows how important it is for the countries to have a body bringing them together in addition to the EU TRACECA programme.

TRANSPORT > Armenia

The better the metro system the happier the citizen… For more than 30 years, the Yerevan metro infrastructure has been operational with almost no major capital rehabilitation. With no more than basic ongoing maintenance, the metro saw a significant deterioration of its assets. Thanks to the Yerevan Metro Rehabilitation Project co-financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (€5 million loan), the European Investment Bank (€5 million loan) and the EU Neighbourhood Investment Facility (€5 million grant) new equipment has been purchased. The overall objective is to upgrade the metro system and to improve the quality of life for Yerevan city residents by encouraging greater use of public transport and reducing vehicle emissions. YEREVAN – “The metro? It brings me where I have to go in 10 minutes instead of 40 minutes by bus,” says Tatevik Sargsyan, who is studying design at an institute located near the Yeritasardakan Metro station, like many other institutes and universities in Yerevan. Even though the Metro has just 10 stations and is just 12km long, many inhab70

N Yeritasardakan metro station, near to institutions and universities.

itants of the Armenian capital, especially students and older people, are often using it. “My friends and I, we prefer the metro system: in the mornings the roads are overcrowded, while the metro is faster, safer and it’s even possible to read something before you reach your station,” says Tatevik. Asya Kchozyan, a 71-year-old professor teaching chemistry at Agrarian University, uses the metro to get from the suburbs to the centre almost every day. “I have neither the wish nor physical ca-

pacity to take minibuses, which are not comfortable and it is always impossible to find a seat there, while in the metro I feel comfortable and safe,” she says. Asya compares different types of urban transport: “Even waiting for the train is comfortable here, compared with the bus stations where the traffic noise and the dust are really annoying. Moreover, the metro system is ecologically clean,” Asya says, believing the underground to be the only comfortable form of transport for the elderly. Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

Motor transport, a strong (and polluting) competitor People in Yerevan are attached to their metro system. The main double-tracked line with 9 stations runs from the northwest to the southwest of the city. The second and shorter single tracked branch operates as a shuttle connection, feeding the main line. But for more than 30 years, the Yerevan metro infrastructure has benefited from minor rehabilitation works. Only a basic ongoing maintenance programme was implemented. These limited investments resulted in a certain deterioration of the assets. Now things have started to change. The Yerevan Metro Rehabilitation project is co-financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (€5 million loan), the European Investment Bank (€5 million loan) and the EU Neighbourhood Investment Facility (€5 million grant). Ashot Mnatsakanyan, adviser to the Mayor of Yerevan, describes the metro as the most important link of the city’s transport. “This project,” he says, “addresses safety and energy-saving issues

as a first and necessary step towards renovations, with the final goal to make the metro system a way of transport capable of attracting a much higher number of people.” One of the main reasons why the underground has not been used to its full potential, is the spontaneous development of a parallel and quite extended overground transport network. According to Mnatsakanyan, “many overground transport lines run in parallel with underground lines. We are working now on the possibility of changing the motor transport system. We are also studying the option of creating a unified ticketing system.” New bogies to make traffic safer and less noisy “A detailed operational and financial analysis has been carried out to review the project needs, to define a list of investments and finally to develop a procurement and implementation plan”, says Garry Manukyan, adviser to the chairman of the board of directors of the state-owned Karen Demirchyan Yerevan Metro CJSC.

“The project addresses safety and energysaving issues as a first and necessary step towards renovations, with the final goal to make the metro system a way of transport capable of attracting a much higher number of people” “Priorities for the project were defined on the basis of safety and quality related issues. That is how we came up with a very specific list of items to be purchased, which will also enable us to reduce energy and maintenance costs.” So a traction machine was selected, which operates at nights to repair daily mechanical problems: it replaces a 50-year-old one, which

N Maintenance of the metro system: bogies in the depot.

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

TRANSPORT > GEORGIA

TRANSPORT > Armenia

was considered completely worn out. The same criteria was applied to the new bogies, which allow the traffic to be less noisy and safer, to the track components, the cabling, and the water pumping systems. “The delivery of the goods is under way,” continues Manukyan, “and by the end of 2012, the overall project should be successfully implemented”. “The operation,” he concludes, “will also contribute to the institutional strengthening of the Company in terms of project implementation capacity, operational and financial improvements.” More people on board, increased revenues for the company Today, the metro is not running at its full capacity. By encouraging a greater use of underground transport, the project aims not only to benefit the direct users, but also to reduce congestion and pollution from motor vehicles in the city. In a word, the initiative is twofold: improving the quality of life for the citizens of Yerevan by also saving energy and keeping an eye on environment. “At present, approximately 20 million journeys a year are made on the metro, or 1.3 million people per kilometre of metro line, which is not a high index. An increased use of the metro would also mean increased revenues for the company, which, in combination with predictable subsidies, will lead to opera-

“An increased use of the metro would also mean increased revenues for the company, which, in combination with predictable subsidies, will lead to operational and financial sustainability” tional and financial sustainability”, says Johan Fredholm, Associate Banker at the EBRD on Municipal and Environmental Infrastructure. According to the EBRD representative, the project fits the bank’s strategy to improve the urban transport infrastructure in Armenia, and the commercialization of services provided by the municipality. “An important component of the project is to develop a Public Service Contract, or PSC, signed between the City and the Metro Company, which will define the rights and obligations of both parties in a transparent way. Historically, there has not been any such contract, because the City is the owner of the Metro company. The Public Service Contract – he concludes – could improve the predictability of budget subsidies”. Text and pictures by Aghavni Harutyunyan ©EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre

Neighbourhood Investment Facility The Neighbourhood Investment Facility aims to mobilise additional funds for infrastructure projects in neighbouring countries. The NIF promotes in particular the energy, transport and environment sectors, but financial support can also be provided for projects focusing on developing SMEs or infrastructure in the social sector. By encouraging unified European action, the NIF allows for the real coordination of donors, the sharing of tasks and the harmonisation of procedures. http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/where/neighbourhood/regional-cooperation/ irc/investment_en.htm Participating countries Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria, Tunisia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine Timeframe 2009-2013 Budget € 745 million Find out more European Investment Bank info about the Yerevan Metro project www.eib.org/projects/press/2010/2010-136first-european-investment-bank-loan-toarmenia-for-yerevan-metro-upgrade.htm EU Neighbourhood Info Centre project fiche on the Neighbourhood Investment Facility (NIF) www.enpi-info.eu/mainmed. php?id=321&id_type=10 Neighbourhood Investment Facility Projects in the Eastern Region http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/where/ neighbourhood/regional-cooperation/ irc/investment_projects_east_en.htm The people behind the projects www.enpi-info.eu/medportal/features/318/ Les-personnesderri%C3%A8re-les-projets-:entretien-avec-Richard-Weber---FIV

N Entrance of the metro station of Hanrapetutyan Hraparak.

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

How many hours a day should a truck driver work? When it comes to road transport safety, Georgia is progressing fast. In 2010, the use of seat belts for front passengers became compulsory. Now the country has launched the accession procedure to the International Road Transport Agreement (AETR), which makes mandatory the use of digital tachographs for trucks. This checking device records a vehicle’s speed and is used to regulate drivers’ working time and rest periods. The EU–funded Land Transport Safety and Security (LTSS) project is supporting Georgia in its efforts to comply with international regulations and, overall, to make road transport safer. Tbilisi – “The seat belts are working: the 2010 figures show the number of accidents and injuries declining by 7.5% compared to the previous year.” Since last December, the use of seat belts has become compulsory for front seat passengers in Georgia. And according to Eka Laliashvili – head of the board of the NGO Georgian Alliance for Safe Roads – even this short period has saved many lives on Georgia’s roads. The country has quite a high rate of traffic fatalities: today, the Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

N A truck on the road, close to the Georgian capital.

main challenge is to change culture and attitudes. “Excess speed, excess alcohol and no seatbelts – these are very big issues, and not only for Georgia,” notes John Field, project manager of the LTSS, the EU supported “Land Transport Safety and Security project”. “So it’s very important to explain to people that there are risks, and that such risks can be reduced by their own behavior. I think that enforcement is not the only way out: it is very important to raise awareness.”

Driving a maximum of 9 hours a day… Raising awareness of transport safety and security standards and regulations among the wider public, is one of the top goals of LTSS. The project also aims at assisting countries to harmonize the relevant rules and procedures with international and EU conventions. LTSS is nowadays focusing on digital tachographs, which Field sees as an immediate necessity for every country. The 73

TRANSPORT > GEORGIA

N Zaza Avaliani.

N Eka Laliashvili.

N Elizbar Darchiashvili.

European Agreement dealing with the work of Crews of Vehicles engaged in International Road Transport Agreement (AETR) was adopted in 1970. Currently, all EU and TRACECA countries bar Georgia, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, are party to the Agreement. From 16 June, 2010 the agreement has introduced the mandatory use of digital tachographs in all contracting countries for trucks carrying a total weight of over 3.5 tonnes, and vehicles carrying at least 9 passengers. The digital tachograph is a checking device, which records a vehicle’s speed and whether it is moving or stationary. Tachographs control that drivers are not at the wheel for more than a maximum

of 9 hours, extendable to 10 hours no more than twice a week. It also records if a break of at least 45 minutes is taken after no more than 4.5 hours of driving. “This issue is very serious, particularly for long-distance drivers, as there is a temptation to drive without a rest,” Field explains.

AETR, cannot for the moment issue such cards. “So Georgian drivers of newly registered vehicles cannot participate in international deliveries,” explains Zaza Avaliani, Deputy Head at Road Transport Department of United Transport Administration (UTA), the state body in charge of transport issues, which has been advocating Georgian accession to AETR for many years. For Gogita Kerkadze, Manager of Heavy Deliveries at “Georgian Express”, DHL’s official agent in Georgia, “digital tachographs are essential”. His company has recently bought a new truck for €100,000 but has to keep it out of operation until Georgia joins AETR. “Digital tachographs are the only mechanisms to control that a driver does not work 10-11 hours a day, which sometimes happens as both the driver and company seek to get to the destination as quickly as possible. This increases hazards,” Kerkadze comments. Mamuka Mnatobishvili, 30, has been working with Georgian Express for four years. He thinks that tachographs are very important in terms of security and

N Mamuka Mnatobishvili, a truck driver.

Digital tachographs are compulsory to drive abroad From January 1st this year, all heavy vehicles registered in Georgia must have digital tachographs to be allowed to go abroad, while the drivers must hold personal cards to operate the tachographs. Georgia, not yet being a member of

“It’s very important to explain to people that there are risks, and that such risks can be reduced by their own behaviour” Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

N A truck driving in Tblisi.

“a good way to control a company and a driver”. Khvicha Papunashvili, a Georgian driver engaged in cargo transportation, is also positive about the introduction of compulsory digital tachographs, though “it is just a part of a bigger problem,” he adds, referring to road conditions and excessive speed. Elizbar Darchiashvili, UTA senior official responsible for security issues, says that the Georgian government has launched the accession procedure, understanding how critical the situation is. “When applying, we will be asking for a two-year transition period because technical matters – issuing cards, controlling mechanisms etc. – will take time.” Land Transport Safety and Security (LTSS, TRACECA) The project improves transport safety and security in the Eastern neighbour countries and Central Asian TRACECA Partner countries, in line with European standards in the field of land transport. www.traceca-ltss.eu/index. php?a=main&pid=167 &lang=eng

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

And this is where the LTSS Project comes in, with its support to national authorities for the smooth introduction of regulations in line with international requirements. Field says that in each country a working group is set up to come up with specific solutions. “Many countries have agreed to join AETR, but don’t have the capability to actually implement what they need to do. We provide technical assistance through this project.” For Zaza Avaliani, the support offered by the LTSS project is an essential contribution. “The future of Georgia’s land transport depends on these developments.”

“Digital tachographs are the only mechanisms to control that a driver does not work 10-11 hours a day, which sometimes happens as both the driver and company seek to get to the destination as quickly as possible”

Timeframe 2009-2011 Budget € 2,997,000 Objective The project aims to improve land transport safety and security regulations in the EU neighbouring and Central Asian countries in line with European standards, through strengthening the administrative capacities of the national authorities charged with regulating the transport safety and security environments, and improving the knowledge and skills of the individual staff. The project also raises awareness of transport safety and security standards and regulations amongst the wider public.

Participating countries Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey closely associated Find out more The EU Neighbourhood Info Centre fiche on the LTSS project www.enpi-info.eu/maineast. php?id=213&id_type=10 The EU Neighbourhood Info Centre fiche on the TRACECA programme www.enpi-info.eu/ maineast.php?id=272&id_type=10 LTSS project website www.traceca-ltss.eu TRACECA programme website www.tracecaprogramme.eu/en/home/

TRANSPORT > Moldova

EU Neighbourhood

Handbooks From the EU Neighbourhood Info Centre website, a number of different handbooks can be downloaded, offering tips to media professionals for improved coverage of EU cooperation activities, but also providing information on how to access EU funding or to navigate through EU jargon. A wealth of knowledge at your disposal, just a click away on www.enpi-info.eu.

For your wedding, get a trolleybus There’s a new fashion in the Moldovan capital Chisinau. Instead of a limousine for their wedding, some couples order… a trolleybus – a vehicle also in demand for birthdays, school-leaving parties and other events. A year ago, it would have been unimaginable. Most people treated trolleybuses with utter contempt, an attitude more than justified by their shabby appearance. It all changed in April 2011, when, on the eve of Easter and thanks to the EU support, the first new trolleybuses appeared on the streets of Chisinau. Our journalist took a ride…

N Citizens using the new public trolleybuses.

Chisinau – In June 2007 Dorin Chirtoaca became the youngest ever mayor of Chisinau. He was just 29. From the very first days he had to solve complex problems, the main ones including drinking water and heating supply, as well as reliable public transport. Lack of funds made it very difficult to replace the worn communication networks, as well as to renew the municipal transport fleet. In this situation, the mayor’s visit to Europe in late 2007 proved crucial. He met several people, including the leaders of the European Bank for Reconstruction

and Development, and asked for support. “This involved bringing heating, water and transport rates in accordance with actual expenses,” says Mr Chirtoaca. The unpopular measures taken by the young mayor roused protests. But he did not give in to the pressure and went on to implement what he had planned. In August 2010, a contract was signed with the EBRD to buy new trolleybuses for Chisinau. At the same time, negotiations took place with the European Investment Bank and an application was submitted for an EU grant. In autumn

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

2010 the complete project budget was determined, which amounted to €13.7 million. The EBRD and EIB provided loans of €5 million each, while the EU offered €3.7 million free of charge. The tender for supplying 102 trolleybuses was won by Belkommunmash from Minsk. End-to-end solution of transport problems Improving cooperation with European institutions gave an impetus to solving many other city problems. “We have a strong experience in implementing such 77

TRANSPORT > Moldova

“Before the new machines were purchased, over 90% of the vehicles were past their expiry date. They would often break down, the runs were cancelled, passengers were upset… Now all has changed and people enjoy a trolleybus ride” projects in many countries, including those in post-Soviet territory,” says Octavian Costas, EBRD consultant in the country. “Besides providing the financial support, it is important for us to create an effective instrument for long-term development in the field. Chisinau authorities managed to grasp this idea, and proceeded to implement end-to-end solutions using our financial and advisory assistance.” To begin with, the EBRD paid an international consulting company to make an audit of the state of Chisinau transport. This allowed to pinpoint the ‘pain spots’ that stood in the way of successful N Gheorghe Margoci, Director of Electric Transport Administration, together with a bus driver.

development and cost-effective work of the industry. Based on the audit results, it was decided to introduce a system of electronic tickets in trolleybuses, as well as to work out a long-term strategy for municipal transport development. “With the financial support we have received, we are not going to just purchase 102 new trolleybuses” says Dorin Chirtoaca. “We have already concluded an agreement with Belkommunmash to arrange the assembly of trolleybuses in Chisinau.” This will make it possible to renew the fleet when needed, and to make the project sustainable in the long period. “City roads are another problem,” continues Chirtoaca, “so we have started reconstructing the main city thoroughfares. Here we are also assisted by EBRD and EIB. They have assigned €16 million to repair ten streets, all is done according to the European standards – the bed quality, the pavements, the lighting and parking space.” A European capital for Europeans According to Gheorghe Morgoci, Director of Electric Transport Administration in Chisinau, passenger traffic on lines where the new trolleybuses are running has grown by 20-30%. “In Chisinau, over 300 trolleybuses run every day,” says

N The Mayor of Chisinau, Mr Dorin Chirtoaca, talking to passengers on a new trolleybus.

Gheorghe Morgoci “Before the new machines were purchased, over 90% of the vehicles were past their expiry date. They would often break down, the runs were cancelled, passengers were upset and preferred to take mini-buses or buses. Now all has changed and people enjoy a trolleybus ride.” At the stops in Chisinau, people often do not want to get on an old trolleybus or bus. They prefer to wait for some 5-7 minutes for the new white-and-blue trolleybuses made in Belarus. The colour, incidentally, was chosen by the citizens themselves through an online vote. Trolleybus passenger Nadezhda, 39, works as an accountant in a small company. “I used to take a trolleybus only in emergency. They screeched, they were noisy, in winter they were cold and in summer stifling… It is completely different now. The vehicles are very comfortable, noiseless, complete with conditioners and heating. I like the visual displays which show the next stop and other useful information.” Vladimir Gheorghita has been a trolleybus driver since 1991. “I had a chance to work on many vehicles, but this one is the best, both for the driver and for passengers. However, I had to do some re-training – there are many electronic Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

“Besides providing the financial support, it is important for us to create an effective instrument for long-term development. Chisinau authorities managed to grasp this idea, and proceeded to implement end-to-end solutions using our financial and advisory assistance” devices in the new trolley. But I am used to it now.” Maria Cimpoies works with Vladimir as a conductor. She is a bit worried that once electronic tickets are introduced she may lose her job. “I love working in these trolleybuses, it’s pure joy, they are so comfortable and cozy. You won’t believe it, but even the passengers have changed – they smile and make jokes more often, and will never throw rubbish on the floor. What a shame if I lose this job.” The director of the trolleybus fleet, Alexandra Vasilieva, does not see any reason for such worries. “We care for our people,

“If the passengers go on choosing us in favour of other kinds of public transport, we might increase the number of vehicles in service. Life will show.”

N Dorin Chirtoaca shows a transport ticket.

and we won’t have massive redundancies. Many workers are approaching retirement age and they will go on pension. The conductors will be offered alternative jobs – some will be checking vehicles on line, others will be re-trained as drivers. If the passengers go on choosing us in favour of other kinds of public transport, we might increase the number of vehicles in service. Life will show. The main thing is that we are not ashamed of our trolleybuses any more. Chisinau residents deserve to have European conditions on their transport.” Text by Dmitri KALAK Photos by Doru Dumitru ©EU/Neighbourhood Info Centre

NIF – Neighbourhood Investment Facility The NIF (Neighbourhood Investment Facility) is an innovative instrument of the ENP, aiming at mobilising additional funding for infrastructure projects in the Neighbourhood area. http://ec.europa.eu/ europeaid/where/ neighbourhood/ regionalcooperation/irc/ investment_en.htm Objective Bringing together grant funding from the European Commission and the EU Member States and loans from European Public Finance Institutions, the NIF (Neighbourhood Investment Facility) is an innovative instrument of the ENP, aiming at mobilising additional funding for infrastructure projects in the Neighbourhood area. The NIF focuses on the key sectors of energy, environment and transport while also providing support to SMEs development and social sector infrastructures. NIF operations constitute a practical lever focusing on countries with ENP Action Plans agreed with the EU. On a case-by-case basis, other Neighbourhood countries may also benefit from NIF grant support for projects of cross border or regional nature to which the EU and its Neighbouring partners attach particular interest. Find out more EU Neighbourhood Info Centre NIF interview: “Blending loans and grants to finance investments for the Neighbourhood” www.enpi-info.eu/eastportal/ features/317/The-People-behind-theProjects---Interview-with-RichardWeber---NIF EBRD – Chishinev public transport – project summary document www.ebrd.com/english/pages/project/ psd/2010/39988.shtml EBRD – Modernising Chishinev transport system www.ebrd.com/english/pages/news/ press/2010/100812.shtml

N One of the 102 new buses bought with the support of the EBRD.

Projects in Action 2 – Eastern Neighbourhood

Find out more European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) It was developed after the EU’s enlargement in 2004 with 10 new countries, in order to avoid the emergence of new dividing lines in Europe. Through it, the EU offers its neighbours a privileged relationship, building upon a mutual commitment to common values – democracy and human rights, rule of law, good governance, market economy principles and sustainable development. The ENP offers a deeper political relationship and economic integration through reforms as a means of achieving peace, stability and economic prosperity. Following an extensive review, in 2011, the EU launched a renewed ENP, seeking to strengthen ties through a ‘more for more’ approach – making more funding available, for those countries more committed to reform. The participating countries are: Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria, Tunisia and Ukraine. Although Russia is also an EU neighbour, and benefits from the ENPI, relations are developed through a Strategic Partnerhsip. http://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/index_en.htm

The Partnership Instrument: from ENPI to ENI The financial arm of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), in place since January 2007. It is the single financial instrument that replaced the MEDA (South), TACIS (East) and various other financial instruments. The ENPI aims at supporting partner countries achieve sustainable development and approximation to EU policies and standards, based on agreed priorities. For the budgetary period 2007-2013, approximately €12 billion in EC funding are available to support reforms in neighbouring states. From 2014, the ENPI will be replaced by the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI), an increasingly policy-driven instrument, which will provide for increased differentiation, more flexibility, stricter conditionality and incentives for best performers. http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/where/ neighbourhood/overview/index_ en.htm

The Eastern Partnership (EaP) It completes the EU’s foreign policy towards Eastern Europe and Southern Caucasus countries as a specific Eastern dimension of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). Launched in May 2009 at the Prague Summit, the EaP fosters the necessary conditions to accelerate political association and further economic integration between the European Union and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Key elements are: a new generation of Association Agreements, far-reaching integration of the Eastern neighbours into the EU economy, easier travel to the EU for their citizens providing that security requirements are met, enhanced energy security arrangements benefitting all concerned, and increased financial assistance. www.ec.europa.eu/europeaid/easternpartnership

Useful links Commissioner Enlargement and ENP http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/fule/ ENP website http://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/welcome_en.htm Development and Cooperation – EuropeAid http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/index_en.htm External Action Service (EEAS) http://eeas.europa.eu/index_en.htm

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