Regional School of Public Administration

Home
Montenegro
Podgorica
Regional School of Public Administration

ReSPA is regional organization established in 2010 as a joint initiative financed by European Commis

The Regional School of Public Administration (ReSPA) represents a distinctive, regionally-driven platform committed to advancing public administration reform (PAR) by fostering policy dialogue at the highest levels, sharing expertise, facilitating learning opportunities, fostering networking initiatives, promoting public sector mobility and capacity building, conducting topical research, and metic

ulously analyzing policies. Established as a collaborative initiative between the European Commission and the governments of the Western Balkans, ReSPA operates under the stewardship of five Member States: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia, with Kosovo* also benefiting from its programs. With a primary focus on empowering civil servants, ReSPA endeavors to catalyze the development of modern, transparent, and efficient public institutions capable of effectively serving their citizens and facilitating the European integration process in the Western Balkans.

* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and ICJ Advisory opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of independence.

11/06/2026

𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 2️⃣0️⃣ 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬!

📢 ReSPA and SIGMA are calling on from the , , , and to showcase initiatives that put hashtag and businesses first and deliver real impact 🚀

❗ Applications will be assessed on:
➡️ Effective, impactful, and tangible results
➡️ Participation, inclusion, and collaboration
➡️ Transparency, integrity, and accountability
➡️ Sustainability
➡️ Innovation and a forward-looking approach
➡️ Visibility and public relevance
➡️ Transferability and replicability

💡 Get recognised. Share your success story. Inspire public administrations across the regions.
💡 Submit your application and showcase excellence in public administration 👉 https://respaweb.eu/102/pages/89/about

10/06/2026

✴️ 𝐑𝐞𝐒𝐏𝐀 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐨𝐯𝐚 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭 2026 - 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞

🔶 At the invitation of the e-Governance Agency Moldova, our colleague Bojana Bajić participated in the Summit held on 5–6 June in Chișinău.

👉 The Summit brought together high-level representatives from governments, EU institutions, international organisations, tech companies, and development partners to discuss the future of digital governance, AI, cybersecurity, digital identity, and digital public infrastructure.

💡 Key highlights:
▶️ Opening remarks by the Prime Minister of Moldova and Commissioner Marta Kos, emphasizing digital transformation as a driver of EU integration and economic growth
▶️ Strong focus on digital sovereignty, cybersecurity resilience, and trustworthy digital infrastructure
▶️ Discussions on AI applications, interoperability of e-services, ePayments, and digital skills for the AI economy
▶️ Presentation of Moldova’s digital identity ecosystem and EVO Digital Identity Wallet by eGA Director Nicoleta Colomeeț, showcasing progress toward interoperable, user-centric public services

💬 Our colleague Bojana Bajić highlighted the value of regional and European cooperation in advancing digital transformation: “Events like the Moldova Digital Summit are essential platforms for exchanging knowledge, strengthening partnerships, and shaping a shared vision for secure, inclusive, and citizen-centric digital public services across our region and Europe.”

👆 The Summit provided an excellent platform for , , and with Moldovan institutions, international partners, and innovators. It also allowed ReSPA to promote regional initiatives and explore future cooperation in digital governance, , , , and citizen-centric .

We remain committed to supporting the , , and in advancing inclusive, secure, and future-ready digital public administrations.

10/06/2026

💡 2️⃣ 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐂𝐀𝐅 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐚 👉 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞!

❗ What makes this particularly inspiring? Both institutions are already in their 2nd cycle of CAF implementation, demonstrating that is not a one-time exercise, but a commitment to continuous improvement.

🔶 Služba za upravljanje kadrovima - Human resources management service launched its second CAF cycle in February this year, with support from the MDULS.
Last week, the CAF Self-Assessment Group completed the 3rd Workshop, marking the conclusion of the self-assessment phase and the beginning of a new three-year implementation period for the Action Plan.

🎯 Key priorities for the coming years include:
✅ Strengthening and promoting the institution’s vision, mission and values
✅ Establishing systematic onboarding and knowledge-transfer processes
✅ Fostering a culture of collaboration and mutual support
✅ Advancing transparent and merit-based HR management models
✅ Expanding corporate social responsibility initiatives
👏 A huge thank you to Jovana Stojadinović, CAF Coordinator, and all members of the CAF Self-Assessment Group.
👏 Special recognition goes to the outstanding CAF trainers Slaven Bukarica and Marija Petrović (MDULS), as well as to the new leadership of SUK, for their strong commitment and support throughout the CAF journey.

🔶 Republička agencija za mirno rešavanje radnih sporova
continues to set the benchmark for excellence. As the first institution in Serbia to receive the CAF Effective User Label three years ago, it has now embarked on its second CAF implementation cycle, with support from ReSPA.
❗ This new cycle reflects a strong commitment to reassessing strengths, identifying areas for further improvement, and continuously enhancing services for citizens and stakeholders.
👏 Special congratulations to Director Ivica Lazovic, whose leadership is a true example of how commitment from the top can drive organisational excellence, as well as the whole CAF self-assessment team!
👏 A special thank you goes to Goran Pastrovic for his inspiring session on public sector processes and human-centred design, and to our excellent Slaven Bukarica, who once again demonstrated why he is one of the region’s leading CAF experts.

🌟𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 👉 Through leadership commitment, engaged employees, and a culture of learning and improvement, they are setting an example for public administrations across the region.

09/06/2026

🔶 Last week, we were privileged to support the 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐔 𝐄𝐧𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧, bringing together public servants from , , , , Montenegro, , and * to hashtag , to strengthen the leadership capacities needed for successful EU accession.

💡 Funded by Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ireland and delivered by the Institute of Public Administration in partnership with ReSPA, the Programme continues to demonstrate the value of investing in people, leadership, and regional cooperation as key drivers of public sector transformation.

👏 The opening days provided an excellent opportunity to engage with Irish institutions and policymakers, 𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐈𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝’𝐬 𝐄𝐔 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲, 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 2026 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧.

❗Our sincere appreciation goes to colleagues from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Criminal Assets Bureau, the Central Bank, and the Revenue Commissioners for sharing their expertise and experiences.

📚 Through technical streams focused on
📌 Justice, Integrity, Rule of Law and Governance
📌 Building Institutions for Economic Prosperity
📌 Digital Transformation of Public Administration
participants explored practical approaches to addressing accession challenges while exchanging experiences and solutions with peers facing similar reform priorities.

💬 Our colleague Rozalija Vasilevska underlined: “What makes this programme particularly valuable is its focus on , across institutions, and building a lasting among future leaders of the enlargement region. As EU accession increasingly requires coordinated responses to complex challenges, strong professional networks and trusted partnerships become indispensable.”

👆 We look forward to accompanying this new cohort on its journey towards the Capstone Conference in and to further strengthening the bonds between enlargement countries and Ireland through learning, cooperation, and shared commitment to European values and public administration excellence.

08/06/2026

✴️ 𝐑𝐞𝐒𝐏𝐀 𝐊𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐎𝐟𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

It was a pleasure to bring together representatives of public administrations from the , , and , alongside colleagues from DG ENEST and ReSPA staff, for the first Project Steering Committee Meeting under ReSPA's new European Commission grant.

❗ As highlighted by Jelena Mrdak, ReSPA Director a.i., this project represents far more than a new programme of activities: "Today marks an important moment for ReSPA and for our wider community of public administrations. This project is not only a new programme of activities. It is a shared commitment to stronger institutions, more professional public services, and administrations that can effectively support the European future of our regions."

💡 With this sixth European Commission grant, ReSPA is expanding its reach and impact. For the first time, the initiative brings together not only ReSPA members from the Western Balkans but also partners from Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, and Kosovo*, creating valuable opportunities for mutual learning, the exchange of experience, and stronger cooperation to advance public administration reform and EU integration priorities.

❗ We were also pleased to hear the strong support of the European Commission 👉 Vanessa Miani, Policy Assistant at DG ENEST, reaffirmed the Commission's commitment to supporting reform efforts across both regions through enhanced cooperation, knowledge exchange, and capacity development - an important reminder that progress is strongest when built through partnership!

🔶 During the meeting, our Programme Coordinator, Boris Ristovic, presented the new grant and the 2026 Plan of Work, outlining ReSPA's objectives, thematic priorities, planned activities, and support instruments. Through policy dialogue, capacity-building, technical assistance, peer learning, and regional cooperation, ReSPA will continue to advance key public administration reform priorities and support administrations in delivering modern, accountable, and resilient governance.

✴️ We look forward to continuing this journey together and translating our shared vision into tangible results for citizens across the Western Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova and Armenia!

08/06/2026

🔗 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐨𝐯𝐚’𝐬 𝐄𝐔 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠!
📍 4-5 June,

📢 ReSPA and GIZ Moldova (EU Integration Support Project – EUISP) once again to support Moldovan civil servants in advancing negotiations under Chapters 23 and 24, bringing together valuable experiences from across the Western Balkans.

🎤 At the opening, our colleague Jelisaveta Tasev and Sergiu Porcescu (EUISP) underlined the importance of cooperation among enlargement countries and the power of peer learning in navigating the complex EU accession process.

🔶 𝐃𝐚𝐲 1️⃣ 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 24 𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐬:
✔️ Legal and irregular migration
✔️ Asylum
✔️ Law enforcement cooperation
✔️ Human trafficking and victim protection
✔️ Fight against organized crime and cybercrime

✴️ Moldovan participants exchanged experiences with Eva Ilievska (Ministry of Interior, North Macedonia), Dejan Boljević (Police Directorate of Montenegro), and Nikola Čučilović and Nenad Bogunović (General Police Directorate of Serbia).

🔶 𝐃𝐚𝐲 2️⃣ 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 23 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬:
✔️ Lessons from Albania’s Interim Benchmark Assessment Report
✔️ Constitutional amendments
✔️ Functioning of democratic institutions

✴️ Participants also learned from Elona Bano, Director for EU Integration at Albania’s Ministry of Justice, and Miodrag Radović, expert on EU integration in Chapters 23 and 24.

💡 𝐀𝐧 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 👉 our colleague Filip Chaparoski highlighted why meaningful and timely involvement of civil society in policy-making and legislative reforms is essential for successful EU integration.

🙏 Special thanks to all experts and colleagues who contributed to this initiative, including Jelisaveta Tasev, Filip Chaparoski, and Vladimir Nikolic.

❗ ReSPA remains committed to connecting public servants across the Western Balkans and beyond, fostering knowledge exchange, practical learning, and stronger cooperation on the path towards EU membership!

05/06/2026

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐢ș𝐢𝐧ă𝐮 👉 After the ReSPA Open Days, our team continued the through four important meetings with Moldovan institutions working on public administration reform, digital government, civil service development and EU integration 👇

✴️ We had the pleasure to meet with Ms Rodica Crudu, Deputy to the Chief Negotiator of Moldova with the EU at the Bureau for European Integration, Ms Lilia Dabija, Chair of the Working Group on Public Administration Reform, Ms Nicoleta Colomeeț, Director of the e-Governance Agency Moldova, and Ms Veronica Butnaru, Director of the National Institute of Public Administration and Management – INAMP (Institutul Național de Administrație și Management Public).

💡 What made these meetings especially valuable was the open exchange - sharing experiences, comparing challenges and identifying concrete areas where the Western Balkans and Moldova can learn from each other.
❗ These conversations showed how much our administrations have in common, and how powerful it can be when people from different regions sit together, exchange ideas and look for practical solutions.

🔶 For ReSPA, this is exactly where meaningful cooperation starts: by connecting people, institutions and experiences - and by building bridges that can bring real value to citizens.

🗨️ As Jelena Mrdak, ReSPA Director a.i., concluded: “What started in Chișinău is an important step towards a broader community of reform-minded public institutions working together for a shared European future.”

Looking forward to turning these first conversations into future cooperation, peer learning and joint activities between the Western Balkans and Moldova.

🙏 Boris Ristovic, Filip Chaparoski, Bojana Bajić, Jelisaveta Tasev

04/06/2026

🤝Bringing people, administrations and regions closer together
ReSPA Open Days in were not only about discussions, panels and presentations 👉 they were about people.

💡Civil servants come together from the , , , and to exchange experiences, share ideas, ask questions, build trust and open new doors for cooperation.

✨A big thank you to all participants, speakers, experts and partners who made these days meaningful, open and inspiring. Your energy, commitment and willingness to learn from each other showed once again that regional cooperation is built through real conversations, practical exchange and strong professional connections.

📢As the EU enlargement agenda gains new momentum, public administration reform remains essential for bringing institutions closer to citizens and making reforms visible in everyday life.

🔜We look forward to the upcoming activities that will continue connecting administrations across the regions, strengthening capacities and supporting reforms that deliver tangible results for citizens.

💡Step by step, exchange by exchange, partnership by partnership - we are bringing the Western Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova and Armenia closer to a shared European space.

03/06/2026

📢 Strengthening bridges for more efficient public administration and a shared European future 👉 𝐑𝐞𝐒𝐏𝐀 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝐢𝐧 , brought together public administration professionals from the , , and for the first time in this format.

🎤ReSPA Director a.i. Jelena Mrdak: “Reform gives direction. Readiness gives credibility. Regional cooperation gives strength. No administration can modernise in isolation, and no country can prepare for EU membership only through formal procedures. Progress comes when civil servants learn from each other, and when regions build practical alliances around common goals.”

Ghenadie Marian, Head of the Bureau for European Integration at the State Chancellery of the Government of Moldova: "EU accession is not only a process of adopting EU legislation, but also a transformative journey of building effective public institutions, strengthening administrative capacities and delivering sustainable reforms that improve citizens’ lives."

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐡𝐥𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐧 from the Delegation of the EU to Moldova highlighted that Moldova’s progress towards EU membership depends not only on legal reforms, but equally on strong institutions, professional public servants and the ability of the administration to implement reforms effectively.

✴️ Presenting ReSPA’s support mechanisms and thematic areas, Boris Ristovic emphasised: “What we are starting today with Moldova, Ukraine and Armenia is not a one-off event, but the foundation for long-term cooperation. We want to listen carefully, understand priorities, and jointly shape support that is practical, relevant and useful for institutions.”

👏 Participants explored how cooperation, knowledge exchange and mobility can contribute to more resilient, citizen-oriented and future-ready public administrations.

❗ The gathering concluded with a clear message: the EU enlargement agenda is gaining renewed momentum, bringing the regions closer together within a shared European integration path.

👉 ReSPA was reaffirmed as a recognised regional hub and trusted partner that supports administrations in strengthening capacities, exchanging practical knowledge and advancing reforms that deliver tangible benefits to citizens.

01/06/2026

📢 ReSPA and SIGMA Programme are calling on from the , , and to showcase initiatives that put and businesses first and deliver real impact 🚀

❗ Applications will be assessed on:
➡️ Effective, impactful and tangible results
➡️ Participation, inclusion and collaboration
➡️ Transparency, integrity and accountability
➡️ Sustainability
➡️ Innovation and forward-looking approach
➡️ Visibility and public relevance
➡️ Transferability and replicability

💡 Get recognised. Share your success story. Inspire public administrations across the regions.

⌛ 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 3️⃣0️⃣𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 2026👉 https://respaweb.eu/103/pages/90/apply

Address

Bulevar Knjaza Danila Petrovica 13/32
Podgorica
81000

Website

http://www.respaweb.eu/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Regional School of Public Administration posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Regional School of Public Administration:

Want your organization to be the top-listed Government Service in Podgorica?