Skopje, 22 June 2022 (MIA) – Stability, security and Euro-Atlantic integration through support for good governance reforms with an emphasis on anti-corruption and money laundering are topics in the focus of the SMART Balkans program, which is funded by the Kingdom of Norway and and will be implemented in the six Western Balkan countries, including North Macedonia, in the next four years. Marija Risteska, Executive Director at the Center for Research and Policy Making, told Wednesday’s promotion event that the SMART Balkans program is worth EUR 17.6 million, of which 90 percent, i.e. more than EUR 14 million go to funding 450 grants for NGOs and media in the Western Balkans. “This program is managed by three local organization, which means that for the first time such a large program will be implemented by a consortium from the Balkans, allowing in fact that most of the funds go to NGO support. At the same time, this will enable professional and transparent management of the program because the local consortium is aware of the developments, needs and shortcomings in terms of the civil society in the region,” said Risteska. Risteska also called on all NGOs at the promo conference to follow the web page and social media for information on sub-grant calls that will be announced by the end of the month. She added that the program will support national activities, local activities, as well as projects that will enable networking between NGOs in the country, between NGOs and media, as well as NGOs in the region, since regional networking is also one of the goals. The first session at today’s national conference within the SMART Balkans – Civil Society for shared society in the Western Balkans project is titled “A Perspective on Security and Stability in the Western Balkans”, with speakers including Lidija Georgieva, professor at the Institute for Security, Defense and Peace, Zlatko Apostolski, National Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism/Countering Violent Extremism, Ilija Djugumanov, Secretary General of the Euro-Atlantic Council, and cyber security expert Ljubica Pendaroska. The second panel is titled “Good Governance and EU Integration in Western Balkans: current situation and role of civil society”, with speakers including Associate Professor at SEEU Memet Memeti, member of the anti-corruption commission Vladimir Georgiev, director of the Macedonian Center for International Cooperation Aleksandar Krzhalovski, and Dragan Sekulovski of the Association of Journalists of Macedonia. SMART Balkans – Civil Society for shared society in the Western Balkans is a regional project funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the main goal of the project is to strengthen civil society in six Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia).