Session 1: “Capabilities for Emergency Relief – National Challenges and Perspectives”
The first session was dedicated to the National case studies of each country participant to the Advanced Research Workshop.

Moderator on this session was Col. Ljube Dukoski who gave the introduction of the topic and the participants.

Speakers on the first panel were:

• Mr. Ertust Brahja - General Directorate for Civil Emergencies, Albania
• Mr. Vladan Zivulovic – President of the Atlantic Council, Serbia
• Professor Marina Mitrevska – Professor on the Institute for Security, Defence and Peace Studies, ss. “Cyril and Methodius”, Macedonia
• BG Hamza Visca - Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mr. Ertust Brahja started his presentation with Albanian national threats and risks, as: Earthquakes, Rock falls, Landslides and avalanches, Snowstorms and high snowfall, Windstorms etc. He emphasized Albanian Constitution and Albanian National Security Strategy as legal framework for the functioning of the system for Crisis Management. He added that these documents, and few others, are so important for the Albanian government because through them they are planning to increase intergovernmental cooperation and constitutional approach.

Furthermore, he emphasized the National Civil Emergency Plan and explained that it reflects the policy and main priorities of Albania in the Civil Emergency Service. After that he explained Albanian and international experience in the field of civil emergencies. In continuation he was presenting Albanian legal framework, standards and widely accepted procedures. Other talking point was the systematization and clarification of the roles and responsibilities of all relevant governmental institutions and civil society organizations for the Civil Emergency management. Furthermore he explained about the National Plan has been prepared based on a precise and logical procedure and methodology, which includes Risk Assessment study, large consultations, information sharing, wide consensus of all relevant institutions and organizations.

He finished his speech with mentioning the importance of upcoming challenges on bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

The second speaker was Mr.Vladan Zivulovic. He stressed the importance of the common approach to the subject and the need of common vision.

Mr.Zivulovic started his speech with expectation for common efforts to achieve regional cooperation and promoting common values and strategies. Therefore, he proposes decreasing the costs through joint activities and initiatives. Furthermore, he expressed his opinion, that the common approach in the field of crisis management is the best solution for Serbian citizens, because people’s security is their care.

Next speaker was Brigade General Hamza Visca. He was presented the B&H perspectives in the crisis management. Main topics in his speech were the challenges that the region should handle. After that he continued with the perspectives of the regional cooperation and the needs of it. As key for the successful regional cooperation and joint work he emphasized:

• Increased joint trainings and joint exercises of the civilian emergency forces in the region
• Upgrade the already existing initiatives in the region which number reaches about 70

The last speaker on the panel was Prof. Marina Mitrevska and her presentation which was explaining the development of the model of crisis management in Macedonia. She made retrospective of the Macedonian challenges until now and the way they were handled. Also she was speaking about the normative solutions for the Macedonian crisis management and the perspective that they offer for the regional cooperation.

Panelists on the second part were:

• Mr. Urim Vejseli – Head of Department for International Cooperation, Centre for Crisis Management, Macedonia
• Professor Mitko Stoykov – Director Crisis Management for Disaster Response Centre of Excellence, Bulgaria
• Mr. Nikola Gace – Director of the General National Protection and Recue Directorate of Croatia
• Mr. Mustaf Gashi – Emergency Management Agency, Kosovo

Mr. Urim Vejseli from the Center for Crisis Management from Macedonia started his presentation emphasizing the case study for Macedonia and specifically the Center for Crisis Management. Mr. Vejseli gave brief retrospective on the work done in the past and on the past regional cooperation and joint actions. He expressed the need of increased cooperation and explained the cooperation between Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo which he coordinates. On the end he emphasized the recommendations on the future actions in the regional cooperation.

Next speaker was Prof. Mitko Stoykov from Bulgaria. In his speech he gave introduction in the Bulgarian case. Further he explained the Crisis and Emergency management capabilities of Bulgaria. The bases for the functioning of the system are the legal and normative documents which were briefly mentioned. After that Prof. Stoykov continued with the Crisis and Emergency Management System (CEMS), their training and interoperability. Next in his presentation was the cooperation of the Bulgarian and Allied CEMS and in the end with the problems that CEMS are facing.

Mr. Nikola Gace from Croatia made the introduction in the Croatian case study. He delivered the basis for the Croatian National Protection and Rescue Directorate through “Protection and Rescue Act”. In his protection was included the Objective of the Croatian National and Rescue Directorate, making a single protection and rescue system through:

-       Unified preparation, planning, establishing of procedures, equipping and training

-       Establishing a system of public authorizations and competences

-       Unified coordination of operations of the protection and rescue system

-       Effective and economic use of resources

-       Response time reduction

-       Effective supervision of preparedness

Last speaker was Mr. Mustaf Gashi from Kosovo. He started with the introduction of Kosovo Crisis Management and its national views on Disaster Profiles such as: floods, earthquakes, fires, heavy snow

His presentation continued with the national policy, national legislature and the future plans. On the end of the presentation was the regional cooperation and he finished with the lessons learned.

Participants on the last panel were:

• Mr.  Branko Dervodel – Deputy Director General in the Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief, Ministry of Defence, Slovenia
• Professor Azis Pollozhani, Advisor of the Minster of Defence and Professor on the Tetovo State University, Macedonia
• Mr. Toni Stankovski – Ministry of Interior, Macedonia

The panelist who started the last part was Mr. Dervodel. His main topic of the speech was the Regional Cooperation in SEE in the field of disaster management – Slovenian perspective. He explained the structure of the Slovenian DPPI and was speaking about the past projects and regional cooperation. After that he explained the future activities and the needed regional cooperation.

Second was Mr. Pollozhani who was speaking about the Health threats and cross border cooperation as important part for the regional security. He gave the examples of the past events and their consequences. After that he continued with the global public health security in the 21^st century.

The day was finished with Mr. Toni Stankovski from the Ministry of Interior. He gave the introduction of the capacities of the Ministry of Interior and its duties in prevention and in times of crisis. On the end he gave the final conclusions of the work of the Ministry of Interior.

During the day there was fruitful discussion with very active contribution from all of the participants. Broad spectrum of different questions were raised and the anticipation that the participants had for the common vision for the regional cooperation was on the highest level.