Joint Programme

Horizontal Facility

The Regional Closing Conference of the joint programme of the European Union and Council of Europe “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019 - 2022” will take place on 27 - 28 September, in the Hotel Avala in Budva, Montenegro, starting from 09:30 CET.

Opening remarks will be given by:

• Ranko Krivokapić, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro
• H.E. OanaCristina Popa, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro
• Christos Giakoumopoulos, Director General of Human Rights and Rule of Law, Council of Europe

The conference is the final activity of the programme aimed at providing support for Beneficiary-tailored reform processes in the areas of rule of law, democracy and human rights, i.e. for its Beneficiaries to comply with European standards. The second phase of the programme has covered actions in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo[*], Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia as well as Türkiye and has strengthened the programme’s regional dimension. budget of the programme has amounted to some 41m EUR (85% funded by the European Union, 15% by the Council of Europe). The programme has been implemented by the Council of Europe since May 2019.

During the event, the participants will have an opportunity to take part in parallel thematic workshops, each covering one of the four key thematic areas:

1. Ensuring justice (prisons and police; efficiency of justice; legal co-operation and human rights);
2. Fighting corruption, economic crime and money laundering;
3. Combating discrimination and protecting the rights of vulnerable groups (education, human rights and anti-discrimination; trafficking in human beings);
4. Freedom of expression and freedom of the media.

The event will begin at 09:30 and is fully open to the media. Pre-registration is needed. Interested media representatives should register by sending an email to [email protected] no later than 26 September, 14:00.

Separate interviews can be arranged upon request. The working language of the conference is English. Simultaneous interpretation into local languages of the participating Beneficiaries is provided.

 Agenda of the event

For more information contact:
Marija Simić, Communication Officer, Council of Europe  [email protected] +381 63 60 13 37
Besnik Baka, Communication Officer, Council of Europe  [email protected] +355 69 217 8430
Marija Drašković, Amplitudo  [email protected] +382 20 223 244 or +382 67 053 540

 

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.