L O C A L B E A T
It was in late 1995 with the end of the international embargo that the REC Board decided to re-commence REC services to Yugoslavia. Before the break-up of the republics, Yugoslavia had been one of the first signatories to the REC charter, but local conflicts forced REC to curtail all activities. Now the REC is in the process of opening up programs and developing representational activities in Yugoslavia again, with ECU 7,000 of core funds being available for local grants in 1997.The first step was a fact-finding mission carried out by a team of REC staff in July 1996. After visiting a number of NGOs and government authorities across Yugoslavia, the outline for the upcoming year's activities was developed.
In early March of this year, a country coordinator was hired - Dragana Tar, formerly with the Young Researchers of Serbia. The local language monthly bulletin and the development of a mailing list became Dragana's first priorities, as well as the development of local grants guidelines. As a result, two issues of the Yugoslavia Local Bulletin, now received by 150 addresses, and grant guidelines were published. REC is now preparing a strategy for tailoring REC's work to the needs of different regions in the country.
To further the REC's knowledge of local requirements, and to officially launch our program, a seminar was organized in Budva, Montenegro, from May 26-28. Beginning the day before the annual Budva Environmental Fair, the seminar attracted thirty NGO representatives from throughout Yugoslavia, as well as representatives from the federal and republic ministries of environment and business interests.
A final working group session highlighted the areas where the REC should target its programs and assistance. "The findings of these groups will be crucial in helping the REC make specific plans, particularly in respect to the limited funds we have available," said REC Deputy Director Alexander Juras. "I feel that one piece of experience gained is that the NGOs in Yugoslavia are not as familiar with meeting together as they are in other countries of the region. Sometime next year, I would like the REC to organize a national NGO conference and bring together NGOs from across the country." Juras also felt that the development of trained and independent facilitators could improve NGO dialogue.
Last year, Yugoslavia was included in a REC needs assessment of NGOs in the region and this year, it will be included in REC's updated NGO directory. "We would naturally like to include Yugoslavia into all of REC's projects and programs," said Robert Atkinson, Head of REC's Local Office Department. "However, we are constrained by the amount of funds available." Atkinson added that the REC plans to have the local office fully operational in 1998 and the grant program expanded, "but we require greater resources to fulfill the obvious needs in the country. Yugoslavian NGOs and official institutions have been excluded from most assistance for five years, so it is imperative that activities start as soon as possible."
For 1997, the REC's priorities for Yugoslavia include:
