Call for Proposals for Serbian civil society opens

A new Call for Proposals under the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) has been presented in the Belgrade Media Centre. In 2009, European Union (EU) will finance projects under the EIDHR programme with 1.2 million euros. EIDHR is one of the oldest European programmes that aims to support the development and strengthening of democracy worldwide.

Civil society has been one of the priorities of the European Union, said Head of Operations I in the Delegation of the European Commission to Serbia Pierre Dybman at the presentation of the new Call for Proposals. European Commission has supported civil society initiatives in Serbia since 1994.

Dybman pointed out that the EU was also going to finance assistance projects for refugees and internally displaced persons with 16 million euros, programmes focusing on Roma issues with 13 million euros, three million euros would be allocated to the media, whilst 1.5 million euros would go to the programmes dealing with minority rights.

Delegation of the European Commission to Serbia will organise briefings for civil society organisations in several Serbian cities:

– Subotica, Wednesday, 1 July 2009, 13.00–16.00 (Regionalna privredna komora Subotica, Senćanski put br. 15)
– Novi Pazar, Friday, 3 July 2009, 13.00–16.00 (Dom kulture, Stefana Nemanje 2)
– Niš, Monday, 6 July 2009, 13.00–16.00 (Regionalna privredna komora Niš, Dobrička 2)
– Kragujevac, Wednesday, 8 July 2009, 13.00–16.00 (Regionalna privredna komora Kragujevac, Dr Zorana Đinđića 10/IV)

The aim of the EIDHR Call for Proposals is to strengthen the role of civil society in the promotion of human rights and democratic reforms, support the efforts that aim to prevent conflict and consolidate their participation and presence in politics.

The deadline for the submission of project proposals for the 2009 EIDHR programme is 7 August 2009.