A summary of the 55 regional training and technical assistance projects conducted in 2002 through PFS, listed by subject matter, appears in the following chart:

¹On a select basis, PFS sponsors participation by senior financial sector officials in training courses conducted by non-PFS organizations; and such courses are included herein.

Europe Regional HIV/AIDS Initiative: Baltic Sea Initiative/Network of Excellence

Through the Network of Excellence (NOE), USAID aims to strengthen NGO efforts to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and to facilitate greater collaboration at the national and regional levels in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad, Russia. In FY 02, small grants were competed and awarded to a number of governmental and non-governmental organizations in the Baltic States. In Estonia, peer education and prevention efforts targeted youth involved in sex work and other risky behaviors, reaching 510 youth in 34 workshops. In Latvia, youth peer education materials were developed and over 3,000 “intravenous drug user contacts” were made in greater Riga through outreach work. Another grant is helping the Lithuanian AIDS Center become a regional information hub, with a region-wide knowledge management system (KMS). The KMS will serve as a focal point to link HIV/AIDS epidemiological and health promotional information in each country and allow for the documentation and sharing of regional best practices. This activity also provided a year’s support for an HIV/AIDS advisor to the Baltic Sea Council, which proved so valuable that the Council is now funding the position on its own.

Europe Regional HIV/AIDS Initiative: Southeastern Europe - RiskNet

RiskNet, initiated with joint support from USAID and UNFPA, seeks to prevent HIV/Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) in Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Romania, and Serbia. RiskNet strengthens the capacity of local NGOs in the region to design and implement effective HIV/STI prevention interventions and promote sexual health. In FY 02, USAID funded a baseline assessment, which found that although the prevalence of HIV in SEE is relatively low, numerous factors exist to fuel a rapid increase in the HIV infection rate, particularly among youth and marginalized groups. These include injecting drug use, prostitution, human trafficking, tourism, high unemployment, weakened health care systems, and low funding for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of HIV and STIs. Despite the availability of condoms on the market, those factors need to be addressed before transmission of HIV and STIs can be controlled. USAID’s contribution targets providing small grants (primarily to NGOs) which fund cross-border HIV/AIDS prevention activities and the sharing of lessons learned within a regional network. UNFPA focuses upon mass-media condom social marketing, particularly to increase condom demand and use among high-risk youth. A joint work-plan was also approved in FY 02, and the first NGO workshop was scheduled in December 2002 to work on proposals for future activities.

Europe Regional TB Initiative: TB Regional Evaluation

In March 2002, a region-wide evaluation of USAID tuberculosis programs was initiated to determine accomplishments and to improve program implementation, the Agency’s first such TB evaluation. European participants in the evaluation include Estonia, Kosovo, and Latvia. The evaluation teams included experts from the Royal Netherlands Tuberculosis Association (KNCV), Rational Pharmaceutical Management+ (RPM+), and USAID. A final report is due in early 2003.

Europe Regional TB Initiative: Prevention

To combat the multi-drug resistant TB (MDR TB) epidemic in the Baltics, the Latvian MDR TB Center of Excellence was established with SEED-funded technical assistance from the Centers for Disease Control. In 2002, about 30 physicians and TB program managers were trained on MDR TB at the Center. A computerized information system was completed to improve patient case management, treatment delivery, and cost analyses. The Center has undertaken feasibility and cost-effectiveness studies of some rapid TB diagnostic technologies, and the Latvian National TB Program has fully upgraded the National Center for TB and Lung Disease to combat the problem of institutional TB transmission.

In Estonia, the TB Nurse Training Program developed training modules. All TB nurses in Estonia have been trained, and recurrent training cycles have been initiated. A national TB infection control strategy is under development, to include a plan of intervention in high-risk facilities. In addition, 50 health care workers were provided a one-week training course on controlling infection in places where people congregate indoors (schools, churches, etc.). In Lithuania, the first national TB drug resistance survey that conformed to international standards was initiated with USAID assistance. The survey will be completed in January 2003. An interim analysis of on-going survey data indicates that levels of MDR TB in Lithuania are comparable to the high levels documented in Latvia and Estonia.

During 2002, the TB drug management and laboratory assessments for Romania were completed. Training workshops have been held on TB drug management and procurement. Technical assistance continues on the following topics: 1) developing uniform bidding documents and procedures; 2) rationalizing competitive procurement procedures; 3) rationalizing TB drug distribution systems; 4) developing mechanisms for selection of drugs to improve the TB drug management system; and 5) developing drug management information systems. Lessons learned in drug management and laboratory strengthening will be shared between Romania and Moldova.

Strategic Technical Assistance for Results with Training (START)

In FY 02, START trained 2,829 participants from Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania. Of these, 1,124 were women (40 percent). Over two-thirds of the training took place in-country (2,036), with the remainder in the U.S. or in third countries. Except for 16 students who graduated from the American College of Management and Technology in Croatia, all training was short-term, and participants came from the government, non-government, and private sectors.

As under the previous Global Training for Development (GTD) Europe project, training covered a wide range of topics from olive oil export strategies to combating credit card fraud. Several countries -- Bosnia, Bulgaria, and Croatia -- emphasized training in the legal sector, including court management and administration, legislative drafting, comparative law, and securities legal practices. Local government and citizen participation was also a major focus in these countries. Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Romania paid particular attention to the social welfare sector, as they conducted training in pension reform, child welfare, breast cancer prevention, HIV/AIDS prevention, and neo-natal care. Water and environmental issues were a primary focus in Bosnia. For Albania and Macedonia, training in the private sector included meat and dairy management, craft show management, organic honey production, and agriculture and vineyard improvement. As in previous years, START/PTP arranged for a group of 30 members of the Kosovo Assembly to attend a conference in the U.S.

The Small Grants program was offered in five countries, with 34 grants awarded and a total of $145,447 disbursed. The process of training and supporting local organizations so they may become training providers continued. Through third-country training, 31 institutions in Central Europe and 16 in Western Europe (reflecting the increased emphasis on programs relating to EU accession) were contracted. A major FY 02 initiative was to develop local organizations’ capacity to provide logistical support for in-country training. The process of supporting business and professional associations continued as well. The National Apparel and Textile Producers Association in Bulgaria, Macedonia Association of Marketing Agencies, Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association, and Romanian Water Users Association and Association of Organic Producers were among the associations strengthened during FY 02.

All six countries sent participants to the Third Southeastern Europe Corporate Governance Roundtable, hosted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in Zagreb. USAID/Sarajevo has tentatively agreed to sponsor/host the fourth and final OECD roundtable on corporate governance. Participants from five countries attended the Budapest Conference on Competitiveness and Anti-Corruption, and Croatia and Macedonia were represented at another USAID-sponsored Budapest conference, on Distressed Debt Relief.

Third-Country Training of over 432 participants continued as a major catalyst for regional cooperation. For example, in furtherance of the reform and modernization of the Zagreb Municipal Court, judges and other court employees visited the Slovene Supreme Court Information Center to examine the automated case management system and technical and business operations of the Slovene model. Another example was the training program for Croatian municipal water and wastewater managers that took place in both Poland and Denmark.

Some major FY 02 training accomplishments are highlighted below:

The Balkans Regional Infrastructure Program (RIP) facilitates infrastructure projects throughout SEE, while improving regional capability for sustainable public utilities and transport agencies. Projects help six SEE countries by assisting with: 1) project preparation; 2) project implementation; 3) project investment and financing; and 4) policy reform. Direct partners providing loan and grant resources for projects facilitated by technical assistance under the RIP include the World Bank, EBRD, and the European Investment Bank, as well as several EU grant programs.

Project Facilitation Activities have accelerated an estimated 2.5 billion euros in water and transportation infrastructure project investments. The projects include water facilities in Albania, Croatia, Romania, and Serbia; highway projects in Bulgaria and Romania; and seaport projects in Albania and Bulgaria. There was also progress in improving the efficiency of project management and implementation of various loans and grants in Albania and Romania. Another result of RIP technical assistance was the creation of a self-financed network of groups of project management professionals from six SEE countries, institutionalizing the use of Western methods of construction management and planning in a region where these techniques were little understood. RIP also provided support that secured development and signature of a treaty among the four nations of the Sava River basin (Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia) on inter-basin cooperation in the fields of navigation, flood control, water quality, and other joint concerns.

Recognizing the limitations of grants as well as the sovereign borrowing capacity of SEE nations to meet the region’s need for improved infrastructure, RIP has developed an innovative concept termed the Balkans Infrastructure Development Facility (BIDFacility). This new institution will use a revolving fund of $10 million to develop public infrastructure projects in water, energy, and transport for private sector investment, recouping the costs of preparation from successfully financed projects. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has joined with USAID to raise the needed capital from various European donors. USAID resources of $1.5 million have been joined by IFC’s pledge of between $1 million and $2 million. Fund-raising among European donor nations for the balance of the $10 million in needed capital is under way in 2003, with strong initial interest expressed by the Greek and Swiss governments.

The final component of the RIP is a proposed Balkans Infrastructure Investment Guarantee Fund, utilizing USAID’s Development Credit Authority to attract private sector investment in the water, energy, and transportation infrastructure sectors in SEE.

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)

EPA's approach to environmental cooperation in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) since 1990 has been to seek to balance the region’s near-term and long-term needs. Therefore, EPA programs recognize the requirement to show a U.S. presence and help alleviate certain acute problems in the near term. At the same time, EPA addresses the longer-term need to develop management capacity and more effective environmental institutions by providing training and technical assistance, in the following ways:

• Institution Building activities strengthen public and non-governmental institutions by providing information on legislative/regulatory frameworks, various environmental assessment tools, and pollution mitigation and prevention, to encourage the development of sound environmental policies.

• Demonstration Projects address high-priority environmental issues in key geographic areas or, "hot spots," where large populations are at risk from exposure to numerous pollutants, or where unique natural resources are threatened. Such projects demonstrate innovative, cost-effective, and appropriate technologies and/or focus on pollution or environmental problems common to the region.

With SEED financial support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), EPA has conducted a wide range of activities in most of the CEE countries since 1990. A detailed description of the scope of activities can be found on the EPA web site at: http://www.epa.gov/oia/dark.htm.

Strengthening SEE Environmental NGOs: This project provides training in basic skills, as well as technical assistance, to develop the capacity of environmental NGOs in SEE. The project utilizes the expertise and experience of environmental NGO members who previously had received training through the REC’s Junior Fellowship Program.

In FY 02, the project’s main focus was on preparing a five-part set of training manuals, targeting proposal writing, developing environmental action plans, project monitoring and evaluation, presentation and communication skills, and environmental education. Trainers also were trained in using the manuals, and direct assistance was provided to NGOs in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, and planned for Macedonia.

Balkan Environmental Information Service: The REC’s Balkan Information Service (BIS) promotes information sharing and cooperation among major environmental stakeholders in these countries, and enhances and simplifies access to environmental information and the REReP results.

The BIS on-line project page is fully functional and can be accessed at:
http://www.rec.org/REC/Programs/InformationProgram/BalkanInformationService/Default.html Meanwhile, the related REC library catalogue home page (http://www.rec.org/library-catalogue) has been improved further. The REC’s library catalogue received more than 4,000 on-line hits during FY 02.

The Bulletin: EPA continues to provide support to continue the hard-copy and web-based publication of the REC Bulletin, a quarterly publication that will be distributed to environmental stakeholders in the Balkan region, and elsewhere in CEE. The Bulletin provides free access to relevant environmental information to support public participation in environmental decision-making and increase public awareness of environmental issues.

Three issues of The Bulletin were published in 2002. The autumn 2002 issue was devoted to water, which is a pressing matter in the CEE region. Other issues appeared in April and July 2002, and all have been uploaded on-line to the web version of The Bulletin at: bulletin.rec.org. The Bulletin mailing list has been expanded and updated constantly since the project began and includes about 3,100 subscribers from CEE and the rest of the world. Readers and other media have recognized The Bulletin as a unique magazine covering the environment in CEE.

Local Environmental Action Program (LEAP): Through the LEAP process, communities are organized and trained to assess their local environmental conditions and to develop and implement action plans that address their most pressing environmental priorities. The REC is promoting LEAPs throughout CEE and provides a link between interested CEE municipalities and LEAP experts and resources.

In FY 02, the REC’s LEAP Practitioners Network continued to send Polish experts to provide LEAP training and implementation assistance in Romania (and Ukraine). Regional environmental action plans (REAPs) were launched in two counties. Each county will prepare up to five project proposals on priority projects to support important infrastructure needs identified by their respective plans. Promotional materials were developed to promote LEAPs in Albania. In Bulgaria, pilot LEAP documents were disseminated in an electronic version, and more than 200 municipalities requested information on the pilot programs. Interest in LEAP activities has increased significantly since Bulgaria’s new Environmental Law was adopted, and all municipalities have to develop their LEAPs within a year. A LEAP side event is being planned for the May 2003 Environment for Europe Ministerial in Kiev, Ukraine.

Urban Air Quality/Lead Phase-Out: A regional working group, chaired by Bulgaria, was established in 1995, and is managed by the REC, to foster sharing of experience and information exchange on critical issues of urban air quality and phase-out of leaded gasoline. As a direct result of this work, seven of the eight participating countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia) now have national plans to reduce the use of lead in gasoline and have a final date to get the lead out.

As a result of the project, all member countries transposed international requirements and standards for air quality (PM limit values) and gasoline, and are proceeding with lead phase-out commitments. Hungary and Slovakia banned the use of leaded gasoline in 1997 and 1999, respectively. Slovenia did so as of January 2001, and the Czech Republic as of July 2001. Bulgaria will ban the sale of leaded gasoline as of January 2004. Romania will make progress toward a total ban by January 2007. Other SEE countries are interested in pursuing similar strategies and will be working toward this goal, based on the experience and advice of their neighbors.

Baltic Region Activities

The following is information on EPA’s Region 5 Office of International Activities program in the Baltic Region, conducted with SEED funding under the umbrella of the State Department’s Northern Europe Initiative (NEI) Great Lakes/Baltic Sea Partnership Program.

Environmental Security: The Baltic military and civilian environmental authorities have been introduced to approaches for environmental military training and principles of sound environmental management of military facilities. This was accomplished by U.S. and Swedish specialists, in cooperation with Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, and NATO SHAPE School specialists, through a suite of three courses for Baltic military and identifying country-specific risk assessment and base management pilots. As a result, the Baltic governments have developed environmental policies for the military sector and placed military and civilian staff in positions to manage environmental training compliance with environmental policies and regulations. At Latvian MOD initiative, EPA co-funded the First Baltic Military Environmental Cooperation Conference in Riga, which was attended by 10 Baltic Sea area countries, as well as Norway and the U.S. The conference recognized the impact of the NEI and bilateral programs, established a working group under Swedish and Latvian leadership, and recommended specific tasks to strengthen Baltic military environmental capacity and regional cooperation.

In October 2002, a train-the-trainer course was conducted at the Nemencine Regional Training Center by the Swedish Armed Forces (SAF) and the U.S. Navy for 10 Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian military “distance learning” trainers and one Polish military observer. SEED funds covered the U.S. cost share for local Baltic expenses. EPA provided in-kind support to the U.S. Navy and SAF, which met trainer travel and module development expenses.

Over a three-month period (November 2001-January 2002), the U.S. Navy-SAF Annex 7 Distance Learning pilot was demonstrated at Nemencine Military Training Center, Lithuania, and at satellite sites in Estonia and Latvia. Military instructors were trained by the U.S.-Swedish team for all three Baltic States that are responsible for implementation. The course used both Internet and CD-ROMs. The training exercise revealed structural Information Technology barriers in the Estonian and Latvian Armed Forces. Lithuania encountered similar issues but overcame them through advance preparation, better equipment, and their instructors were able to conduct a second session without coaching. Eight Estonian, 13 Latvian, and 28 Lithuanian students attended the course. EPA provided in-kind support.

The program was successful in terms of U.S.-Sweden’s Annex 7 goals of demonstrating the feasibility of international training using computer technology and introducing distance learning concepts to the Baltic military. In addition, the CD-based training project received the second highest award in competition with 3,660 other entries at the “The Communicator Awards 2002 Printed Media Competition,” recognizing outstanding work in the communications field. However, project funding was not sufficient to correct deficiencies noted during the beta test. A key factor for future success will be to complete local language- specific modules that the Baltic militaries could use easily for future training.

In May 2002, Lithuania introduced the completed Camp Pabrade Base Management Plan (BMP) as a model to its Armed Forces, environmental officials, Estonian, Latvian, and Swedish military specialists. The BMP was released in Lithuanian and English, both in paper and electronic format.

In August 2002, the Second Baltic Military Environmental Cooperation Conference in Riga included military representatives from 10 countries in the Baltic Sea Watershed, as well as Georgia, Italy, Romania, Ukraine, the UK, and the U.S. Participants discussed a draft strategy on cooperation, potential mechanisms, and named a steering committee. The Lithuanian Government offered to host the Third Conference, in 2003. U.S. participants caucused on their role in the conference (observers) and agreed on a transition approach for future environmental assistance to the Baltics. The U.S. National Guard Bureau (NGB) introduced its Bilateral Affairs liaisons for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania as contacts for potential military environmental assistance projects in the region and provided co-funding for local costs at the Second Conference. Similar support by NGB is anticipated for the 2003 conference in Vilnius.

In September 2002, in follow-up to the recommendations of the First Baltic Military Environmental Cooperation Conference in Riga in 2001, U.S., Swedish, and Baltic environmental military training specialists met to define the knowledge base needed by Baltic military environmental specialists, the core elements of a training program for such a specialists, and the training approach.

Also in September 2002, at Lithuanian Government request, the U.S. and Sweden co-funded with Lithuania a Base Commanders Course that included not only the Baltic military but also officers from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Poland. The training provided an introduction into environmental management concepts and resulted in expressions of interest in cooperation with Lithuanian, Swedish and U.S. specialists to build a military environmental management capacity by the non-Baltic trainees in their respective countries. Training was conducted by Lithuanian, Swedish, and U.S. specialists.

In September 2002, EPA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service specialists met with the Lithuanian MOD, MOE, and environmental NGOs to discuss local cooperation in developing a national computerized MOD endangered species data base, using Camp Pabrade data as the pilot. Lithuanian MOE work on a computerized data base had been shelved in the mid-1990's. It was agreed that such a data base was needed to house information resulting from several NGO projects, and that the U.S. co-funded MOD project could be used to stimulate this work. Estonia and Latvia reportedly have computerized similar information. The Lithuanian MOD plans to start work on a second BMP in 2003, with its own funds.

In September 2002, the workshop to introduce Environmental Base Management concepts to key elements of Estonian Armed Forces and local government officials for the Tappa Training Area was attended by more than 35 Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Swedish, and U.S. specialists. Latvian, Lithuanian, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and SAF specialists made key presentations. U.S. and Estonian MOD participants met and agreed on the content and level of EPA assistance to draft the Estonian Pilot BMP for the Central Training Area. Participants identified potential Central Training Area management issues and possible solutions during breakout sessions. SAF offered continued assistance to the development of the BMP, stating that the project was key to developing the Estonian MOD’s environmental management system. The UK sent a military observer involved in Eastern European military base development.

In September 2002, regulations were issued for implementation of the Camp Adazi BMP to protect rare and endangered species. The Latvian Fund for Nature Draft developed management plans for two high-quality lake preserves on Adazi Base, which are under review. The extension of the BMP process to a second Latvian military facility was delayed into 2003 due to MOD funding constraints.

In June and September 2002, in response to a request by the Latvian Government for assistance, the former military harbor in Liepaja, Latvia, was used as a case study to introduce sediment assessment and management technology to Latvia, as well as Estonia and Lithuania.

Liepaja Harbor

Liepaja Harbor contains a former Soviet submarine base, whose sediments are severely contaminated. Moreover, over 30 submarines were scrapped there during the past decade, using minimal environmental protection, and a former military oil terminal, leased to a private firm, continues to leak petroleum products into the soil. As part of the harbor reconstruction for both commercial and military uses, the national and regional governments have required the removal of the contaminated sediments. The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has been assisting the Latvian Government by including the harbor in its research work. The NRL’s research has been providing the U.S. Navy with an approach to assessing sediment contamination, based in part on research done in Liepaja, that could also be used throughout the Baltic Region and in the U.S. The work to date has resulted in improvements to the Latvian confined disposal design but has not resolved the controversies regarding the extent of contamination, recontamination, site closure, and continued impacts of soil and groundwater contamination on the harbor. Moreover, Latvia is the only Baltic State with clearly identified hotspots containing PCB contamination approaching or exceeding current levels in Great Lakes. A Swedish study has identified the Riga environs as an atmospheric source of “fresh” PCB isomers.

From July to August 2002, four Latvian interns were identified for training in the U.S. (three interns arrived in August under arrangements with the Great Lakes Commissions Fellowship program), key equipment and software were ordered, and essential elements of equipment sharing and cooperation among Latvian environmental institutions were brokered.

In September 2002, EPA held two seminars and a workshop on sediment management in Latvia:

Liepaja (Contaminated Sediment Characterization Techniques: Field Training): Thirteen Baltic specialists were trained in the use of hardware and software for bathymetric surveys, use of mapping-grade differential global positioning system (GPS) units, and collection of sediment cores for analyses. Topics included quality assurance procedures, field safety, data dictionary generation, and transferring data into a geographic information system (GIS). The Liepaja Port Authority and Special Economic Zone, University of Latvia, and Latvian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development co-sponsored the training. Training included both fieldwork in the harbor and classroom exercises.

Jurmala (The FIELDS Environmental Software Tools Seminar): Seven pre-qualified Baltic specialists were trained by three members of the EPA “Field Environmental Decision Support” Team (FIELDS) in the use of EPA-developed tools to integrate the power of GIS, imaging software, GPS, and in-field sampling and analysis technology. The training was co-sponsored by the Latvian EPA at its facilities.

Jurmala (Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments and Dredged Materials Workshop): The Workshop was attended by 25 Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, and Italian specialists. Harbor studies in Liepaja, Tallinn, Italy, and the U.S. were presented. Sediment management issues were identified and discussed in light of the Liepaja experience. The LMPRD representative noted that the technology and approaches apply also to contaminated site management, a number of which pose significant treats in Latvia. Baltic and U.S. specialists and institutions were urged to join the EU-funded Sediment Research Network (SedNet), a consortium of scientists and engineers interested in improving the management of contaminated sediments. Currently, there is no Baltic participation in SedNet. This far-reaching network has several participating sediment workgroups (site investigation and characterization, contaminant behavior and fate, sediment treatment, planning and decision-making, risk management and communication, and financial and economic aspects).

Spill Liability Dispute Resolution

A series of recent spills along the border between Latvia and Lithuania have increased tensions, as the two countries have sought to assess the environmental damage. A U.S. company managhed several of the facilities involved. Currently, there is no agreement that provides guidance on how damages to the environment are to be calculated in the event an onshore spill originates in one country and the damages extend to a second. Both governments have requested the U.S. to develop and present a seminar focusing on the tools for dispute resolution that could lead to a trans-boundary agreement.

In January 2002, a scoping mission by three EPA and private-sector specialists took place to introduce the concept of mediation and design the planned seminar.

In February 2002, a two-day workshop introduced mediation as an additional dispute-resolution tool for trans-boundary environmental issues. The three trainers used facilitated exercises as a training tool. The workshop was attended by 13 Latvian and 10 Lithuanian Government officials. A second seminar was recommended, using Butinge Oil Terminal as a case study.

In August 2002, a Center for Environmental Policy grant was amended to pay back funds for the workshop and provided funds to the Great Lakes Commission for training in the U.S. for Baltic specialists (one each from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) in mediation techniques under the Great Lakes-Baltic Sea Fellowship program.

Fellowship Program

The objectives of the Great Lakes-Baltic Sea Fellows Program are to facilitate information exchange in both the policy and scientific arenas. Establishing networks of knowledge between the Great Lakes basin and the Baltic Sea ultimately will contribute to the eradication of persistent pollutants and invasive species, and improve watershed management in both regions. The Great Lakes-Baltic Fellows Program has supported 11 fellows: two at SOLEC 98, four in 1999, and five in 2000. About half of the fellowships have been in a scientific field, while the others have focused on policy initiatives. The primary study areas have been invasive species, pollution prevention, and watershed management. The current focus is on short-term fellowships in policy areas to reinforce the main NEI program sectors.

In February 2002, six short-term fellows were hosted in support of the State Department’s Global Invasive Species Program by the Great Lakes Commission and EPA. They took part in an Ecological Risk Assessment workshop in Washington, D.C., and an International Invasive Species Conference in Virginia.

In May 2002, EPA Region 5 facilitated the transfer of GC-MS analytical laboratory equipment from the University of Connecticut Environmental Research Institute (ERI) to Kaunas Technical University. ERI has agreed with Kaunas to establish a regional “center of analytical excellence” and assist with training and equipment. Pro bono shipping to Lithuania was provided by Lithuanian Mercy Lift. Agreement was reached to facilitate ERI’s (self-funded) expansion of its visiting scholar program to Latvia and Estonia as their financing allows.

In August 2002, three Latvian fellows were hosted in the U.S. -- one at the University of Connecticut Environmental Research Institute for PCB analysis of sediments, and two at USEPA Region 5 for a FIELDS training program in sediment collection, data management, and software use.

In August 2002, EPA received a used gas chromatograph-mass spectrophotometer from the City of Cincinnati Industrial Wastewater laboratory. This equipment was transferred to Latvian People’s Support Group of Chicago for transport to Latvian Agriculture University.

Invasive Species

The EU’s recognition of the invasive species problem is reflected in “EU Concerted Action: Testing Monitoring Systems for Risk Assessment of Harmful Introductions by Ships to European Waters,” while the Nordic Ministers have provided some support to the “Baltic Research Network on Invasions and Introductions.” In the U.S., invasive species cause an estimated $170 billion dollars of damage to both environmental and agricultural systems, with new species being spotted monthly in the Great Lakes Watershed. The U.S./Baltic Partnership has illustrated the common ground between the Great Lakes-Baltic Sea Basins with respect to the presence of invasive species, the vulnerability to invasive species, and their ecological effects on the aquatic ecosystem.

Funding was received to assist the Baltic States to build an inventory of ongoing studies and monitoring activities along the Eastern Baltic shoreline that track the presence and emergence of such species, both along the shoreline and in the associated wetland areas vulnerable to colonization. The inventory would report current local government tracking and reporting networks for this issue. This Baltic Sea-Great Lakes pilot would support the State Department’s Global Invasive Species Program (GISP) and build on the Great Lakes-Baltic Sea Fellowships February 2002 Study Tour, held in response Copenhagen GISP regional meeting. The inventory and subsequent analysis would provide the basis for tailoring not only future work on invasive species but planned wetland and coastal protection activities for the Eastern Baltic area by the World Bank, PHARE, and UNDP.

Watershed Management

The Latvian and Lithuanian Ministries of Environment have formed bi-national oversight (policy) and technical committees for the Lielupe Watershed. The PHARE-funded Lielupe reports have been formally reviewed by the Latvian and Lithuanian Watershed Committee, gaps identified, and a bilateral draft watershed management plan for the Lielupe watershed has been prepared and is being presented to the stakeholders.

Similar organizational structures have been established between the Russian Federation and Lithuania for Nemunas River and Sesupe Subbasin. A common GIS map (and database) has been developed, overcoming a number of technical and political issues. The drafting of a joint watershed management plan has been delayed due to lack of funding on the Russian side. EPA-funded cooperative water quality monitoring initiated by Lithuanians and Russians has resulted in a working-level agreement (September 27, 2002) on monthly information exchanges and joint projects between MOE and Hydromet. The Lithuanians are continuing with technical work on their side. EPA has also coordinated among the Lithuanian MOE, Kaliningrad Oblast Administration, and TACIS to ensure coordination of the TACIS assistance program with that of the U.S. NEI project, resulting in synergistic and water program planning by both countries. However, U.S. funding delays led to schedule delays that precluded greater cooperation with TACIS contractors, whose project ended in the summer of 2002.

The Estonians have been working at the local level to develop a water quality model to protect the beaches at the mouth of the Parnu River. The results are being used to redraft the watershed management plan for the newly defined Parnu River watershed. EPA supported work in the Estonian, Russian, and Latvian triangle (3 Rivers/3 Countries), enabling training of local government officials and other stakeholders in setting priorities for watersheds to promote effective participation in national watershed plan development. It is providing tools to local governments to involve citizens in watershed management through volunteer lake and stream monitoring programs. EPA will work to address landfill issues as well, as they have been identified as a complicating factor in watershed planning.

The watershed program was designed as a three-phase, four-country project to help participating countries meet the new EU Water Directive and UN Compact. These agreements require integrated, watershed-based management of all water resources. The program aims to deliver the concepts of U.S.-style grassroots participatory watershed management to the Baltic states and their Russian neighbors.

The first phase, focusing on development of national capacity to manage watershed programs, ended with an International Watershed Workshop in May 2002, in Svetlogorsk. Both U.S. and non-U.S. Baltic watershed pilot activities shared their experiences and lessons learned. This early work related to the establishment of monitoring and data design to support watershed planning efforts. The project’s second phase focused on introducing tools and building capacity with local educators, NGOs, and municipalities to enable them to participate in watershed planning at the local level. Funding was reprogrammed from Environmental Security and the Watershed pilots to allow for an early kickoff of this phase. Funding will allow the completion of the initial training in most geographic areas and the building of local capacity to maintain training and volunteer monitoring networks.

The Watershed Management Program’s third and final phase will complete training for focus areas and begin to build the relationships that will set the framework for cooperative watershed management across the mechanisms used by EU aspirant countries. EPA will ensure that the Baltic Russian neighbors (Kaliningrad, Pskov.) have a common understanding of watershed management principles, methodology, and of volunteer monitoring, and will facilitate the development of information exchange mechanisms.

All U.S. training is based on the training reinforcement model. The optimum schedule to ensure that trainees are well equipped to continue the work after the completion of the EPA program is a three-step training module. It is structured as an introductory session of three-four days, a two-day follow-up session with the same group six months later, and a one-day check-back session to provide final evaluation and identify any additional needs.

In March 2002, the joint Latvian-Lithuanian Lielupe River Watershed Plan was completed in draft, pending public input. This is the first such trans-boundary plan in the Eastern Baltic Sea Catchment. The Latvian language version was presented to stakeholders during a March 12, 2002, seminar on the Lielupe Watershed Management Plan, held in Jelgava.

In March 2002, a workshop on the Lielupe Watershed Management Plan was held for 24 Latvian and Lithuanian NGO and academic institution representatives, EPA, the LMEPRD, and CEP, at the Latvian Agriculture University at Jelgava to identify NGOs willing to participate in watershed management planning and education activities.

Also in March 2002, Kaliningrad’s office of the Ministry of Natural Resources installed a workstation and software (with U.S. FSA funding) and prepared a GIS-based watershed map of the Russian part of the Sesupe basin. The first cut of their portion of the GIS Sesupe map was prepared in March 2002. The Lithuanian MOE’s new Water Department agreed to resolve thematic conflicts and produce a merged database and maps for the watershed. The work will be completed using NEI SEED funds.

In April 2002, the Ministry of Environment presented the Lithuanian version of the joint Latvian-Lithuanian Lielupe River Watershed Plan at a two-day public meeting with stakeholders in Siauliai, Lithuania.

In May 2002, the International Transboundary Watershed Workshop was held in Svetlogorsk, Russia. Both U.S. and non-U.S. Baltic watershed pilot activities shared their experiences and lessons learned. This early work related to the establishment of monitoring and data design to support watershed planning efforts. The workshop also identified mechanisms to strengthen implementation of watershed plans. This workshop was held at the request of the environmental ministries, which were responding to EU concerns about watershed directive implementation. Over 60 people from seven countries (including Poland and Belarus) attended. EU TACIS program representatives also participated.

In June 2002, the redrafting of the “Lake Monitoring Pocket Book” to fit Estonian ecology was completed, and the Council for Cooperation of Border Regions made a preliminary release of the manual. Due to the highly positive response, concerns were raised that the demand could outstrip the supply.

In September 2002, the Parnu River Steering Committee completed a report on water modeling. The first Pärnu River Watershed Management Plan (WMP) was compiled for the Pärnu River Watershed, as originally delineated. Subsequently, the Estonian Government decided that all Estonia is one River Basin District, within the meaning of the EU Water Framework Directive. The territory was divided into sub-basins and, after that, the Pärnu sub-basin became larger than the Pärnu River Watershed. Estonians are expanding the Parnu WMP accordingly. It is expected to be the first completed Estonian WMP. The Danish consultant met with EPA specialists during training in Tartu.

In September 2002, the Lielupe Decision Maker/Local Prioritization training in Jelgava was attended by 15 Latvian and seven Lithuanian representatives from local government, stakeholders, and NGOs. Among the results of the training was a list of ideas on ways to support local public involvement in Lielupe River watershed management.

In September 2002, an assessment of water quality and resources and modeling feasibility in the Sesupe basin according Water Framework Directive requirements was completed. Information from it will be included in a Lithuanian framework watershed plan. The report will be provided to the Russian side during planned working-level meetings in the fall in Kaliningrad. Terms of Reference for a Surface Water Information System were drafted under the contract with KTU. This is expected to serve as a pilot for the national Lithuanian database.

In September 2002, two Lielupe River Workshops were held at Siauliai University. The first was a one-day train-the-trainer workshop for 16 local officials and Ministry personnel from Latvia and Lithuania. Discussions identified the need to resolve differences between national monitoring systems. The second focused on volunteer monitoring techniques and NGOs. The workshop was attended by 11 Latvians and 18 Lithuanians. The presentation included the new “trainers” from the previous day’s workshop.

In September 2002, a general volunteer monitoring training session was cosponsored by a local Sesupe River NGO, “Herba,” at the Marijampole municipal facilities. Fifteen people attended the one-day train-the-trainer session. Forty-six volunteers, primarily educators, took part in the second workshop. Program implementation will be funded by three local municipalities (Vilkaviskis, Kalvarija, and Marijampole). A Russian version of the volunteer stream-monitoring manual, based on the Indiana volunteer program, has been prepared for printing by “Herba.” Planned Russian participation did not materialize due to the session’s postponement from May to September.

From September 30 to October 2, 2002, a combined U.S.-Estonian team conducted Local Decision-Makers training, drawing on both previous Estonian and U.S. case studies. Fifty-seven people attended. The Center for Transboundary Cooperation will be looking for additional sources of funds to respond to the high interest level and to leverage EPA funding in 2003.

On September 27, 2002, Kalingrad Hydromet and Lithuania signed a working-level agreement to exchange environmental data on a monthly basis and cooperate on joint studies in the Nemunas River and Curonian Lagoon watersheds. This is a direct outcome of U.S.-funded joint monitoring work in the Sesupe River.

From September 28 to October 9, 2002, an EPA Region 5 grants assistance team visited sites in all three Baltic States to document fiscal and management controls, assist in grants closeout for expiring cooperative agreements, and review ongoing cooperative agreements for actions to be taken by grantee and/or EPA project officers. The visits proved useful to both the grantees and EPA and should help expedite program closeout.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Labor Market Transition Project

In FY 02, the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), International Labor Affairs Bureau, received SEED funds through an Inter-Agency Agreement with USAID to continue labor market transition projects in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). USDOL completed its Worker Adjustment project in Romania, and continued its work in Bulgaria and Macedonia, including regional activities involving staff from all three projects. USDOL strives to increase employment of the workforce in all communities targeted for assistance. To that end, country project objectives include the following: improving business sector activity; increasing worker participation in job transition services, including skills training and job placement; and institutionalizing the demonstrated methods and services within each country for long-term sustainability. All country projects successfully met or progressed toward each of these objectives. Activities also had strong, positive impacts on building local and national partnerships, improving labor-management relations, mitigating social unrest due to privatization-related downsizing, and stimulating short and long-term local economic development projects that create jobs.

Regional Account Highlights

Regional activities in FY 02 included professional and organizational development training and meetings for USDOL project staff from Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Romania, as well as a mid-term, external evaluation of the Macedonia project. Training for 20 local staff was aimed at monitoring and oversight to enhance staff capacity to sustain project activities after USDOL support ends. Each country project has, as a result, produced and implemented a performance monitoring plan for its projects to standardize and simplify data collection methods, and enhance participants’ quantitative and qualitative analysis skills.

Bulgaria

By the end of FY 02, USDOL had provided training and seed funding to 35 small communities in Bulgaria that had been severely affected by economic dislocation. The resulting local economic development projects have helped businesses, stimulated employment growth, and fostered community participation in democratic decision-making, often for the first time.

Local economic development activities are long-term projects where the full economic impact may not be realized for several years. Nevertheless, since 1997 these projects have created 2,776 jobs, 88 business starts, and 14 new NGOs. More results will be achieved over the next two years as the community projects mature. USDOL funding, however, will decrease significantly hereafter, as the project transitions to management by the Bulgarian Government, and will be supported by funds from the World Bank.

Macedonia

The USDOL project in Macedonia -- known as the Partnership for Economic Development in Macedonia (PRiSMa) -- completed its third full year of operation. In FY 02, PRiSMa completed or continued labor market activities in 21 communities, and initiated new activities in the final nine primary communities or market towns with a Local Employment Office. Each community already has or will receive training and technical assistance in implementing and monitoring three sub-projects that demonstrate methods for local economic development and strategic planning; pre-layoff labor-management relations and dispute resolution services; and maximization of human resources in small, competitive enterprises.

In the spring of FY 02, an external mid-term evaluation of PRiSMa took place. The findings were positive and highlighted particularly strong impacts on job creation, job retention, and tripartite coalition building in multi-ethnic market towns and at the national level. The report recognized the notable initiative taken by the project’s director and the directors of the USAID-funded Community Self-Help Initiative and Local Government Reform Project to collaborate strategically and maximize the impacts of their complementary activities in over 12 communities.

Main FY 02 indicators:

• 600 Macedonians received training.
• 130 new jobs were created.
• 690 workers retained jobs or were re-assigned to jobs at their existing place of employment.

Because of the consistent, well-recognized impacts of USDOL activities in Macedonia, local and national-level support from the Ministries of Labor, Education, and Economy continued. Promising agreements were reached toward institutionalizing USDOL-demonstrated methods, and the Ministry of Economy took steps to establish a loan guarantee fund to support future local economic development projects in disenfranchised communities. In addition, the project’s Enterprise Competitiveness or “Quick Start” method is being recognized in curriculum development reform efforts for the country. Quick Start is a demand-oriented, management-driven approach that seeks to maximize the potential of workers in small and medium-sized enterprises, while modernizing vocational training curricula. Ministry staff also were designated to help local project teams implement and monitor on-going and future projects.

Romania

The SEED-funded Labor Redeployment Program (LRP) completed its fifth and final year of program activities in FY 02. Working in 35 communities, the Romania project successfully created thousands of jobs and engaged thousands of workers in pre-layoff employment assistance services. Both activities helped mitigate the social unrest that often results from privatization-related layoffs. The project was so effective that the Romanian Government drafted, passed, and funded policy and legislation to institutionalize the USDOL-demonstrated pre-layoff services and programs.

• Over 80,000 unemployed workers were provided with early forms of assistance to help them find new jobs.
• Of these, 18,635 were re-employed; and
• Dislocated workers who had received entrepreneurial training created 4,105 new business start-ups.

In addition, institutionalization of the services developed through LRP assistance was achieved. To provide a legal framework for those services, the Romanian Government drafted and enacted policies, in 1998, to support services for displaced workers who lost their jobs in mass layoffs due to privatization, restructuring, and liquidations. Since then, two laws were passed that mandate the continuation of Active Measures. One provision requires laid-off workers to participate in pre-layoff services to become eligible for severance payments. Another allocates resources to support Active Measures -- 27 percent of the NAE’s 2003 budget is dedicated to this purpose.

Though still relatively early in their development, economic development projects in Romania have created 610 jobs thus far. In addition to employment, 36 small businesses and two NGOs were created through these local economic development activities.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)

INL is responsible for developing policies and managing programs to combat international narcotics consumption, production, trafficking, and other criminal activity. INL conducts programs by funding and coordinating the training and assistance activities of Federal law enforcement agencies, as well as specific Justice and Treasury Departmental offices, in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries that are eligible for SEED assistance.

INL assistance programs strengthen host nation capacity to combat transnational organized crime and related activities, corruption, cyber crime, money laundering and other financial crimes, and trafficking in persons, contraband, and narcotics; strengthen border controls; develop democratic police forces; and develop legislative and institutional criminal investigative and prosecutorial capabilities. INL’s project-based approach to programs creates comprehensive, sustainable assistance efforts.

The focal point of INL's regional law enforcement assistance efforts is the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA), headquartered in Budapest, Hungary. Established in 1995, ILEA has as its mission to support the region’s emerging democracies, help protect U.S. interests through international cooperation, and promote social, political, and economic stability by combating crime and criminal activities. To achieve these goals, ILEA provides high-quality training and technical assistance, supports institution building and enforcement capabilities, and fosters relationships between U.S. law enforcement agencies and their counterparts in the region. During FY 02, 94 participants from SEED Act countries attended ILEA's Core Program, an eight-week training program aimed at mid-level law enforcement officials, along with colleagues from Russia and the Former Soviet Union. In FY 02, INL provided $1,350,000 in SEED funds to support the ILEA program -- $725,000 for operational support, $500,000 for USG law enforcement agency support, and $125,000 for participant travel and stipends.

ILEA also provided a venue for short-term, specialized training programs offered by USG agencies, including the ATF, DOJ/OPDAT, DOS, EPA, and FBI. In FY 02, subjects included money laundering, organized crime, prosecuting public corruption, environmental crimes investigations, and crimes and explosives investigations. Representatives from the following SEED countries attended the ILEA Core Program in FY 02: Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Romania, and Serbia and Montenegro.

Albania

In FY 02, INL administered $2,875,000 in SEED funding for Albania. Funds were used to support a DOJ/OPDAT Resident Legal Advisor (RLA) program, professionalize the police, and improve border controls. Several years of investment and effort have begun to pay off with major structural and procedural changes in the Albanian Ministry of Public Order (MoPO) and the Albanian National Police (ANP). Overcoming entrenched interests and bureaucratic obstacles, the ANP has adopted recommendations to create an Organized Crime Directorate that has unified the offices responsible for financial crimes, counternarcotics, anti-trafficking, and anti-terrorism. The ANP has also reorganized its Office of Professional Responsibility and removed 102 police officers for illegal activities. A program to establish international standards of border security at three major Albanian ports of entry was also initiated. A second DOJ/OPDAT Resident Legal Advisor was assigned to assist in developing a joint police-prosecutor organized crime task force. In addition, in-country DOJ/ICITAP and DOJ/OPDAT advisors funded through INL have supported the formation of an international consortium of law enforcement assistance donors. This 25-member consortium (embassies and international organizations) works cooperatively to avoid duplication of assistance programs and to rationalize resources of all donors. In FY 02, Albanians took part in an ILEA eight-week Core Program.

Baltic States

In FY 02, INL administered $327,000 in SEED funds for the Baltic States. Funds were used to provide comprehensive technical assistance to the Baltic States to build law enforcement and criminal justice system capacity and strengthen the rule of law. Projects included training and technical assistance to address public corruption, support reform of criminal procedure codes, improve witness security, and combat trafficking in women and children. INL's regional efforts focused on training and technical assistance in the framework of the Northern Europe Initiative (NEI) to promote regional cooperation and highlight shared experiences.

Estonia/Lithuania: In FY 02, through DOJ/OPDAT, INL provided funding for a prosecutors training program in Estonia, in which Lithuanian prosecutors also participated.

Latvia: In FY 02, INL continued support for the Anti-Corruption Bureau in Riga, prosecutors training in plea-bargaining and evidence collection, and police training.

Bosnia-Herzegovina

In FY 02, INL’s SEED funding amounted to $5.5 million. Of this, $1.5 million funded several ICITAP police development programs, including providing senior advisors to entity Ministers of Interior, two Organized Crime advisors, a Police advisor to the Brcko District, and specialized anti-organized crime training for the Bosnian police. Funding was also made available to continue development and implementation of a computerized, Bosnia-wide law enforcement information-sharing network that will be compatible with a citizen information network being developed by the Office of the High Representative (OHR). An additional $2 million funded the continuing development of greater information-sharing capabilities, a radio communications system, and enhanced means of airport passenger screening for the new State Border Service.

Finally, $2 million assisted BiH in its judicial reform, training, and anti-corruption efforts. These funds supported a Resident Legal Advisor (RLA) at the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo; an Assistant U.S. Attorney to serve as Vice President of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Councils; a legal training expert to coordinate curriculum development and OHR efforts to train Bosnian judges, prosecutors, and police in the new legal codes and procedures; classroom and field training experts to assist in the adoption of new legal codes and procedures; and equipment and training to help local prosecutors. INL funding also enabled the continuation of a criminal justice law liaison through ABA/CEELI to assist efforts to train judges and prosecutors and provide computer systems for prosecutors in Sarajevo Canton.

Bulgaria

In FY 02, INL administered $850,000 in SEED funds for Bulgaria. Those funds supported a DOJ/OPDAT Resident Legal Advisor program and a USSS Counterfeiting and Financial Crimes project. The RLA program provided training and advisory technical assistance in the areas of Ministerial-level internal controls efforts, witness protection, combating public corruption, human trafficking and money laundering, and asset forfeiture. Accomplishments include the formation of a legislative working group aimed at instituting probation and assisting the Bulgarian Government in drafting comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation that recently passed its first reading in the Parliament. The USSS Counterfeiting and Financial Crimes project provided training and technical expertise to Bulgarian law enforcement aimed at dismantling U.S. currency counterfeiting operations. During FY 02, Bulgarians participated in an ILEA eight-week Core Program.

Croatia

In FY 02, INL administered $1,082,629 in SEED funds for Croatia. Funds were used to support a DOJ/OPDAT Resident Legal Advisor program and a DOJ/ICITAP police professionalization program. The police professionalization program, now in its second year, is a three-year, $3 million dollar program that combines guidance, training, and equipment to increase the professionalism of the Croatian police. The program’s primary objectives are to foster long-term, sustainable change by overhauling police training; improve police personnel management and standard operating procedures; and strengthen the police internal affairs section’s capacity to enforce professional standards. The Interior Ministry has taken ownership of core program recommendations and is creating a basic police academy program, which will consist of six months of classroom training followed by six months of field training. The Ministry is also developing a “train-the-trainer” program whereby new training can be provided as needed by through Field Training Officers. About 10,000 officers throughout Croatia will eventually receive updated training through this program. The program’s accomplishments include: 1) development of a practical, task-based curriculum for the police school; 2) establishment of management and administrative procedures, so that Interior Ministry officials can monitor personnel performance and evaluate training; 3) creation of a comprehensive field training and mentoring system that is cross-linked to the police academy; and 4) overhaul of the internal affairs unit. With the final $1 million tranche for this program, all objectives will be achieved and the program closed out in 2004-2005. In FY 02, the RLA program focused on: 1) assisting the State Attorney’s Office to adhere to the new law regulating its organization and jurisdiction; 2) supporting the Office to Combat Organized Crime and Corruption; and 3) assisting the State Attorney’s Office to improve prosecutions and establish a training program for prosecutors. With this assistance, the Croatian Government has begun to enact legislation and implement changes to the criminal procedure code to address corruption and organized crime. Access to the Ministry of Justice and State Attorney’s Office also has improved. During FY 02, Croatians participated in an ILEA eight-week Core Program.

Macedonia

In FY 02, INL used $2,025 million in SEED funding for police assistance to Macedonia. Funding of $500,000 was for training a multi-ethnic police force and trainers to graduate ethnic minority officers to serve in the country’s police force, in support of the Framework Agreement. A total of $125,000 in FY 02 SEED funds will help provide community police trainers to support OSCE’s and the Macedonian Government’s efforts to integrate police in the sensitive ethnic Albanian villages.

Romania

In FY 02, INL administered $1,010,000 in SEED funds for Romania, which were used to support a DOJ/OPDAT Resident Legal Advisor program and for two law enforcement capacity-building projects. These projects, Cyber-Crimes Investigative Unit and Counter-Narcotics Assistance, included courses, advisory technical assistance, and equipment procurement. The RLA extended advisory technical assistance and training in combating human trafficking; improving courtroom administrative procedures; and detecting, investigating, and prosecuting corruption. The RLA provided specialized assistance to the establishment of the National Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office and a commitment (fulfilled by the Romanian Government) to set up the specialized Cyber-Crime Investigative Unit in the General Inspectorate of Police. During FY 02, Romanians took part in an ILEA eight-week Core Program.

Serbia

INL received no new funding in FY 02, and FY 01 funds carried the existing program through the fiscal year. The law enforcement assistance to Serbia was to support the OSCE-led basic police-training program, a program designed to develop a multi-ethnic police force in Southern Serbia. The U.S. provided a police manager, a curriculum development specialist, and four police instructors to the school.

Montenegro

Though not officially engaged in Montenegro, INL funded Montenegrin participation in the ILEA 8-week course.

Kosovo

FY 02 SEED funding for police programs in Kosovo, administered by INL, totaled $61.45 million. Of this, $53.4 million paid for the U.S. contribution of 605, later reduced to 555, civilian police officers to the 4,500-officer UNMIK Police Force that is policing Kosovo and simultaneously helping to develop the new Kosovo Police Service (KPS), including through field training. The UNMIK Police have assumed full law-and-order responsibilities from KFOR, including protecting patrimonial sites and the airport, as security permits. UNMIK Police played a major role in the dramatic decrease in crime, particularly the most violent crime, in Kosovo in FY 02, which is down for the second year in a row. INL helped the UNMIK Police further to develop their capabilities to combat organized crime, extremism, and terrorism, with $500,000 in assistance, including expert personnel and technical equipment. Six million dollars has been used to support the training and equipping of the new KPS, including the provision of instructors and personal equipment for the new police and their police stations. Over 1,400 cadets of all ethnicities graduated from the OSCE’s Kosovo Police Service School in FY 02, for a total of over 5,400 graduates to date. The KPS now handles most of the patrolling functions in Kosovo and independently operates two police stations, under international supervision.

FY 02 SEED funding for INL-managed judicial sector reform in Kosovo was $1.55 million and supports an RLA in the U.S. Office in Pristina, an Organized Crime advisor to the UNMIK Department of Justice, and a training officer for OSCE’s Kosovo Judicial Institute. It also supports the training of Kosovar prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges in basic skills and such substantive areas as human rights, trafficking in persons, and victim and witness advocacy.

U.S.DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT)

OPDAT’s programs in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) are designed to assist host countries in building institutions which provide fairer, more efficient, and transparent administration of criminal justice, as the CEE countries seek to emerge from decades of communist and authoritarian rule and establish the rule of law. Legal systems in CEE are derived from the continental civil law model, with “inquisitorial” criminal justice systems in which proceedings are based largely on written submissions, the prosecutor’s role in the trial process is limited, judges may exercise investigative functions, and there is little coordination between investigator and prosecutor. Nonetheless, CEE countries have shown interest in moving toward greater use of oral proceedings in trials and adopting certain common law “adversarial” procedures, such as guilty pleas and plea bargaining, accelerated and abbreviated trials, and the use of informants, undercover operations, and wiretapping.

Many CEE countries have enacted or are enacting new criminal procedure codes which incorporate these and related procedures. OPDAT has also taken significant steps throughout the region to foster better cooperation between investigators and prosecutors, through team building and task force approaches. In FY 02, OPDAT’s substantive focus within the region was on strengthening host countries’ ability to combat some of the most acute manifestations of criminality, particularly public corruption, organized criminal activity, trafficking in humans and contraband, and money laundering.

Albania

OPDAT worked closely with the Government of Albania (GOA) to improve its ability to combat organized crime, corruption, and trafficking in persons. In the first quarter of FY 02, the Resident Legal Advisor (RLA) in Albania worked closely with the Prosecutor General’s Office to develop strategies for investigating government officials suspected of corrupt practices. After the RLA’s mission in Albania ended and his replacement arrived, the new RLA worked with GOA officials to improve Albania’s ability to investigate and prosecute money laundering, financial crimes, and terrorist financing. In September 2002, the OPDAT team sponsored a highly successful seminar on the dimensions of Albanian organized crime in the Balkans and in the U.S., which established links between law enforcement agents combating ethnic Albanian crime in the U.S. and those doing so in the region. OPDAT also helped the U.S. Embassy in Tirana and the GOA to develop a “three-port strategy” for disrupting trafficking operations at Albania’s three main ports of entry -- Rinas Airport, Durres Seaport, and Vlora Seaport.

Bosnia-Herzegovina

Throughout FY 02, the OPDAT program provided substantial assistance to the Bosnians in organizing and putting into action a nation-wide anti-trafficking task force, the first ever of its type. In the last quarter of FY 02, the task force returned its first indictment (which led to a conviction in the first quarter of FY 03). OPDAT also continued to work with the Office of the High Representative (OHR) on reform of the criminal and criminal procedure codes. OPDAT held a four-day Management and Trial Advocacy Workshop for public prosecutors in the Brcko District, in February 2002. Subsequently, an experienced