During the event the participants summed up the activities done in 2 years, presented the latest phase of the project action plans, exchanged experience, discussed sub-regional network-building plans for IE.

The Project scientific tutor K. Petkov said that region’s trade unions reached enormous progress over the last few years. Good results of the first half of the year were achieved in Albania, which was a little behind according to the other countries in the region.

Jasmin Redzepovic BWI social dialogue project coordinator in SEE presented the project that ILO Budapest implements on the IE reduction in a constructional sector with help of social dialogue. Project target countries Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Albania. J. Redzepovic welcomed the ITUC / PERC, BWI and the ILO close cooperation in joint SEE region programs. In order to ensure successful project implementation the project advisory group was established that includes representatives of BWI Jasmin Redzepovic, ILO Budapest Svetla Shekerdzijeva, and ITUC/PERC Sergejus Glovackas.

Croatia UATUC and NHS presented successful experience in social partnership reaching IE reduction in the districts. Together with local authorities 12 local councils were established. Croatian experience successfully was used by Serbian colleagues from the SSSS and UGS Nezavisnost. With their efforts Smerdovo district in Serbia declared free from illegal labor. Serbian colleagues work a lot raising awareness between women and youth.

The participants discussed the IE increase in crisis conditions.

"It should not be allowed that governments are trying to worse labour situation at the expense of employees be using pretexts of the requirements of the IMF; often they try to hide their own past mistakes, in some cases the IMF recommendations have only consultative role or are on the theoretical debates level, while representatives of the government blindly pursue them" was one of meeting conclusion.

/S. Glovackas