The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of European Affairs of Montenegro, in cooperation with the Delegation of the European Union (EU), presented the fourth Call for Project Proposals for the Cross-Border Cooperation Program Montenegro-Albania 2014-2020, worth 2.8 million euros.
The Ministry of Finance announced that these funds will be used to finance projects aimed at promoting tourism and cultural and natural heritage, as well as projects that focus on encouraging employment, workforce mobility and social and cultural inclusion of municipalities from the border regions of both countries, and June 15 is the deadline for submitting project proposals.
State Secretary in the Ministry of European Affairs, Milena Žižić, reminded that the cross-border cooperation between the two countries started in 2008, and that since then, through the pre-accession aid programs IPA I and IPA II, with the aim of improving the standards and quality of life of people in the program areas, it has been successful implemented a total of 45 projects, worth around 12.9 million euros.
“In addition, the two countries implemented a strategic project worth 3.6 million euros for the reconstruction of the Božaj-Hani Hotit border crossing and the construction of a new joint Grabom-Zatriebačka Cijevna border crossing,” Žižić said at a press conference.
Director General for European Funds at the Ministry of European Affairs and Head of the Operational Structure, Bojan Vujović, thanked all involved parties for the quick and efficient publication of the fourth call, which, as he stated, will enable almost all EU funds planned for the period from 2014- 2020 within this program contracts.
Director General of the Directorate for Financing and Contracting of EU Aid Funds in the Ministry of Finance of Montenegro, which is also the contracting body for the mentioned projects, Jelena Davidović, inviting those interested to nominate projects, explained that 1.9 million euros will be earmarked for projects that promote tourism. , and slightly more than 900,000 euros for projects that encourage employment and workforce mobility.
The Deputy Head of Cooperation in the EU Delegation, Liselotte Isaksson, stated that the cross-border cooperation programs in the countries of the Western Balkans aim to find common solutions for common challenges, in a sustainable way, and that the states, while implementing these programs, learn to manage future structural funds of the EU and prepare for membership in the European Union.
