Donors: European Commission, Small Grants Programme: Support to Local Civil Society Organizations in Pursuing EU and Regional Anti-Corruption Agenda, SELDI Programme, 2018/394-123 - GA1.
Partners: Roma Center for Democracy, Bujanovac - Republic of Serbia, leader; Green Institute, Skopje - Republic of North Macedonia
Implementation time: 9/2019-5/2020
Total budget: 11.947 EUR
Green Institute budget: cca 6.000 EUR
Overall objective: To contribute the fight against existing corruption in environmental area, bringing to work together media and civil society in Serbia and Macedonia. Environment already suffers from malpractice in public procurement and Corruption Perception Index ranks Serbia 87th and Macedonia 93rd out of 180 countries.
Specific objective 1: Building capacities of media and civil society in order to provide wider public support and promote usage of the existing mechanisms for combating corruption in spending public funds for environment protection.
Specific objective 2: Cooperation of the investigative journalists and CSOs from Serbia and Macedonia in joint efforts to expose and fight corruption practices in public environment funds spending.
Brief description: In order to achieve concrete goals, we co-operated with journalists in the field of investigative journalism from Serbia and Macedonia and civil society organizations working in the field of fight against corruption in environment. There are well-known cases when is not clear why the responsible institutions don’t undertake any legal actions. The project intends to assess such cases in Macedonia and Serbia, particularly in Vranje and Skopje region (e.g. Aleksandrovacko lake near Vranje and Drisla sanitary landfill near Skopje).
Activities:
1. Call investigative journalists to attend 2 days training about Chapter 27, with focus on environment and corruption, (up to 10).
2. Support the journalists to prepare and publish articles (at least 5 per country) on our web portals (www.ktjs.rs and www.text.mk) about corruption cases and malpractices in environment protection areas.
3. Organize two TV shows on local televisions (TV Info Puls and TV Cod), to raise public awareness of this type of corruption in both countries).
4. Build Regional network of civil society organizations and individuals/experts willing to monitor the progress of corruption in environments funds cases.
5. Organize Conference in Skopje, with interested parties, relevant institutions and experts about corruption in environment funds in Serbia and Macedonia.
6. Prepare policy papers for both countries, for battling corruption practices, and expediting them to interested parties and relevant institutions (e.g. public prosecutor office).
Results:
- Collaboration established, for the joint activities of the stakeholders in the project in order to enable the rule of law.
- A regional network established, of civil society organizations and individuals/experts.
Products:
- 5 articles on corruption in environment
- reportage on TV Cod.