Balkan Foundation for Sustainable Development – BFSD is a regional non-governmental organization established in 2005 with the main objective to facilitate and support economic, social and environmentally sustainable development in North Macedonia, and the region. The BFSD tools for action are: project design and management at national and regional level; contributing technical expertise and knowledge and conducting desk and field research; applied research supporting informed decision-making; design and implementation of surveys, focus groups discussions and community information sessions, development and implementation of the Advocacy Action Plan(s), developing policy dialogue and influencing policy-makers; development and implementation of the Stakeholder Engagement Plan(s) and facilitation of the stakeholder consultations; design and implementation of public awareness campaigns at local and national level; support to the public administration, CSO and communities capacity building; IT – design, information systems and GIS based interactive maps; organization of various events: workshops, roundtables and study tours; international/regional cooperation, networking and building public, private and CSO sector partnerships; conducting non-formal environmental education and introducing agricultural and forest pedagogy practices; publishing, fundraising, marketing and social media.
BFSD have provided practical and professional support for a number of development initiatives in the field of environment, agriculture, forestry and sustainable development. We have also prepared planning and implementing documents for several development initiatives focused on nature protection and local community development.
The most important areas of BFSD’s operations to date are: transition from government to governance and enhanced democracy in the management of natural resources and protected areas, responsible management of natural resources (especially forests and land) and sustainable, environmentally-sound and rural development, support to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), implementation of international multilateral environmental agreements (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification – UNCCD, United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity- UNCBD and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – UNFCCC), and empowering women, young people, and rural communities.
Consequently, BFSD has been entrusted to provide its expertise and assistance in the organization of several workshops, focus groups, surveys and information community sessions aimed at including all stakeholders into the planning and decision-making processes.
Team Profile
Vlatko Andonovski Ph.D.
President of BFSD
He is managing the overall coordination and administration of BFSD. His main fields of expertise are in higher education, applied research and consultancy (Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Hans Em – Faculty of Forest Sciences, Landscape Architecture and Environmental Engineering. Besides this, he has expertise in biodiversity, forestry, rural development, sustainable development of natural resources, management planning on nature protection and protected areas.
His expertise is proven trough the participation in different projects, actions and consultancy related to sustainable development, environment, forestry and agriculture financed by EU, SDC, UN and other International and National Agencies.
Ivana Janeska – Stamenkovska Ph.D.
Project Coordinator
She is responsible for overall project coordination at the Balkan Foundation for Sustainable Development. Associate Professor at the Institute of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje,. Her majors are in Business Analysis, Farm Accountancy, Operational Research, Valuation Methods, Costs and Budgets in Agriculture, and Project Management. Her main fields of expertise relate to scientific and applied research in agricultural economics, with focus on farm management, multi-criteria decision making with application of different mathematical programming models, performance analysis, employment and rural labour analysis, analysis of agricultural policy, as well as business planning.
She has also long-term experience in conducting training needs assessment, development of training plan and she has also organized and conducted many trainings and workshops with farmers, national extension agents and rural youth. She has participated in the development of national strategic documents and is author and co-author of different articles/studies in the field of agricultural economics. She has participated as coordinator, financial manager and as expert in many national and international projects in the field of agricultural sciences, agricultural economics, rural development, and sustainable use of natural resources. These projects were funded by the European Commission through Horizon Europe, H2020, EuropeAid, FP7, Interreg CBC programmes, as well as by Sida, UNDP, UN Women, SDC and other national and international funding agencies.
Angel Sekuloski
Project Coordinator
Project coordinator for the EU and other donor institutions at the Municipality of Debrca and responsible of the BFSD branch Belchishta Wetland – Municipality of Debrca, M.Sc. candidate in Agricultural economics and rural development at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University – Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food – Skopje. His main areas of expertise relate to scientific and applied research in agroeconomic sciences, regional and rural development, farm management, agricultural marketing, and sales.
His excellent coordination abilities are evidenced by the successfully implemented projects through the Municipality of Debrca and the Balkan Foundation for Sustainable Development, financed by the EU, the Swiss Embassy, the World Bank, UNDP, USAID, FAO, and national agencies and bureaus.
Gabriela Stojkovska
Finance and Administration Coordinator
Chartered accountant, graduate economist and specialist in Financial Accounting and Banking Management. She has over 12 years of professional experience in the field of accounting and banking sector as well as project financial and administrative management. Since 2015, she has been working in the position of finance and administration coordinator with the Balkan Foundation for Sustainable Development.
Vasil Pop-Stojanov
Branch Office Coordinator
Coordinator for the BFSD branch in the Municipality of Strumica. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Financial Management and is currently pursuing an MBA in Marketing Management. He also has experience working in the private sector and coordinating the youth organizations in the South-East part of North Macedonia.
He is proficient in English and has strong digital skills, including social media. His was involved in several projects for capacity building of youth organizations through OSCE and development for social transformation through Erasmus+.
Viktorija Brndevska Stipanović M.Sc.
Project Assistant
Teaching and Research Assistant at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Hans Em Faculty of Forest Sciences, Landscape Architecture and Environmental Engineering, Skopje, Department of Landscape Design. Ph.D. candidate in Landscape Architecture at the University of Novi Sad – Faculty of Agriculture, Novi Sad, Serbia. Her main fields of expertise relate to scientific and applied research in environmental sciences, urban forestry, landscape architecture, landscape design, spatial planning and horticulture.
Her excellent coordination skills are evidenced by the successfully implemented projects through the Balkan Foundation for Sustainable Development funded by the EU, UN and National Agencies and Bureaus.
Blagoj Shurbevski M.Sc.
Project Assistant
Teaching and Research Assistant at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Hans Em Faculty of Forest Sciences, Landscape Architecture and Environmental Engineering, Skopje, Department of Forest and Wood protection. Ph.D. candidate in plant protection at the University of Novi Sad – Faculty of Agriculture, Novi Sad, Serbia.
His expertise is in the field of forest and plant protection. His main fields of study are forest entomology, forest invertebrates and pests on urban greenery.
He has experience working in the private sector, as well as a consultant for national and international projects funded by FAO, UNDP, GIZ, SDC, as well as government agencies and institutions.
Boris Najdovski M.Sc.
Project Assistant
Teaching and Research Assistant at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje – Hans Em Faculty of Forest Sciences, Landscape Architecture and Environmental Engineering, Department of Silviculture. A Ph.D. candidate in Soil Science at the University in Novi Sad – Faculty of Agriculture, doctoral thesis titled: “Soil Microbiological Activity and Respiration Depending on Soil Temperature and Humidity”.
Expertise in soil science, soil-plants-climate relations, plant communities, afforestation and restoration of degraded forests and shrubberies. Involved in numerous national and international projects, actions and consultancy related to sustainable forest and land management, rural development and environmental improvement.