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Further high-quality projects approved to boost green agenda in the Western Balkans

Following evaluations, 12 high-quality projects will receive a total of approximately HUF 410 million funding under the Western Balkans Climate Protection Grant Program (WBGC-2021/3). Mr. Attila Steiner, State Secretary for the Development of Circular Economy, Energy and Climate Policy of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology emphasized in a press release that the supported projects make a significant contribution to climate protection efforts of the region. The State Secretary also announced the publication of the 4th call of the funding program managed by the Western Balkans Green Center Nonprofit Llc. (WBGC).

The Climate Protection Grant Program to foster climate action in the Western Balkans continues to operate with great interest and forward-looking initiatives, said László Örlős, Managing Director of the WBGC. According to our experience and our recent market research, Hungarian companies are increasingly building on our program, while the possibility of support has an impact on their strategic planning too: the grant program has become a key factor in opening to the Western Balkans. Companies emphasized that the funds available under the program will greatly help them to identify and prepare climate protection projects in the region and at the same time strengthen regional cooperation.

The WBGC’s goal is to help companies participating in the program in a complex way. The goals and conditions of our funding program are set to bring participants as close as possible to the development resources available in the region, multiplying their funding sources. The WBGC’s new Center of Excellence for Green Transition in the Western Balkans, operated in partnership with the Vienna-based Energy Community Secretariat, rolls out capacity building programs helping local economies creating an investment friendly environment.

The Managing Director emphasized that there are lots of further high-quality project proposals, therefore it is especially important that the next Call for Applications of the WBGC is also announced by State Secretary Attila Steiner. The call’s documentation will soon be available in English to support international consortia building.

Széchényi 2020