Regional cooperation in cross-border regions continues

The Interreg IPA programme brings €156 million in the 2021-27 financial period and investment is planned in the circular economy and adaptation to climate change in the cross-border regions of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia, a conference heard on Tuesday.

The conference was held on the occasion of the programme's approval.

Cooperation between the four states in this programme began in 2014. Last month, the European Commission adopted the 2021-27 Interreg IPA programmes Croatia-Bosnia and Herzegovina-Montenegro and Croatia-Serbia.

The programmes are a continuation of the previous financial period and a step forward in boosting the development of all cross-border regions, said Stella Arneri, director of the Croatian Regional Development and EU Funds Ministry's Directorate for European Territorial Cooperation.

This is a very tangible and good programme, especially for beneficiaries and municipalities in border areas, said Edin Dilberović, director of the Directorate for European Integration of BiH.

In the 2014-20 period, the highest number of realised projects was in Croatia's Dubrovnik-Neretva County and parts of Herzegovina and Montenegro, he added.

In the new financial period, money will be invested also in innovative and smart economic transformation, environmental protection, and in cross-border health and tourism capacities.

Special effort will be made to reduce social, economic and territorial inequalities, it was said.

The cooperation between Montenegro, BiH and Croatia via EU-funded projects has been exceptional, said Bojan Vujović of the Montenegrin Ministry of European Affairs. (Hina)

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