ERASMUS+, Key Action 2: Capacity building in the field of Youth – Western Balkans
Project website: https://digitalvscorrupt.akustikum.org/
Please read the project press release: Digital vs Corrupt_press release: DIGITAL VS CORRUPT – An International Initiative Addressing Corruption through Digital Tools & Youth Engagement
Project activities:
- Kick-off meeting: Ljubljana, Slovenia, 31 January—3 February 2024, info-pack
- Training course With Digitalisation against Corruption, Pirot, Serbia, 21—26 April 2024, info-pack
- Training course: Corruption in Business: Lake Mladost, Veles, North Macedonia, 1—6 May 2025, info-pack
- Training course: Whistleblower Protection & ICT Against Corruption, Tuzla, Bosnia and Hercegovina, 23—28 July 2025, info-pack
Coordinator: EPEKA (Scientific and Research Association for Art, Cultural and Educational Programmes and Technology EPEKA)
Kick-off meeting: Ljubljana, Slovenia, 31 January—3 February 2024
Kick-off meeting of the multi-phase long-term KA2 project Digital vs. Corrupt took place in the Slovenian capital Ljubljana on the dates 31 January – 3 February 2024. Around 15 people, presidents and volunteers from different organizations gathered here to participate as partners in this thirty-month project to indicate the risks of corruption.
We stayed in the luxurious hotel Slon right in the city centre. The price of accommodation here included a sauna, wellness and gym, as well as a rich buffet breakfast. As for other meals, the organizer Štefan took us to great places that he himself likes. We were able to taste a real buffet of Slovenian delights, the oldest local pizza or a two-hour tasting of Georgian dishes.
On the day of arrival, we only checked in, went to our first dinner together, and then Štefan arranged for us the degustation of local wines. The next day we went together to the museum of the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo in 1984, where the guide took us through the entire history. After that, we went to the Youth Campus for intensive planning, where we presented our organizations and the activities we will do in the project. A long brainstorming about the overall project followed.
In the morning of the next day, we had a conference call with officials from the EU and the national agency of Slovenia, where we gradually resolved any organizational matters. After that, we went on a trip together to Lake Bled, which is located right in the Alps.
I thank EYCB for the trust in sending me to this project, as their representative, and at the same time I also thank EPEKA for the excellent preparation and organization.
Jan S.
Training course With Digitalisation against Corruption, Pirot, Serbia, 21—26 April 2024
The Digital vs. Corrupt training course, within the framework of cooperative partnership, took place from April 21st to April 26th in the Serbian town of Pirot. This was the second key activity of our long-term cooperation, which brings together 13 partners, led by the hosting organization EPEKA. The aim of the DigitalvsCorrupt Erasmus+ project is to combat corruption in the Western Balkans and the EU using digital tools and to educate youth organizations on the issue of corruption.
During this training course, we covered the following topics: an introduction to corruption in the public sector, the legal framework of corruption, ethical issues related to corruption, and corruption prevention and recognition. These topics were guided by an expert from Transparency International, Thor, who provided insight into the challenging topic of corruption in the public sector. There was also space for sharing experiences among partners and realities from various Western Balkan and European countries. During the training course, we worked on toolkits.
Due to the participation of a partner who is engaged as activists in the LGBTQ+ field, we also had the opportunity to address the topic of human rights in the LGBTQ+ community during a facilitated workshop.
On the last day, we held a closing conference titled “Fighting against corruption in the public sector, between theory and practice”. A report from the conference and video contributions from representatives of EPEKA organizations were published in two local Serbian news outlets – Pirotske Vesti and Pirot Plus online.
Articles are available here:
During the training course, we had the opportunity to explore the town of Pirot, including its best restaurants. The Balkan specialties served in local cozy restaurants were excellent, as well as the pizza in a local pizzeria, which boasted several awards. The group atmosphere was fantastic because we were a smaller group, and we all became friends very quickly. The significant age diversity and interesting professional backgrounds of the participants contributed to the great dynamics of the course.
At the luxurious Ana Lux spa hotel, we had everything we needed, including a spa, sauna, and fitness center. Informal discussions on corruption topics could therefore take place outside the conference room as well.
Despite Pirot having 45,000 inhabitants, it is a very peaceful, village-like town located on the slopes of the Old Mountain. One day, we also went on an afternoon trip to the Serbian Orthodox church Poganovo and walked through the canyon along the Jerma River.
The Balkans have an extraordinary charm, and it was more than a pleasure to spend a week addressing the important topic of corruption in such an amazing, inspiring, and enriching group of people.
Zita K.
Training course: Corruption in Business, Lake Mladost, Veles, North Macedonia, 1—6 May 2025
Hi my name is Lukáš, and I just came from the meeting of the multi-phase long-term KA2 project Digital vs. Corrupt, which took place at the lake Mladost, which is about 40 km away from Skopje. The name of this meetup was Corruption in Business and it was held from May 1st to May 6th and besides me there were 21 one participants from 14 countries (Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, Belgium, Slovenia, Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania, Turkey, Italy, Montenegro and of course Macedonia) It was really very diverse but everyone had fun with everyone.
We stayed at the Hotel Glorius, which is right on the lake. There was also a conference room at the hotel where we met and lectures and workshops were held.
Day 1
After checking in, we just got to know each other after dinner and had a short conversation about what to expect.
Day 2
We drove to the town of Veles where we had a discussion with the mayor, a visit to the birthplace of Kochi Racine, who was a Macedonian poet who died as a partisan in WW2. Afterwards we had a very sumptuous feast in a local restaurant, which I enjoyed very much. On our return from Veles we debated our feelings about the town and the visible consequences of corruption. We were then treated to a fun activity that helped us define what corruption is.
Day 3.
We had a day full of workshops and lectures on various topics on corruption such as Transformative Safeguarding, The Human Rights of the LGBTQIA+ Community, Corruption in Business and at the end we did toolkits on corruption for different sectors of the economy.
Day 4
The program and training included a visit to cultural sites in Skopje. Among the topics discussed was the Skopje 2014 project, a large-scale urban renewal project in the capital of Northern Macedonia. The project aimed to give the city a new look, but the project soon became mired in controversy and allegations of corruption. The evening then saw a larger discussion on how to fight corruption.
Day 5
On the fifth day, a conference was held, where experts from the field came to share their experiences. Among them were Mile Boshkov, President of the Entrepreneurial Confederation of Macedonia, who gave a presentation on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), then Professor for International Cooperation, Ph.D. Zoran Flipovski, who presented his contribution on the topic of the impact of corruption on migration, which developed into a stimulating discussion, and last but not least, Zlatko Edelinski, Leading Advisor to Agricultural and Manufacturing Enterprises in the country and Founder of the Expert Council within the Entrepreneurial Confederation of Macedonia, shared his insights on practical problems that businesses face due to competitive advantage through corruption.
The Balkans has its own extraordinary charm and it was a real pleasure to spend a week in such an inspiring, enriching and friendly group of people, with whom we worked together on the important topic of corruption.
I would like to thank EPEKA for the excellent preparation and professional organization of the entire program.
Lukáš S.
Training course: Whistleblower Protection & ICT Against Corruption, Tuzla, Bosnia and Hercegovina, 23—28 July 2025
Hello, my name is Lukáš, and I have just returned from another meeting of the long-term project Digital vs. Corruption, which focuses on promoting anti-corruption measures. The fourth meeting took place from August 23 to August 28, 2025, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, specifically in the third-largest city, Tuzla, which is renowned for its salt mining and music. Both of these things accompanied us throughout our stay.
The theme of the meeting was whistleblowing, which is the process by which an individual (whistleblower) reports immoral or illegal practices in the workplace. During the activities, we discussed how best to protect these people without affecting their work and personal lives, while keeping them anonymous. During the meeting, we also discussed other aspects of whistleblowing, such as risks, legal issues, reporting procedures, abuse of whistleblowing, and other matters. These activities took the form of discussions, seminars, and group work.
In addition to discussions, workshops, and activities related to whistleblowing, we also had leisure activities on the program, such as a visit to salt lakes, where we could cool off during a hot day, a tour of the city, tasting local wines, and attending a music festival that took place throughout our stay. We saw a whole range of Bosnian music groups on stage, and one of our organisers even performed there. The festival also featured various music-related workshops, and we were able to attend one of them, specifically a seminar on DJing and music mixing, where we could try our hand at mixing for an interesting finale.
I would like to thank EYCB for their trust in sending me to this project as their representative, and I would also like to thank EPEKA for organising this project.
Lukáš
