Director Maja HANDJISKA-TRENDAFILOVA and Partnership Knowledge Management Officer Ivana PETRIČEVIĆ welcomed Daniel BAGWITZ, the newly appointed GIZ Country Director for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, and Olivera DIMIĆ, GIZ Project Manager. They explored new avenues to deepen cooperation and strengthen the EU integration prospects of the Western Balkans.

HANDJISKA-TRENDAFILOVA: "Our partnership with GIZ has made significant strides over the past two years, and we are taking it to new heights! We are committed to strengthening administrative capacities, governance structures, and regional policy frameworks – all crucial for accelerating the EU accession process, considering the  Berlin Process GrowthPlan, and seizing the momentum for EU integration in the Western Balkans.

Building upon a successful track record of past joint endeavours such as the "Empower Local" initiative in Tirana and the Regional Training of Trainers on Dispute Prevention and Management, instrumental in empowering local governments and enhancing regional cooperation on EU integration standards, ReSPA Director also emphasized the importance of connecting regions with the EU institutions through joint activities with other international institutions. Such activity is the upcoming Data Protection Week - the second High-level exchange and learning week, tailored with SIGMA, GIZ and RCC, which aims to align regional data protection practices with EU standards and underscore the strategic alliance between international organizations in advancing regional connectivity and administrative excellence.