WeBER project is implemented by Think for Europe (TEN) members who come from 6 Western Balkans partner organisations. Find their position within the project and short bios below.
Milena Lazarević, Team Leader
Milena is Programme Director of the European Policy Centre- CEP, in charge of the overall programmatic strategy of CEP as well as developing and managing the quality assurance system and processes within the organisation. In terms of thematic focus, she is primarily responsible for the Good Governance and Europe&us programme areas. Milena is a proven expert in the fields of public administration reform, regional development and local economic development, with consultancy engagements including SIGMA/OECD, ReSPA and the World Bank. In 2014-2015, in addition to her work at CEP, she acted as the special adviser to the Serbian Deputy Prime Minister in charge of public administration reform. Prior to co-founding CEP, Milena served for six years in the Serbian civil service, as adviser for public administration reform and administrative capacities for EU accession in the EU Integration Office of the Serbian Government (SEIO) and in the Serbian Ministry of Public Administration. As a Soros scholar, she obtained her BA degree in European Studies and International Relations at the American University in Bulgaria (AUBG), after which she obtained an advanced MA degree in European studies at the College of Europe, on a King Baudouin Foundation scholarship. She later also graduated from the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia and obtained an MA in European Administrative Law at the Law Faculty of the Belgrade University. She speaks fluently English, French, Italian and Bulgarian and has basic knowledge of German. She is married and mother of two children.
Jovana Knežević, Project Manager
Jovana is a Project Manager with experience in managing projects thematically related to the Good Governance programme area. From 2015 to 2018, she was engaged at a regional EU-funded WeBER project, where her main responsibilities included planning, implementing and monitoring project activities, as well as coordinating the work of the regional WeBER Platform and the National Public Administration Reform Working Group in Serbia. She is currently leading the second component of the USAID-funded “Constituencies for judicial reform in Serbia” project and is in charge of project resource and activity coordination, monitoring and reporting. In addition to project management, Jovana has extensive experience in event management and excellent communication skills. She acquired her bachelor degree in International Relations at the Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Belgrade. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Project Management at the Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade. Jovana is an alumna of the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) programme through which she received scholarship of the US State Department and finished a year of high school education in California, USA. Jovana is also alumna of the III generation of the Public Policy Academy within the Libertarian club Libek, as well as a participant of the Youth School of Activism within the Social Responsibility Initiative. Jovana is particularly interested in multi-project management and implementation of software tools in project management. She seeks to further refine and gain practice in implementing PM2 Project Management Methodology. She is fluent in English and strives to improve her knowledge of German. She joined the European Policy Centre in July 2015, following a two-month-long internship.
Miloš Đinđić, Lead Researcher
Miloš graduated from the Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Belgrade, where he continued his Master studies in political institutions and institutionalist theory. He studied European Union institutions and procedures as well as project cycle management as participant in the Leadership Development Programme, jointly organised by the College of Europe and the European Fund for the Balkans, as well as in the FutureLab Europe programme of the civil society organisations gathered around European Alliance for Democratic Citizenship. He completed several internships in domestic and foreign organisations, including the Belgrade Center for Security Policy, Political Academy of the Austrian People’s Party and National Democratic Institute and worked as an associate on the project administered by the European Fund for the Balkans. He is alumni member of the Belgrade Open School, XVI generation of students at the Department of Advanced Undergraduate Studies. He joined the CEP team in March 2012 as project assistant, then continung at the position of researcher. Speaks English and German.
Anesa Omeragić, Communication Coordinator
As a Communication Coordinator, Anesa is helping in spreading WeBER’s key messages to all target groups. Her obligations include direct and indirect communication with the media, event organisation, preparation of press releases, media invitations, all communication related to the event organisation, etc. Her duties also include managing WeBER website – writing reports on WeBER events and activities, designing a graphic, visual, and textual content on WeBER’s website, including quarterly newsletters and printed publications, as well as managing social media profiles and communication through these networks. Anesa has graduated from the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Political Science. She holds a BA with honours in Political Science – International Affairs and she obtained the MA with honours in Political Science at the same Faculty. During her undergraduate studies, she interned at Belgrade Centre for Security Policy and in the office of the Protector of Citizens of the Republic of Serbia (Ombudsman). She is an alumna of XXIII generation of the educational programme Future Studies of Belgrade Open School, an alumna of the II generation of Human Rights Defenders School organized by Civil Rights Defenders, and an alumna of the II generation of Libertarian club – LIBEK’s Public Policy Academy. She completed the courses Applied Rhetorics and Debate course at the Faculty of Political Sciences. Anesa joined the European Policy Centre (CEP) team in February 2017 as an Events and Communication Assistant. She works as Coordinator from January 2019. She speaks English fluently and has a working knowledge of German.
Vaska Ristovska
Project Officer
Vaska Ristovska, Project Officer
Vaska Ristovska has joined EPI in October 2014 as an administrative officer.Since then she has handled the financial and administrative management of several projects including: Institutional and core functioning grant for organisational operation of EPI, as well as development of the programme activities of the Institute; Financial and administrative support to the – (In)equality in social protection:multi-level analysis of intersectionality in social assistance provision – comparative study, Performance Audit and Policy Evaluation: On the Same or Parallel Tracks?, Equitable Ethnic Representation in the State Administration – USAID Civil Society Project, Urgent Reform Priorities Monitor, Combating barriers for exit: Macedonian Roma at the borders, Western Balkans Enabling Project for Civil Society Monitoring of Public Administration Reform and Fostering Sustainable Reintegration of Roma Returnees in Macedonia. Apart from the daily activities that ensure the smooth implementation of the projects, she also ensures the smooth management and the communication with project team and project partners. Vaska Ristovska has a University degree – Faculty of Ethnology, University “St. Cyril and Methodius” Macedonia.
Zvonimira Jakić
Project Officer
Zvonimira Jakić, Project Officer
Blina Zhubi
Project officer
Blina Zhubi, Project officer
Ms. Blina Zhubi is a Project Coordinator at GLPS. In general, her work focuses on coordinating activities and initiatives run by the organization. Currently, she is the country project officer of WeBER regional project for Kosovo.
Blina has a Bachelor’s degree in Banking and Finance and Master’s in Management from AAB College. During her Bachelor’s degree studies, Blina had the opportunity to participate in a summer school at Ljubljana University. During her Master’ studies she won a scholarship to study for a semester at Lodz University in Poland, where she focused on management and marketing. Blina has a diverse professional background, having gained experience in the banking sector, as well as in communication and digital marketing with local and international organizations. Also, she has an academic background in human design. In 2019, Blina was recognized for her contribution in the field of economics and was awarded the “New Economist “award from Central Bank of Kosovo.
Adela Kula
Project officer
Adela Kula, Project officer
Adela is a highly qualified professional with expertise in public administration, civil society, and academia. She holds a Level 3 Certificate in Learning and Development from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), UK, and the Institute of Public Administration, Ireland, with distinction. Adela has a Bachelor’s degree in Law and a Master of Science in Public Law from the University of Tirana, Albania, awarded with a Golden Medal.
She has extensive experience in the Public Administration of Albania, including roles in the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Education and Sports, and Albanian School of Public Administration. She has demonstrated exceptional skills in managing diverse programs and projects and has a deep understanding of the country’s public sector landscape. Adela is a seasoned professional in the civil society sector, with a successful track record of project management, fundraising, and networking. In addition, she delivers expertise in areas such as rule of law, local government & decentralization, learning & development, monitoring, public consultation, and public legal education. She has conducted comprehensive research, legal analysis, and has been involved in drafting national-level policies, guidelines and legal articles.
Adela is an ‘Associate Member’ of the CIPD and member of the International Young Naturefriends. She represented Albania at Europeers meetings in Poland and Estonia and actively volunteers in her community. Additionally, she took the lead in translating the e-learning course “Defending Human Rights in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”, a joint SALTO PI, UNESCO, and UNITAR project. Adela is fluent in English, proficient in Italian, and has a basic understanding of Spanish and Portugese.
Nikoleta Pavićević
Project officer
Nikoleta Pavićević, Project officer
Nikoleta Pavićević is a Public Policy Researcher at the Institute Alternative, researching and monitoring in the areas of parliamentary oversight, freedom of public assembly and gender mainstreaming.
She started working in Institute Alternative in 2018 and currently works as the coordinator of the projects ’’Early Integration for Gender Equality’’, supported by the European Union and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and ’’Empowered: Public Policies for Gender Equality’’, supported by the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights.
Nikoleta is a member of the Working Group of the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro for amendments to the Law on Public Assemblies and Public Events, and member of the OSCE/ ODIHR (Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights) network of monitors of freedom of public assembly.
She is the author of five monitoring reports on the work of the parliamentary committees – Committee on Political System, Judiciary and Administration, Committee on Economy, Finance and Budget, Human Rights and Freedoms Committee, Anti-Corruption Committee and Security and Defence Committee, in which, after several months of monitoring, recommendations for improvement of the control and legislative role of these working bodies were provided.
Recommendations for improving the integration of the gender perspective in the process of development of public policies in Montenegro, Nikoleta presented in the analysis ‘’Gender Mainstreaming: Examples from Montenegro’’. Findings from this analysis were recognized in the National Gender Equality Strategy 2021-2025 of the Ministry of Justice, Human and Minority Rights. Within the project ‘’Voice Your Rights! – Expanding Space for Free Assemblies’’, supported by the EU, she published a Monitoring Report on Freedom of Public Assemblies in Montenegro, which tackles gaps in legal framework in this area, as well as problems registered in practice. Additionally, Nikoleta participated as a research associate in creation of numerous IA publications.
Nikoleta was born on October 31, 1994 in Bar, Montenegro, where she finished elementary and high school. At the University of Donja Gorica she worked as a teaching assistant with prof. dr Olivera Injac, on the subjects Global Security and International Terrorism. Under the mentorship of prof. Injac, she graduated with the thesis ‘’The Phenomenon of Corruption and the Role of Security Culture in Combating Corruption’’ at Humanistic Studies.
Haris Ćutahija, Researcher
Haris Ćutahija graduated from the Faculty of Political Sciences at University of Sarajevo where he also gained MA degree in political science – European integration. He also holds professional qualification degree in political management from the New Bulgarian University. Has extensive experience in managing and working on various projects ranging from the European integration to youth activism and culture. He is columnist on several internet portals as well as a political analyst. He has joined the Foreign Policy Initiative BH team in March 2020 as a researcher.
Iliada Korçari
Researcher
Iliada Korcari, Project Officer
Iliada Korçari is a researcher and project coordinator at the Institute for Democracy and Mediation, Tirana, where she focusses on governance, public administration reform and security. Her main research interests are nationalism, statebuilding and political theory. She has worked in the public administration cultural policy sector for several years; was engaged as a freelance researcher in different research projects and has been teaching seminars of Nationalism and Identity at the Political Sciences Department of the University of Tirana, from 2015 onwards. She has a double-major in Political Sciences and Public Relations and Communication and has graduated in Political Theory, MSc. and Russian and East European Studies, MSc., being a holder of many scholarships. She is a proficient user of Albanian (native) and English, researches in Italian, Spanish and French and is a basic user of German and Bulgarian.
Julijana Karai
Researcher
Julijana Karai, Researcher
Julijana Karai is EPI’s Assembly Member. She holds a MA in Policy and Governance of the European Integration in South-Eastern Europe from the University of Bologna. She has been working in the Secretariat for European Affairs of the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia in the field of Political Criteria, specifically on issues related to democracy and rule of law, public administration reform, decentralisation and fight against corruption and in the Ministry of Information Society and Administration.
Julijana was a TEMPUS trainer for Continuing Education in European Affairs with the certificate from the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium and junior researcher in the Regional IPA Project “Strengthening National Integrity Systems in the Western Balkans and Turkey and tracking developments of anti-corruption efforts”. She has been a project manager in the EU funded project “Civic Participation for Local Democracy”, under IPA Civil Society Facility and Media Programme 2014-2015 and a consultant in the UNDP Project “Developing innovative solutions for better access to local services”.
Renata Bajrami, Researcher
Renata Bajrami is a Research Fellow at Group for Legal and Political Studies (GLPS), a policy think-tank based in Prishtina. Her primary area of research focuses on rule of law and the sector’s reform process in Kosovo. Presently, she holds the position of country researcher for Kosovo under the regional WeBER project.
Renata graduated in Law from the University of Prishtina, Faculty of Law, and was honored as a distinguished student of the Law School. She is currently pursuing her Master’s studies at the University of Prishtina. Renata was engaged as a Legal Officer in the private sector with a focus on Commercial Law. Renata served also as a Legal Advisor and Legal Associate in the private sector serving parallelly as a Legal Researcher at SENSE Cyber Research Center with a focus on Cyber Security and Data Protection for almost four years. Renata during the course of her studies was engaged in Kosovo Customs in the Sector of Representations, Sector for Advice and Procedures, and Reviewing Decisions Sector, as well as in the Ombudsperson Institution of Kosovo within the Children’s Rights Department providing here with the vast experience in the administrative procedures and state institutions interaction.
Renata has attended several courses, trainings, and clinics, including the clinic “UNHCR and the International Refugee Law” organized by UNHCR, the “Criminal Law Clinic” organized by USAID – Justice Matters Activity in Kosovo, training “Education on Justice” organized by Infinite Academy, also she attended a summer school on Transitional Justice organized by Humanitarian Law Center Kosovo, and other activities organized by other entities.
Renata is a proficient user of Albanian (native) and English language, and a basic user of the Turkish language.
Milena Milošević, Researcher
Milena Milosevic has been working at Institute Alternative since July 2012, where she namely focuses on public policy research in the area of public administration reform, and overall fundraising, communication and advocacy efforts of our organization. Currently, Milena is coordinating an EU-funded project “Civil Society for Good Governance: To Act and Account!”, whose one of the main components is monitoring of public administration reform in Montenegro. Her previous professional experience includes two years of work as journalist for Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, internship at Hellenic Centre for European Studies, and work for Centre for Investigative Journalism in Serbia. Her education background includes political science with the focus on South East European region (master degree from Faculty of Political Science and Public Administration, University of Athens) and political science, media and communications (Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade). She is author of numerous publications of IA, such as Public finances and Accountability of Administration: What does the Protector protect?, Back to Basics: Re-affirming the Rule of Law in the Western Balkans, Monitoring Report: Recruitment and Promotion In State Authorities In 2014, Professionalization of Senior Civil Service in Montenegro: Between State and Politics. Milena was also a contributor to the Study: Freedom of Media in the Western Balkans, European Parliament, October 2014. She is participant and speaker at many conferences in Montenegro and abroad.
Stefan Radojčić
Project Assistant
Stefan Radojcic, Project Assistant
Stefan joined the CEP team in January 2022 as a project assistant. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree at the Department of Political Science at the Faculty of Political Science in Belgrade. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Democracy and democratization at the same faculty. During his studies, he attended numerous workshops, seminars and training courses, and participated in conducting two public opinion polls. He is an alumnus of CRTA, Libek, and IFDT. He is the co-author of a study on the provision of public services during a pandemic. His fields of interest include political theory, qualitative and quantitative research of democracy, macroeconomics and pop culture of the 2000s. He speaks English and is currently learning German.