300.jpeg

    Past Events

    The study visit for the preparation of the BALANCE project's Full Scale Exercise (FSX) was realized on 6th – 8th of September, 2021 in the area of Boka Kotorska Bay (municipalities of Kotor, Tivat and Herceg Novi) and in Podgorica.

    The aim of study visit was to visit potential locations and working sites for conducting the Full-Scale Exercise (FSX) and to talk and discuss with the local and national stakeholders regarding project activities, organization of field exercise and opportunities provided by this exercise.

    On that occasion, meetings were held with the mayors of Tivat and Herceg Novi, Zeljko Komnenovic and Stevan Katic and the deputy mayor of Kotor, Sinisa Kovacevic and their associates, who said that this project is extremely important for their municipalities and the Boka Kotorska Bay, because the risk of the earthquake in this area evidently exists and pointed out that they support the project activities and will provide all the necessary logistical support for this project to be successfully implemented. Also, they expressed interest to join the making cities resilient campaign – MCP 2030.

    In order to familiarize with their responsibilities in the rescue and protection system and potential roles in the organization and implementation of this field exercise, visits and meetings were organized with following stakeholders: the rescue and protection services of Kotor, Tivat and Herceg Novi, the Habitat and Rehabilitation Resource Center for Children with Hearing and Speech Disorders "Dr Peruta Ivanovic" in Kotor, the Red Cross of Montenegro, the Institute of Hydrometeorology and Seismology and the Rescue and Protected Directorate of Ministry of the Interior.

    Also, participants visited the location for BoO and locations and working sites for conducting of the FSX in municipalities of Kotor, Tivat and Herceg Novi.

     

     

    Media coverages:

    The 1st Planning Conference of DG ECHO funded project BALANCE took place online on the 27th-28th of May 2021. The conference was chaired by Mr. Evangelos Katsaros, CERIDES Research Associate and Project Manager of the BALANCE project and by Ms. Zorica Markovic, Head of Department for Coordination of International Assistance, Cooperation and Project implementation, of the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro. The conference was attended by 56 members of the project consortium and local stakeholders in total, as well as by Mr. Geir Ellingsen, ECHO Project Officer.

    The main aim of this planning conference was to present and validate the project exercise scenario, working sites and location for exercise, the financial and legal implementation rules of the Full-Scale Exercise, the key issues related to Host Nation Support. During the conference, lessons learnt from past Full-Scale Exercises were presented, and various administrative issues were discussed and agreed among the consortium partners.

    17344

    Internal kick off meeting among project partners was realized online on 25th of February, 2021. The aim was to share experience on operational issues and to discuss about optimize BALANCE implementation. Evaluation of project / exercise has also been discussed (including mainstreaming / capitalization issues). In the first part of the meeting, it was presented WPs, activities and deliverables and discussed about the time framework, responsibilities and etc. 

    During the meeting, each partner presented its role in project and shared information on participation to activities / exercises / real events that are linked with BALANCE project and what were the suggestions for BALANCE implementation – based on this experience. Montenegrin Ministry of the Interior elaborated in more details the scenario and their experience on past exercises / real events. 

    17293

    The kick-off meeting of the BALANCE project took place online on Thursday the 18th of February 2021. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Geir Ellingsen, ECHO Project Officer, and was attended by representatives from all partner organizations. During the meeting Mr. Evangelos Katsaros, CERIDES Research Associate and Manager of the BALANCE project, provided an overview of the project’s activities, milestones, and main implementation considerations.

     

    17261

     

    Internal kick off meeting among project partners was realized online on 25th of February, 2021. The aim was to share experience on operational issues and to discuss about optimize BALANCE implementation. Evaluation of project / exercise has also been discussed (including mainstreaming / capitalization issues). In the first part of the meeting, it was presented WPs, activities and deliverables and discussed about the time framework, responsibilities and etc. 

    During the meeting, each partner presented its role in project and shared information on participation to activities / exercises / real events that are linked with BALANCE project and what were the suggestions for BALANCE implementation – based on this experience. Montenegrin Ministry of the Interior elaborated in more details the scenario and their experience on past exercises / real events. 

    17272

    Related sites

    European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations

    DG ECHO Partners' website

    Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC)

    Union Civil Protection Knowledge Network

    Project partners

    1. EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY CYPRUS - Cyprus

    2. MINISTARSTVO UNUTRASNJIH POSLOVA - Montenegro

    3. ZAVOD ZA HIDROMETEOROLOGIJU I SEIZMOLOGIJU PODGORICA - Montenegro

    4. MINISTRY OF INTERIOR - Cyprus

    5. PANEPISTIMIO DYTIKIS MAKEDONIAS - Greece

    6. PROVINCIA DI POTENZA - Italy

    7. STOLICHNA OBSHTINA - Bulgaria

    8. ETHNIKO ASTEROSKOPEIO ATHINON - Greece

    9. ALPHA UNMANNED SYSTEMS SL - Spain

    10. QENDRA PER ZHVILLIMIN THE DEMOKRATIZIMIN E INSTITUCIONEVE - Albania

    11. KESHILLI QARKUT LEZHE - Albania

    12. D.O.O PROJECT ADVISORY GROUP PODGORICA - Montenegro

    13. GENERAL SECRETARIAT FOR CIVIL PROTECTION - Greece

    14. MINISTRY OF INTERIOR – Croatia

    Discalmer

    Picture2

    This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union.

    The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of Project Advisory Group Ltd and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.