Civil servants from Montenegro to participate in the EU Scheme for Young Professionals

Podgorica, Montenegro (21 October 2016) – Five young civil servants from Montenegro have been selected to participate in the EU Scheme for Young Professionals in the Western Balkans, funded by the European Union and implemented by the British Council. This programme is the result of an agreement made at the Paris Summit in July 2016 and illustrates the importance of public administration reform in the process of accession to the EU.

At the send-off event, Ambassador of the European Union to Montenegro, Aivo Orav, congratulated the five young professionals from Montenegro who will attend an intensive executive training programme in Paris and complete an exchange programme in the administration of another participating country in the region. "Your families and your country should be proud. You now have to make the best use of this unique opportunity not only for your personal and professional growth, but also to the benefit of the whole society," said Ambassador Orav.

Recalling the importance of a professional, accountable and effective public administration, free of political interference, the Head of the EU Delegation to Montenegro stated the EU support for the candidate countries in this area is clearly reflected in this programme: "Reforming public administration can be achieved by investing in young civil servants. By participating in this programme, Montenegrin civil servants will be provided not only with the skills needed in a modern public service, but also with an opportunity to further deepen regional cooperation in the Western Balkans," said Ambassador Orav.

Speaking on behalf of the implementing partner, Director of British Council Montenegro, Vanja Madzgalj, said that the aim of this project is to support the EU accession process in the region through strengthening professional capacities of the public administration and deepening regional cooperation. Madzgalj also said that this project aims to identify and support the next generation of leaders through academic training and work experience which will equip them with practical tools for successful implementation of reforms.

Danilo Smolovic and Sladjana Pavlovic from the Ministry of Finance, Stefan Vukotic from the Public Relations Service of the Government of Montenegro, Andrijana Canovic and Mirjana Ivanovic from the office of Deputy Prime Minister for political system, foreign and interior policy, will travel to Paris next week to begin their intensive training course at the School of Public Affairs at Sciences Po. Upon completion of the programme, they will be awarded the “Executive certificate in management and public policy”.

"Together with your peers from Belgrade, Sarajevo, Tirana, Pristina and Skopje, you are the next generation of policy makers in the Western Balkans," concluded Ambassador Orav at the reception organised in Podgorica.

About the EU Scheme for Young Professionals in the Western Balkans

The EU Scheme for Young Professionals in the Western Balkans is a pilot one-year project for a regional executive training programme with an exchange component.

It aims to contribute to progress in the accession process and deepen regional cooperation in the Western Balkans. This will be done through capacity building and promotion of regional cooperation between young civil servants of the six Western Balkan countries.

After completing an executive training programme in Paris, the selected young professionals will attend an exchange programme in an administration of another country in the region.

More information about this programme is available here.

DELEGATION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION TO MONTENEGRO / GOVERNMENT OF MONTENEGRO'S PUBLIC RELATIONS SERVICE