Just left Budva. I hope the international donors won’t come here otherwise they will really leave the European Union as the only donor in the country. Listening to the local leaders – this is their worst nightmare!
The last time I landed in the Balkans was in 2003 just before the murder of Zoran Dindic, the reformist prime minister of Serbia and Montenegro. I had worked in the region since 2000, when I was invited to Sarajevo by Alma Suljevic, the Bosnian artist author of the picture I chose for this entry: she is playing at the islamist suicide-bomber. I arrived in town just for a visit and I ended up quitting my glamorous job in Geneva to make a documentary on the kids who played in a cemetery, started my NGO – the mythical GlobaLab, organized a cultural exchange called Ciao Sarajevo! and and and… my story next time. I know, readers, you are passionate of my adventure, but this time it’s about the Balkans, not me. By the way, let’s start calling the region South East Europe to forget the association to the war, murders, history, history, history.
Yes, if there is something that should be banned here it is history. Not the universal, just the local. My recipe for peace and prosperity in the region is simple: let’s start wiping out borders and set up an area for people, capital, goods, services and free mobility. A pilot for the rest of Europe!
Let’s go back to my trip. I didn’t come back for a while. When Didic was killed I lost all my hope and decided to give up and look somewhere else. Now I’m here and realized that they didn’t wait for me. They are pretty good here. At least in Budva. It looks like Rimini without trannies… for the moment.
Podgorica wasn’t so sunny and Belgrade not cool this time. But something has changed. Serbs are dramatic and problems haven’t been sorted out. However it seems that they are back on track. I met several smart guys, good restaurants and these places are still full of passion. The EU should pay more attention to this region because they are ready to join the club… with some adjustments. I will definitively do it.
Civil society is pretty developed. It’s not easy but the guys don’t look scared. We met several big guys in all cities and the issues are always the same: funding, funding, funding. They have moved from emergency to transition and the first aid donors are leaving. The European Commission is arriving with both millions and bureaucracy. The time of easy money is over. Now it’s time for long term planning. In my view it’s necessary to look at the funding environment and work in partnership to improve it. Banks and governments have their contribution to make as well. Social enterprise and innovation in income generation is urgently required.
There are some other challenges to be addressed. Our peers must work on good governance and better coordination within each country, across the region and with the rest of Europe. We will give them a hand with our programme of jobshadowing. Very successful so far. Moreover, keep a eye on good governance. If you want more flexibility in funding you must guarantee transparency and accountability. More attention has to be paid also to skills in management and finance.
The European officials still hold pretty high standards… at least assessing the others. If you can meet them then you must invest in lobbying!
