Active participation of experts, scientists, media and representatives of civil sector in managing security sector is necessary, but it is also the course of action conditioned by the accession process of Western Balkans countries to EU. With development of public policies through so-called Euro Discourse, the complex reform process has begun, aimed at establishing the rule of law, respect for basic human rights, and also for providing freedom and security to the citizens.

In order to perform successful supervision of the security sector, civil organisations must comply with certain important criteria. These include: showing interest in this area and having a clearly stated field of activity; scope and staff preparedness of the given organisation; party, ideological and interest neutrality; existing sources of funding and sustainability; national and cross-border networking and presence in the public life and media. The Public Policy Institute is the only regional organisation whose specific field of expertise involves security issues, while meeting all of the required criteria.

Team of experts of the Public Policy Institute cooperates with the security sector institutions in the Western Balkans region. Through independent monitoring, project design, studies, analyses, independent research and organisation of debates related to the creation of security policies, it also deals with democratic control of the processes and activities of security structures.

Democracy and the rule of law are the ideal of political and legal philosophy and the essence of all legal acts. Therefore European Union in negotiation process focuses on Chapters 23 – Judiciary and fundamental rights and 24 – Justice, freedom and security. These Chapters lay the foundation for democratic development of society, and the speed of reform in this area will be the gauge of our democratic capacity. These are the most demanding Chapters in the negotiation process and they are consequently opened first and closed last. From the experience of other countries, especially Bulgaria and Romania, we see that the actual progress in this area is hard to accomplish, and that the harmonization of acquis and national legislation is not enough. Besides the completion of legal frame, it is also necessary to strengthen state’s administrative capacity and secure the implementation of regulations. It is very important to be realistic in assessing current situation, to apply best practice from other countries and secure technical, financial and human resources for implementation of new standards. It is crucial to include in negotiation structures all institutions, individuals and civil society organizations that can contribute with their knowledge and experience to the fulfilling of obligations during accession process.

Public Policy Institute actively provides expert support in stabilization and association negotiations and represents credible source of expert analysis and recommendation. Members of the Institute’s expert team for democracy and rule of law contribute to the process of establishment of standards implementation that should be adopted by governments of the region in the process of harmonization of national legislation with European Union’s legislation.

The status of a EU acceding country places before Serbia a series of challenging reforms – such as state administration, ratification and implementation of new laws that will align Serbia with EU standards and values, lead towards the establishment of new democratic institutions, the rule of law, a functional market economy, better education, facilitated communication and cooperation in the region.

Expert team of Public policy Institute regards that the regional cooperation in economic revival and finding modalities of sustainable economic growth is necessary in the face of even grater competition. Bearing that in mind, Institute promotes the development of private sector and higher utilization of EU funds intended for the research, development and investment in the private sector. In that sense, Serbia has an extraordinary chance to use the EU accession process as a means of attracting investments and developing stable and predictable rules for all investors. The European integrations process is of great use / very useful, because the improvement of business environment is expected, primarily through the implementation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement. This Agreement provides for gradual alignment with EU practices in areas such as the free movement of capital, public procurement, standardization of products, the right of business establishment and others.

Public Policy Institute has given a series of recommendations that focus on key issues regarding governance reform in the field of economy, preparation of documents and policies that lead to implementation of economic, monetary and fiscal reforms that will enable Serbia to successfully fulfill its obligations that will result from membership in European Union.

Improvements of institutional and organisational areas of public administration, public management and public policies, regardless of the modes of separation of power, have always represented important societal preconditions and priorities, especially in the world of developing countries. Comprehensive and extensive modernisation of state, economy and society and of the public sphere in general, is not possible without a well-structured and competent administration in the public sector, from top to bottom of the governmental pyramid. This is why differences between successful and unsuccessful states, booming and failing economies, wealthy and poor societies, all originate from the quality of work, efficiency and effectiveness of governmental officials and efforts made by government employees – public servants, public services and public utilities.

In striving to achieve better understanding of the world of politics and existence of public policies, it is unavoidable to adhere to the public choice theory. This approach was actually derived from rational choice theory, which is fundamental for any sober policy analysis, synthesis and prescription. Hence, modern social sciences should not neglect the importance and value of public policy studies which are based on multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches. On the other hand, policy makers should also be aware of the necessities for and contributions of public policy analysis.

All of these notions and categories could be observed as reliable guiding principles and codes for better theoretical and empirical understanding of areas such as public administration, public management and public policies. Namely, those scientific disciplines and their constituent segments are the primary interest of the mission, strategy and responsibility of the Public Policy Institute, which has become an influential and recognizable international and regional think tank through expert support to the governments of the Western Balkans.

Starting of the negotiation process between Serbia and EU will make European policies a part of Serbia’s own internal politics. This is why the upcoming five-year period from 2015 to 2020 is of paramount importance. Public Policy Institute believes that the negotiations can be successful only if the Serbian negotiations teams are dully formed on a professional, instead of political/party basis, and provided that the media cover the negotiations in an informed and proper manner, first and foremost in the sense of spurring internal reforms that will make the European policies Serbia’s internal reform policies. Strengthening of institutions will hence make Serbia a more influential and credible participant in the international affairs. Serbia’s stakes in its relationship with Russia, as well as with the USA and Eastern Mediterranean, will be higher. And finally, the role of borders which still hinder the freedoms proclaimed by the EU at its very beginnings will be relativized. Further convergence with the former Yugoslav republics Slovenia and Croatia, now Member States of the EU, will contribute to the diminishing of tension and to the suppression of frustrations in the entire region. We do not see an alternative to this vision.

Public Policy Institute provides expertise and political support to the accession negotiations between the Western Balkan countries and the European Union, thus emphasising the need for institutional emancipation and empowerment, and further professionalization of state administration. Public Policy Institute communicates to the wider public the aims and purposes of European integration of the region, but at the same time, it communicates to the European institutions the priorities of the Western Balkan countries that are involved in the process.

Our team of experts at the Public Policy Institute conducts research and provide possible solutions for environmental institutional set-up which would lead to a more efficient EU integration process and transposition/ implementation of up-to-date environmental acquis (such as the 7^th Environmental Action Program). In doing so, we contribute to the creation of proper signals for investments in green economy, as well as to resource efficiency by eliminating environmentally harmful subsidies/waste and by shifting taxation away from labour towards pollution and resources. Hence, we create green employment opportunities.

Public Policy Institute’s Team for Green Economy and Environment strongly believes in these goals and provide knowledge based consultancy. We also believe that green economy is the right tool to strengthen the environmental sector.

Although reasonable involvement in cultural policies is derived from the democratic consensus tradition, the reform processes in the Western Balkans introduce a new level of intensive complexity into these policies. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the division between institutional and non-governmental efforts in the field of culture, that take place in different dynamics or forms of neglecting, has been characterised with its own procedural outcomes throughout all the regions. The cultural scope, defined by schematic and seasonal assessments and expectations of participants in all areas of culture, has reached a turning point.

Public Policy Institute’s aspired ranges question the variety of cultural topic-related preferences and knowledge. Processes of public production, representation and education are being observed within various disciplines. This includes topics of heritage, creative industries, as well as experimental possibilities expressed in cultural policies. Ethics of these directions of development should benefit to participants in every cultural environment, and it is in the focus of decision and choice to participate in projects or in initiatives. Their identification and opting for them, government participation, private support and international funding introduce modes of cooperation that Public Policy Institute establishes and encourages among all participants in culture and all types of art and humanistic sciences in the Western Balkans, in Europe and globally.

democracy". This is how in its Guidelines for EU support to media freedom and media integrity in enlargement countries 2014-2020 the DG for Enlargement explains the commitment of the EU to protect, enhance and support the concept of media freedom.

To ensure that the Western Balkans governments remain on a democratic course, after the democratic changes that took place in 2000, the expert community consisting of media professionals and other relevant stakeholders has invested significant efforts into democratisation of the regional media scene. The totalitarian regime that was in power during the 90's was extremely successful in using the media as political tools against democratic opposition parties. The leftovers of unethical journalism have survived to this day in the region. This is why it is essential that the media in the Western Balkans form an integral element and act as central participant in all the projects and initiatives undertaken as a part of the reform processes.

Precisely for the reasons listed above,the Public Policy Institute regards professionalization of media landscape as one of its main areas of activity. In addition to this, Public Policy Institute strongly believes that representatives of the media, as key non-governmental participants in the process of democratisation, must take active involvement in all initiatives that are related to the process of joining the EU.

Visual communication has a profound effect on a society, especially in countries where media landscapes have only recently been developed or regulated, or where political regimes of the past did not expose citizens to free markets and abundance of diverse messages. PPI therefore devotes significant attention to processes of education and to development of visual language of institutions, corporations and individuals in the countries where it’s present. The pool of experts formed around the communication area hold expertise in identity crafting, brand building, graphic design, illustration, photography, video production, strategic positioning, interior and public space design, and increasingly digital communications.

PPI has been strongly devoted to social branding, due to an increasing need for interaction and the technology growth in the region that shifted power to citizens and individuals in general. Ethics and transparency thus become the cornerstones of communication. The Public Policy Institute gathers professionals in the field of digital and social communication that design platforms for listening to audience voice, and using public opinion in developing solutions. Recent studies and practices in this area show greater complexity in managing the blend of visual imagery with strategy and social environment, yet prove recent best practices to be more agile and efficient than ever.