The European Union and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) have allocated funds for the implementation of 12 initiatives of civil society organizations (CSOs) in the total amount of 580,000 euros, the EU Delegation announced.
As it was emphasized, thanks to the financial support of the European Union (EU), these organizations will in the next two years contribute to the promotion of peace and cooperation in the region, education about transitional justice, overcoming the negative legacy of war crimes in the 1990s, and protecting the rights of victims and survivors during armed conflicts on the territory of the former Yugoslavia, as well as their families.
Their initiatives were selected through public calls for CSOs within the regional project “Support of the European Union to building trust in the Western Balkans”.
“The European Union has shown unequivocal support for Serbia and the entire Western Balkans region in order to promote stability, reconciliation and lasting peace. The work of civil society organizations that have been allocated funds in Serbia is therefore very important to us, especially because it touches many aspects of post-conflict societies. We will continue to provide support in the field of transitional justice and the fight against impunity for crimes, both now and for generations to come,” said Plamena Halačeva, Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia.
Fabrizio Andreuci, UNDP Deputy Permanent Representative in Serbia, noted that civil society organizations have played a key role in promoting reconciliation in the Western Balkans following armed conflicts.
“Their activists are still in direct contact with citizens, victims and their families and have a unique insight into their needs. I believe that the civil society initiatives we supported will contribute to further building trust and ensuring sustainable peace in the region,” Andreuzzi concluded.
Photo: europa.rs