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European Parliament

Fellowship Programmes

Pre-Accession Fellowship Programme

Two men shaking hands in a EP meeting room in Brussels. In the background the EU flag.
Senior Staff of the Parliament of Moldova visiting the European Parliament - © European Union (2018) - European Parliament
The Pre-Accession Fellowship Programme gives staff members of the Western Balkan and Turkish parliaments the opportunity to work in the European Parliament for a period of six weeks.

These fellows are hosted in various units, and become acquainted with the work of the European Parliament at a political and administrative level.

Pre-Accession Fellows Network

The European Parliament coordinates the activities of a Network of more than 50 parliamentary staff from the Western Balkans and Turkey, who successfully completed the Pre-Accession Fellowship Programme. The aim of the Network is to help disseminate the wealth of knowledge and experience, which the Fellows acquired during their time at the European Parliament, in order to strengthen the capacities of their parliaments, as well as mobilise them in the efforts for further regional cooperation.

The Pre-Accession Fellows Network was established in 2018 upon the initiative of the European Parliament.

  • The cooperation between the Pre-Accession Fellows, but also between the parliaments of the region, the digitalisation of parliamentary work and a communication strategy underpinned by appropriate training are some of the prerequisites for an effective parliamentary communication. This was one of the main lessons of the seminar for Pre-Accession Fellows, which took place remotely on 25 February.

    The objective of this capacity-building event was to improve the communication policies of the Western Balkan and Turkish parliament by reflecting on the current pandemic-influenced reality and focusing on the post-Covid-19 challenges.

    The seminar, which is part of the Fellows' Network programme on 'Modern and Efficient Parliaments', highlighted the importance of the Network for the strengthening of the parliamentary administrations both now and after the pandemic.

Pre-Accession Fellowship Programme (2019-present)

  • The European Parliament hosted the following Pre-Accession Fellows in 2020:

    • Kristina STANCIC from National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia DG EXPO (Parliamentary Support and Capacity Building Unit)

  • The European Parliament hosted the following Pre-Accession Fellows in 2019:

    • Mr Baran KUSOGLU from Grand National Assembly of Turkey (DG EXPO - Policy Department for External Relations)
    • Ms Tatjana POPOVSKA from North Macedonia (DG COMM - Press Unit)
    • Mr Erion DELVINA from Parliament of Albania (DG COMM - Media Service)
    • Ms Nihada JELEC from Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (DG EPRS - Members Research)
    • Ms Marija MILOSEVIC from Parliament of Montenegro (DG PRES - various units)
    • Mr Nur CEKU from Assembly of Kosovo (DG IPOL - AFCO Committee)
    • Ms Havushe LESKOVICA-ISMAILI from Assembly of North Macedonia (DG EXPO -Secretariat of the Foreign Affairs Committee)
    • Ms Vera DAMJANOVIC from Parliament of Montenegro (DG EPRS - Members Research)

Pre-Accession Fellowship Programme (2014-2018)

  • The European Parliament hosted the following Pre-Accession Fellows in 2018:

    • Mr Ersin AYDIN from the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (DG EXPO - Secretariat of the Foreign Affairs Committee),
    • Ms Vjolca BAJRAMI from the Assembly of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (DG COMM - Press Unit),
    • Mr Adnan BEŠIĆ from the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (DG TRAD - Croatian Translation Unit),
    • Mr Visar KRASNIQI from the Assembly of Kosovo (DG IPOL - Secretariat of the Committee on Legal Affairs),
    • Ms Jerina LUKA from the Parliament of Albania (DG COMM - Web Communication Unit),
    • Mr Miloš MARIĆ from the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia (DG EXPO - Secretariat of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence),
    • Ms Jelena ULIĆ from the Parliament of Montenegro (DG EPRS - Economic Policies Unit), and
    • Ms Marija VULIĆ from the Parliament of Montenegro (DG INLO - Directorate for Buildings Projects).

  • The European Parliament hosted the following Pre-Accession Fellows in 2017:

    • Ms Zhaklina DHAMO from the Parliament of Albania (DG EPRS - Members Research Service),
    • Mr Faton HAMITI  from the Assembly of Kosovo (DG IPOL - Secretariat of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs),
    • Mr Jovica KATIĆ from the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (DG COMM - Visits and Seminars Unit),
    • Ms Nela KALUDEROVIĆ from the Parliament of Montenegro (DG IPOL - Secretariat of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs),
    • Ms Evda MEMA from the Parliament of Albania (DG EXPO - Policy Department for External Relations),
    • Ms Gorana POP GEORGIEVA from the Assembly of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (DG PRES - Protocol Unit),
    • Ms Ivana TATAR from the Parliament of Montenegro (DG EXPO - Secretariat of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence), and
    • Ms Amila ŽUJO from the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (DG INTE - Dir for Organisation and Planning).

  • The European Parliament hosted the following Pre-Accession Fellows in 2016:

    • Mr Gazmend BICI from the Parliament of Albania (DG IPOL - Secretariat of the Committee on Culture and Education),
    • Ms Jelisaveta BLAGOJEVIC from the Parliament of Montenegro (DG EPRS - External Policies Unit),
    • Mr Valon DOBRUNA from the Assembly of Kosovo (DG PRES - Legislative Planning and Coordination Unit),
    • Mr Risto ILIEVSKI from the Assembly of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (DG EXPO - Secretariat of the Subcommittee on Human Rights),
    • Ms Aleksandra JOVANOVIC from the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia  (DG IPOL - Secretariat of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs),
    • Mr Florent MEHMETI from the Assembly of Kosovo (DG EXPO - Policy Department for External Relations),
    • Ms Dijana MITROVIC from the Parliament of Montenegro (DG EXPO - Democracy and Elections Actions Unit), and
    • Ms Nezahat YUCA from the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (DG IPOL - Secretariat of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs).

  • The European Parliament hosted the following Pre-Accession Fellows in 2015:

    • Ms Zarife ALIU from the Assembly of Kosovo (DG EXPO - Secretariat of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence),
    • Ms Lara BOROVINA from the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (DG EXPO - Euromed and Middle East Unit),
    • Ms Bojana BULUT from the Parliament of Montenegro (DG EPRS - Budgetary Policies Unit),
    • Ms Marina DIMOVSKA from the Assembly of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (DG COMM - Media Intelligence Unit),
    • Ms Sonila KADAREJA from the Parliament of Albania (DG EPRS - Citizens Policies Unit),
    • Ms Ana MILANOVIC from the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia (DG INTE - Directorate for Interpretation),
    • one fellow from the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia (DG EXPO - Secretariat of the Foreign Affairs Committee), and
    • one fellow from the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (DG EXPO - Enlargement and European Economic Area Unit).

  • The European Parliament hosted the following Pre-Accession Fellows in 2014:

    • Ms Floreta KABASHI from the Assembly of Kosovo (DG PRES- Legislative Planning),
    • Mr Konur KOÇAK from the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (DG EXPO - Policy Department -External Relations),
    • Mr Mirko MIJANOVIĆ from the Parliament of Montenegro (DG PERS - Internal Organisation),
    • Mr Cele NAJDESKI from the Assembly of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (DG IPOL - Secretariat of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs),
    • Ms Aida OSMANOVIĆ from the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (DG EPRS - External Policies Unit),
    • Ms Sandra STANKOVIĆ from the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia (DG COMM - Web Communication Unit), and
    • Mr Ermal TAUZI from the Parliament of Albania (Legal Service - External Relations).

Democracy Fellowship Programme

The Democracy Fellowship Programme gives civil servants from parliaments in Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Tunisia and the Pan-African Parliament the opportunity to be seconded and work in the European Parliament for a period of up to twelve weeks.

Based on the needs of their home services, the fellows are hosted in various units and directorates-general. They are assigned a mentor who introduces them to the work of the European Parliament both at political and administrative level. They assist their host units in their daily work and, when back in their hope parliaments, benefit their administration through the knowledge they acquired.

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