DEADLINE: 13 OCTOBER 2019
1. ABOUT THIS CALL
The Ministry of Finance and Economy (MOFE) through the support of the European Union (EU), launches a Call for articles on three specific themes related to the implementation of Public Finance Management Reform (PFM), which represents a key step towards EU accession. Through the promotion and the publication of the winning articles, the organisers aim to inform the public and raise awareness on the importance and impact of the implementation of the PFM reform in Albania.
Applicants are invited to apply for one of the following themes:
- Why should citizens get involved in holding the government accountable for how public funds are planned and spent?
- How public funds could contribute to reduce gender inequalities and disparities?
- How could municipalities better respond to the needs of its local communities?
This Call for articles is part of the launch of the Public Finance Management (PFM) Reform Strategy 2019-2022 (https://bit.ly/2mHYK9H). PFM is one of the key areas of reform that the Government of Albania is implementing to meet the conditions of EU integration.
The award will recognise excellence in writing on different aspects of PFM to explain how it impacts everyone's daily life, and how it could be improved in readiness for EU accession process.
The articles should highlight the importance for Albania and its citizens to adopt a public finance system that promotes efficient mobilisation of resources and transparent investments; accountability, fiscal discipline and efficiency in the management and use of public resources for improved service delivery and economic development, in order to fulfil the Copenhagen economic criteria (https://bit.ly/2li78fL).
The winning articles shall be showcased during the launch of the new PFM Strategy 2019-2022 in Tirana, Albania (date and venue tbd) and will be promoted through the MoFE/EU Delegation to Albania social media.
Deadline for Call: 13 October 2019 by 24h00, Albania local time.
Send the filled-in standard application form (link to application form) with your data and your article as an attachment via the email address: [email protected], with the subject: “Article on PFM reform, theme 1 (2 or 3)” depending on which theme you have selected for your contribution. All articles must be submitted no later than 13 October 2019, 24h00. Personal data shall be observed based on the Law 9887, 10.03.2008, for the protection of personal data in Albania.
2. AWARDS
The best articles (one article for each theme) will be awarded 800.00 EURO (eight hundred Euro) each.
3. PARTICIPANTS
The participants must be the authors and holders of the copyright of their work. The call is open to all nationalities eligible under IPA II (CIR- Article 10)1. Albanian journalists, researchers, young graduates, students, public servants and civil society organisations in Albania, are encouraged to participate.
4. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
The content of the article shall be relevant to the selected theme.
Applicants are allowed to apply only for one of the three themes, and only one article per applicant may be submitted.
Articles must be original and must not have been published before.
Any plagiarism will mean the applicant(s) is automatically disqualified.
Author(s)
Submitted articles can have one or several authors.
Language requirements
Entries are accepted in Albanian language only.
Length
For all the applications, the length limit is 2 000 words, times New Roman, 12 points.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism, which includes the unauthorised use of the language and ideas of another author and the representation of them as one's own, will result in disqualification. Retrospective discovery of plagiarism will result in revocation of the award of the winner(s).
Other conditions
The Award Secretariat reserves the right to disqualify any entry that contains misleading, libellous or vulgar content, or that contains any material that could constitute or encourage conduct which would be considered a criminal offence, give rise to civil liability, or otherwise violate any national or international law.
5. EVALUATION CRITERIA
Relevance of the article’s content to the challenges, achievements and suggestions for improvement of the public finance management for the economic and social development of Albania will be the main criterion. A zero score in the relevance area will disqualify the entry.
The evaluation will be based on the following criteria and points system. Six entries with the highest score for each theme will be submitted to the Jury for final evaluation:
- 30 points: Relevance to the contest topic – the article covers the importance of the implementation of the Public Finance Management reform, depending on the theme selected: (1) the issue of citizens involvement and holding the government accountable for planning how public funds are spent; (2) how public funds could contribute to reduce gender inequalities and disparities? or (3) how could municipalities better respond to the needs of its local communities? For further contextual information, please see the European Commission Report for Albania (https://bit.ly/2JOg6w2) and the PFM Strategy 2019-2022 (https://bit.ly/2Y2RXJ1).
- 30 points: Article accuracy – the article is well evidence-based on a variety of sources. It is accurate, factual, supported by evidence and well-reasoned.
- 20 points: Writing style – the article structure, clarity of language, original approach to the theme, with thoughtful analysis, maintains the reader’s interest.
- 10 points: Added value – it covers the theme with social importance, it brings to light an issue that is important for the development of Albania, it contributes to raising awareness about the economic transformation of Albania in its EU accession path, provides an original and/or innovative perspective, and/or brings a clear analytical perspective on a significant subject.
- 10 points: Language – the author needs to use a clear, simple and easily understandable language for all citizens that is free from technical terminology or jargon. The article shall also be evaluated for the correct use of Albanian language.
6. PRE-SELECTION AND SELECTION
The articles will go first through a pre-selection phase, where 6 articles will be selected per each theme. The short-listed articles will go through a final selection process in which a team of experts in communications and in PFM will select the winning 3 articles.
Winners will be announced and awarded during the launch of the PFM strategy 2019-2022, in Tirana, Albania (exact date and venue to be confirmed). The decision of the panel shall be final and irrevocable. Due to the high number of applications expected, only applicants of shortlisted articles will be contacted.
7. WINING ARTICLES
There will be 3 winners. The winning articles will be published in the MoFE and EU Delegation social media and Albanian media.
The winners are expected to participate in the Award Ceremony to be held in Tirana, Albania (date and venue to be confirmed).
8. COPYRIGHT
The Ministry of Finance and Economy and the European Union have the right to reproduce and disseminate the awarded works in its own publications, its social media, website, in Albanian media, as well as in other information, communications and promotional materials.
9. HOW TO APPLY
All participants to this call can send their entry via email in the following address: [email protected], no later than 13 October 2019, 24h00, Albania local time. Applications must include the standard application form (link to application form) and the article, as an attachment, and the subject shall include reference to this call: "Article on PFM Reform, theme 1 (2 or 3)" depending on which theme you have selected for your contribution.
Application to this call is open until 13 October 2019, 24h00, Albania local time.
Find here the application form:
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Beneficiaries listed in the Annex I of the IPA II: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Kosovo , Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, Northern Macedonia;
EU Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom;
European Economic Area (not already listed above): Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway;
Partner countries and territories covered by ENI Instrument: (annex I of ENI Instrument): Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, the Republic of Moldova, Morocco, occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), Syria, Tunisia, Ukraine;
Countries for which reciprocal access to external assistance is established by the Commission.
