European Cooperation Day marked at Children`s Home “Mladost” in Bijela: EU recognizes successful regional cooperation

The European Union has recognized successful cooperation between Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina so far and through 67,2 million euro worth programme provided a framework for new projects within the framework of European territorial cooperation policy, it was stated at this year`s celebration of the European Cooperation Day in Bijela.

This year`s European Cooperation Day was marked as a part of the Interreg IPA cross-border cooperation program Croatia-Bosnia-Herzegovina-Montenegro 2014-2020 and it was dedicated to children and youth, as well as to their contribution to EU building and cooperation between the three countries. It was particularly pointed out to the benefits and positive results of the programs and projects of territorial cooperation. Children from the Children`s Home “Mladost” in Bijela, together with the children from the homes from Dubrovnik and Mostar, marked the differences between the three countries in a fun and educational way. In line with the slogan of this year`s celebration of European Cooperation Day, “We colour the future together”, they painted the future cooperation of the regional countries.

National IPA Coordinator at the Office for European Integration, Ivana Glišević Đurović, pointed out that Montenegro has been very successful in the previous period, and through the programs of European territorial cooperation has realized 227 projects worth 38 million euro so far. She recalled that 89 new projects that involve Montenegrin partners are implementing currently in this financial perspective.



Zahvaljujući projektima koji su realizovani u okviru evropske teritorijalne saradnje, djeca i mladi iz pograničnih područja Crne Gore i partnerskih zemalja učestvovali su u volonterskim, preduzetničkim i sportskim kampovima, opremane su bolnice, škole, savjetovališta, razvijeni su brojni programi socijalne inkluzije, sarađivale su službe za zajedničko reagovanje u vanrednim situacijama, organizovani su koncerti, kulturne manifestacije i brojne aktivnosti koje su“, rekla je Glišević Đurović.

Director of the Croatian Agency for Regional Development, Stela Arneri, said that the European Cooperation Day was dedicated to successes and achievements of territorial cooperation between all regions of the European Union and countries that will become part of the Union.

Assistant Director of the Directorate for European Integration of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Zara Halilović, emphasized that participation in programs and projects requires great creativity that resembles the creativity that children discover, both in everyday activities and at this event of art colony.



Deputy Director of the Children`s Home “Mladost”, Marela Savić, reminded how much cooperation and socializing are important for children who are growing up in homes and pointed to the valuable possibilities of cooperation with homes in the cross-border area from Dubrovnik and Mostar.

GENERAL SECRETARIAT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF MONTENEGRO
SECTOR FOR INFORMING THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE EU AND THE EU ACCESSION PROCESS