Member of the Parliament of Montenegro Mr Aleksandar Damjanović paid a study visit to institutions of the Federal Republic of Germany, within the project Regional Cooperation and Capacity Development of Parliamentarians of South-East Europe on Energy Efficiency and Climate Protection.
The study visit to Berlin for parliamentarians from Western Balkans countries was organised by the Open Regional Fund for South East Europe, and implemented by the German Association for International Cooperation (GIZ).
During their visit to Bundestag and Bundesrat, parliamentarians from the Western Balkans countries met Mr Josip Juratović, Chairperson of the German - Eastern European parliamentary group at Bundestag, representatives of the Eastern European parliamentary group at Bundestag as well as with representatives of the Greens parliamentary group who are at the same time members of Bundestag committees dealing with energy, transportation, environmental protection and climate change.
Germany is the leader in the transition of the energy sector to renewable energy sources, as well as the abandonment of nuclear energy and fossil fuel energy, this was highlighted at the meeting. It was also stated that energy transition demanded regional and multilateral approach, i.e. a new energy concept striving to sustainable use of energy, protection of environment and sustainable development, based on close cooperation among regional countries.
The Bundestag representatives urged on the Western Balkans countries to pay more attention to energy efficiency and climate change issues, stressing that the Federal Republic of Germany was ready to help the Western Balkans countries, as it had been the case in the past.
During debate time at the meetings, MP Damjanović emphasised, inter alia, that no country in the region was able to plan and implement the energy policies aimed at energy shift on its own, therefore they need assistance by Germany through its previous experience, since it is a pioneer country in these processes, but also a comprehensive support of the EU via relevant projects and funds.
MPs from the Western Balkans countries also met representatives of think tank organisations, established by former parliamentarians, and active in the field of sustainable energy, such as: Energy Supervision Group (EGW) and Agora Energiewende. The visit also included EUREF Campus overview tour, which promotes in its work, the implementation of energy transition in Germany, so-called Energiewende, which also works on finding innovative ways aimed at increasing energy efficiency and urban mobility on the basis of clean and efficient energy.
