In the tenth episode of WeBER Talks, we welcome Ms. Simonida Kacarska, Director of the European Policy Institute (EPI) in Skopje, a member of the Think for Europe Network and WeBER partner from North Macedonia.

With her extensive background in Politics and International Studies, Ms. Kacarska provided unique insights into the world of deliberative polling (DP) and its relevance in our region. Delving into her experience, we explore the inception and implementation of DP, uncovering valuable lessons and takeaways. Simonida highlights the vital resources necessary for successful DP endeavours, discussing the human, financial, and time-related aspects. She also sheds light on the key challenges that Western Balkan CSOs, think tanks and research organizations might encounter when embarking on their own DP journeys.

Discover how DP can lead to informed public opinion and affect advocacy in the region, ultimately influencing decision-makers.

To learn more about the work of EPI, please visit: www.epi.org.mk.

In this episode of WeBER Talks, we host Maja Handjiska-Trendafilova, Director of the Regional School of Public Administration (ReSPA), a regional organisation that supports PAR in the Western Balkans.

Ms. Handjiska-Trendafilova shares her extensive experience in the EU integration and regional cooperation processes, having worked on various policy areas, including the Regional Economic Area and Common Regional Market agendas. She discusses ReSPA’s approach to fostering regional cooperation and exchange, as well as the organization’s current initiatives, including the Regional CAF Centre, which aims to improve public services through quality management.

Join us for this insightful conversation on the importance of regional networking and cooperation in PAR and how ReSPA is contributing to this process in the Western Balkans. For more information about ReSPA, please visit their website at www.respaweb.eu.

In this episode, recorded within WeBER2.0, our guest is Mr Gregor Virant, Head of SIGMA, an initiative of the OECD and the EU.

The Principles of Public Administration were developed by SIGMA in order to define requirements for a well-functioning public administration in each of the core areas. Now, SIGMA principles are being reformed themselves. Why and how? Milena Lazarević, European Policy Centre – CEP Programme Director and WeBER2.0 initiative Team Leader, talks about that in conversation with Gregor and discusses the lessons learned after many years of experience in the region.

Find out more about WeBER2.0 here: par-monitor.org.

In this episode, recorded on the margins of the Third WeBER Regional “Citizens First” Conference, our guest is Admirim Aliti, Minister of Information Society and Administration of North Macedonia. In a conversation with Milena Lazarević, European Policy Centre – CEP Programme Director and WeBER2.0 initiative Team Leader, he reflects on North Macedonia’s Public Administration Reform Strategy’s achievements. While talking about them, he highlighted that countries should not perform reforms solely for the sake of the EU integration process but primarily for the citizens. Cyber-security issues of digitalized services and the necessity of utilizing the CSO’s potential for better policymaking were also discussed.