Jelena’s role involves monitoring regulatory trends and policy developments essential for delivering Interact services in the current and upcoming financial periods, engaging with EU stakeholders and policy actors and advocating for Interact and Interreg. She also focuses on following up with the Interact and Interreg post-2027 consultation processes, and EGTC .

Since 2005, she has been involved in Interreg, including preparation and implementation of macro-regional strategies, serving as a DG REGIO programme manager and holding senior roles in Serbian administration, including State Secretary for financial management of IPA assistance.