HOW WE DO COOPERATE? 

 Partnerskip among the citizens and businessmen

The contacts and co-operation between, what is called, a business sector, and citizens and citizen associations, as well as larger civic public are not frequent. However, there are several examples in the business sector directed towards co-operation with the citizens and citizen associations that we would like to present in order to encourage greater co-operation and realization of mutual interests.

The non-governmental and the business sector realize very few and rare contacts. Many areas of activity that would be of mutual interest and co-operation to both sectors remain without such co-operation.
However, there are several examples of business sector activities directed towards co-operation with the citizens and citizen associations. In this issue of “Civic World” we present three such examples from three factories in Skopje, “Evropa”, “Komuna” and Cement Factory “Usje”, realizing, each in a different way, certain co-operation with the non-governmental sector. 

“Ecology” caramels

Recently, the factory “Europe” realized co-operation with the consulting house “Hasconing” from Holland that was supposed to select a company in Macedonia and invest in it an project for energy saving. The relationship was realized through the governmental and non-governmental sector – the Government of Holland and the Central and Eastern Europe Environmental Centre (REC) from Hungary and the local office in Macedonia.
The project incorporated several operations: changes of the heating system in the waffle sector; installation of energetic monitoring; supply of equipment for caramel production and energy saving training for the employees.
The whole investment costs 1,5 million guilder, NLG and apart from the equipment and employees’ training, several other activities organized by REC will be conducted, such as a two-day seminar in the course of this month, a campaign for raising all employees’ consciousness for the need of energy saving and environment protection, publishing brochures, bulletins, labels and posters, publishing articles in other magazines, presentation of the project in the Economic Chamber of Macedonia and organizing radio and TV shows for the wider audience. 

Recycling for a cleaner city

The factory “Komuna” realized an ambitious project in co-operations with all citizens of Skopje. Finally, Skopje began to recycle at least one kind of litter - old paper. They say in “Komuna” that the co-operation with the citizens is going on well, and the proof can be found in the fact that for only two months (January and February), about 50 tons old paper have been collected. So, the city is cleaner for 50 tons of litter. And, what is equally important is that a cheap production material has been provided.
Mrs. Dragica Kirandziska from “Komuna” says that there is a great reception by the citizens and companies where the old paper containers were placed. On the city streets “Komuna” placed 50 well-designed metal containers, and as much beautiful posters with the massage encouraging people to recycle the paper. This number of containers is insufficient and according to the estimations done, the city needs about 500, so “Komuna” plans to increase their number gradually and place containers in other towns (plans are being made to place containers in Kumanovo, Ohrid, Struga and Resen in the first phase).
Special metal containers are placed in the factories and many well-designed cardboard containers are placed in schools, companies, non-governmental organizations, etc.
The co-operation between “Komuna” and the citizens is supported by a media campaign and people in “Komuna” are satisfied with the way public accepted this activity. 

Financial support

The practice of the Cement Factory “Usje” over the years is the financial support to the citizen associations. Last year, the total amount of 6,5 million denars was provided for assisting citizen associations, school, churches or individual citizens. As Mr. Ljupco Karapetkovski, manager of the legal department at “Usje” said, they provide means for projects supporting citizen associations, individual healing, participation at international conferences, publishing books, reconstruction of monasteries and churches, schools, cultural and sports unions, as well as development, building and shaping the recently formed municipalities, country areas in Macedonia and for other purposes.
One of the biggest donations of “Usje” was last years help for the Blind People Union. The amount donated was about 45.000 German Marks and it was used for the supply of computer equipment with Braillo alphabet, transistors, CD-ROMs and other equipment. People in “Usje” say that they do not donate governmental organizations and political parties .