The ENV.net project team from Macedonia organised, at SMUGS “Dr Pance Karagjozov” in Skopje, a presentation and discussion with students from the third and fourth year of the secondary medical school from Skopje, with aim to initiate a debate regarding the domestic legal provisions compared to the European directives and eco – standards that apply to certain types of waste (batteries, accumulators, electronic devices, etc., with special emphasis on medical waste that occurs in the work of medical staff in all medical facilities).

The initiative came from several professors from the secondary medical school “Dr. Pance Karagjozov” from Skopje, with who we were in communication in the past few months, discussing possibilities for active involvement of young people on issues pertaining environmental protection. Our aim was to motivate the students to take their own initiatives related to environmental issues and by that to demonstrate their maturity and readiness for implementation of projects in this area.

The first meeting was realised on 13th March 2014 in the school amphitheatre, where we presented the objectives of the ENV.net project and obligations of the Republic of Macedonia in the process of accession to the EU in terms of addressing issues relating to the protection of the environment.

In the opening statement, we emphasised that problem that our country has in terms of tackling different types of waste. Part of the presentation was dedicated to a specific hazardous type of waste (such as used batteries, rechargeable batteries, and electrical devices) which in turn is closely related with the medical profession and the equipment in hospitals. All that technical equipment and devices used in the hospitals contain batteries, are themselves in the category of electronic waste.

The third part of the presentation was about the Law on medical waste management, and our attitude, i.e. the attitude of the state towards this kind of waste, which as such is not subject to possible recycling, and is one of the most hazardous wastes both for humans and animals. Needles to say, medical facilities are the major producers of this waste.

We highlighted some of the key provisions of the positive laws and regulations, as well as examples and data from previous local initiatives undertaken to deal with hazardous medical waste.

At the end the students showed initiative to join our activities within this project (ENV.net), and willingness to engage in developing projects related to topics close to them and their medical profession (for example, research on the quantities of medical waste, how competent authorities (both local and national) deal with this problem, about storage and disposal of medical waste, how citizens handle medical waste, etc.)

All participants (32 students and two professors, Mrs. Zumrete Jakupi and Mrs. Valentina Damchevska) expressed their willingness for cooperation and active involvement of the school in joint initiatives and activities in future.

We are glad to announce the awarded sub-grants under the ENV.net call for proposals: “Involving citizens for a greener Europe. Small scale action scheme for the benefit of CSOs in Bosnia ans Herzegovina, Republic of Macedonia and Montenegro”.

After a long evaluation process of 107 project proposals received, the evaluation commitee selected the following  four sub-grantees that will contribute with their projects to the objectives of ENV.net action:

1. Association of young ecologists of Niksic – Montenegro – Title of the project: “Preserving and increasing the level of protection of water resources in accordance with the standards of sustainable development”
2. Centre for Ecology and Energy – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Title of the project: “Primary waste selection in Kindergartens”
3. Centre for Media Activities (CMA) – Macedonia – Title of the project: “Face to face with my environment”

4. Environmental Association Planetum – Strumica – Macedonia – Title of the project: “Go green, Be a part of Guerrilla Gardening team!”

We would like to thank you all organisations that applied to this call with great project idea and welcome to the above mentioned organisations that will take part and enrich, with their activities, the ENV.net action.

In the framework of ENV.net project, Co-PLAN in collaboration with students of Polis University organized an education day on one of the latest built waste water treatment plant in the country (Durres city), and in one of the plastic waste recycling company (Tirana City).

Students had the possibility to be introduced with the process in the waste water treatment plant, which treats waste water from Durres city and the beach area, using a tertiary treatment process. The director of the plant explained that the facility has a capacity up to 250,000 inhabitants, and is planed to be working till 2022.

Then students had the possibility to be introduced with a plastic waste recycling company in Tirana. The facility collects plastic waste and industrial plastic, treats them and then produces plastic bags for the majority of the country market.

We are very glad to announce a new open call for proposals, titled ‘Local Problems, Local Solutions: Grant Program for Environmental Public Participation’ for Turkey.

The  deadline for applications is 30 April 2014 at 17h00 (Turkish time)

The main aim of this call is to make awareness among citizens and influence public sector reform processes on the approximation of target countries to the EU environmental standards. 

Actions aiming to establish active participation of citizens in addressing their local environmental concerns and to support their integration into decision making processes will be covered by this call.

Download the application package for instructions and the application forms (in Turkish). 

 How to apply

The applications MUST be sent by e-mail to envnet@tema.org.tr by 30 April 2014 at 17h00 hours (Turkish time)

Questions related to the call for proposals must be sent by e-mail no later than 28 April  2014, to envnet@tema.org.tr indicating clearly the reference of the Call for Proposals.

In Serbia, on 4 April 2014,  the meeting (info session) was organised towards establishment of EU-Serbia Civil Society Joint Consultative Committee – JCC . EASD-ENV.net Serbia participated. This meeting is within the process started in January 2014 with Hearing with Serbian Civil Society, following OPINION  of the  European Economic and Social Committee on the role of civil society in EU-Serbia relations.

The first photograph is from TEMA Iğdır City Volunteer Representatives taken at the saplings plantation event.

Second photograph is from TEMA Bilecik City Volunteer Representatives and Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University Young TEMA Community, a community which recently joined the TEMA family.

The third and the last photograph of the week is from Istanbul. This photo is from Saplings Plantation Festival organized by TEMA Foundation. Young TEMA volunteers and TEMA Kids joined many others at this Festival.

The first photograph is from Kartal City Volunteer Representatives This photograph is taken at Medine Tayfur Sökmen Primary School Kartal Soğanlık. This frame is from one of the events which TEMA Foundation’s founder Hayrettin Karaca (kids tell him Soil Grandfather) attend in Kartal. Here we see the love, sincerity and deep smile between Toprak Dede ( Soil Grandfather) and  the kids.

Second photograph is from TEMA Foundation’s newest Young TEMA members from Çankırı Karatekin University. This photograph is from a saplings plantation event from Çankırı. We see TEMA Youths with shovels on their hands after finishing their work and smiling to the camera.

The last photo of the week is, from Sakarya University Young TEMA Community. This photograph is from Sapanca, within the scope of events on World Water Day, to get attention and create awareness on the importance of water and for the Sapanca Lake which they are fighting to preserve; they created an “Awareness Chain for Water”.

On April 1,2014, in the EASD-ENV.net Serbia premises, sub-grants agreements signed with two CSOs : Protego and Protecta. Procedure of explanation and information on procedures is fulfilled during this meeting.

Major energy projects in the Balkans threaten the most valuable wealth in Europe: the rivers. With this message started the press conference of the two relevant international organisations  Euronatur and Riverwatch.

From Slovenia to Macedonia construction is planned of more than 570 hydro power plants. “We must oppose this outdated trend. Many of the planned projects are in conflict with the European legislation and international conventions. Even more scandalous are the investment projects by foreign investors” says Ulrich Eichelmann, President of the International Organisation for preservation of rivers Riverwatch.

“Before the implementation of hydropower projects, we must bare in mind the potential negative impact they may have on the environment”,  said the Euronatur. “This is unacceptable and hinders the potential for sustainable economic development in the Balkans. It is imperative to prepare a global plan for the conservation of vulnerable aquatic ecosystems in the region,” emphasized Gabriel Schwaderer, President of Euronatur.

Also in Macedonia, the resistance of the environmentalists against energy projects is growing, especially after the announcement by the government to begin construction of the two dams: Lukovo Pole and Boskov Most. Environmentalists believe that these actions will flood and jeopardize the status of the National Park Mavrovo.

Locals from the Mavrovo region several times protested because they fear of drying up of the river Radika. The red light was “switched on” by the German scientist Ernst Ulrich nephew of former German President Richard von Weizsäcker, who asked the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank to immediately stop the financing of dams in Mavrovo.

“Where there is no money, protection of the environment is often at the back seat”, wrote recently the respected newspaper Spiegel, devoting full analysis on the construction of the two dams in the country. We are expecting the World Bank to publish its study that should show whether the projects are a threat to the environment.

Source: http://24vesti.mk/izgradbata-na-novi-brani-zakana-za-rekite

Hundreds of activists from Tetovo protested in Skopje asking the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning not to allow extension of the deadline by which industries in the Tetovo region must put filters and provide environmental permits.

“Tetovo still remains the most air polluted city in the country. In the last 5 days citizens from Tetovo are breathing air polluted with a double PM 10 particles then allowed, “said Elena Mishevska from the initiative “Together against pollution of Tetovo”.

There are only 10 days to the deadline for the companies to secure integrated environmental permits, but the Ministry has already announced the possibility that this period could be prolonged for plants that have by now started the procedure and are in an advanced stage of implementation of the environmental standards.

In order to demonstrate the level of pollution, activists made a performance in front of the Ministry, in which some of them fell to the ground, thereby symbolically showing the effect of air pollution on the health of the citizens.

Although the protest was announced, the Minister of Environment and Physical Planning Abdulakim Ademi did not receive the citizens, so they left him their requirements at the archives of the Ministry.

Photo: Radio MOF (http://www.radiomof.mk/tetovskite-aktivisti-so-protest-vo-skopje-pobaraa-da-zapre-zagaduvaneto/ )

Source: http://faktor.mk/archives/99898?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tetovski-aktivisti-na-protest-vo-skopje-fabrikite-ne-zadushija