Montenegro

Cross border cooperation among Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro

Igalo, 8. July 2009

Montenegro hosted a ministerial meeting of the Initiative for cross border cooperation of local communities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro. Ministers of foreign affairs of the three countries participated, as well as representatives of eleven local communities (Dubrovnik coastal area, Dubrovnik city, Herceg-Novi, Konavle, Kotor, Neum, Ravno, Tivat, Trebinje, Dubrovnik-Neretva district, Dubrovnik parish), high-level representatives of the international community, accredited ambassadors in Montenegro and the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation, whose Headquarters are situated in Sarajevo.

This regional initiative for cross border cooperation among three countries was launched in Neum, Croatia, in April 2007 and further routes to cooperation were defined in Dubrovnik, in May last year, with great potentials for coaction in tourism, environmental protection, protection of the sea, joint water management and joint solid waste management. 

Cooperation on concrete projects was promoted at the meeting in Montenegro: a regional joint firefighting center – integrated firefighting system for the borderline areas; monitoring of borders for the three countries, ‘On the path of historical heritage’, and cross border information networking. The representatives of local communities signed a statement on implementation of the projects for cross border cooperation.

On that occasion H. E. Mr. Milan Roćen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro expressed his opinion that they managed to attract the interest of potential investors. “The time has confirmed that this Initiative is a practical framework for cooperation and for finding answers to many questions of a joint interest. I can with pleasure say that during Montenegro’s presiding, new concrete steps were undertaken in realization of joint initiatives and tasks defined two years ago in Neum and reconfirmed last year in Dubrovnik. The Commission for cross border cooperation was established for natural and other catastrophes, as well as for the natural resources management. Several projects that were presented here today were agreed within the Commission. This is a new impulse for strengthening bilateral and trilateral relations and cooperation among our countries, but also a stimulus to the overall cooperation and stability of the region, on our joint European and Euro-Atlantic path,” said Minister Roćen. He also expressed his belief that this would be a good example for other local communities in the region. “Montenegro sees with optimism the Initiative’s perspectives. We believe that project oriented cooperation, supported by donor community, will articulate joint goals and materialize concrete interests in these areas, which will at the same time be European wind in sails of our countries, and of the whole region. The success of today’s meeting will be measured by creation of the preconditions for ensuring financial support for concrete projects,” Minister Roćen pointed out.

For Gordan Jandroković, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Croatia, the meeting of the Initiative for cross border cooperation of local communities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro is a confirmation of better relations. “With pleasure we are sending a message to our citizens – yes, we did have troubles in the past, but today we look into the future, and we want to cooperate in all the areas of common interest,“ said Minister Jandroković. He also mentioned that there were still some unresolved issues but that “it is not a shame between the friends, as the most important thing is that we found a way how to resolve them in a civilized way.”  

H. E. Mr. Sven Alkalaj, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina said: “When the countries of the region can manage processes and mutual relations without mediation of the international community, when they can discuss how to help each other – that is the best example of cooperation. These are the strongest processes and agreements, and with the support from the international community they will be carried out.“ He also said that Bosnia and Herzegovina was to preside over the Commission, therefore the next meeting was to be held in Sarajevo.  

On behalf of the Council for Regional Cooperation, Mr. Hido Biščević, Secretary General commended the role of Montenegro in developing and strengthening regional cooperation in this part of Europe.“This Initiative and this type of trilateral cooperation reflect in a symbolic way the meaning, spirit and goals of the Council for Regional Cooperation,” said Mr. Biščević. He also promised full support to the ideas and projects of this Initiative.

Explaining the importance of the Regional Joint Firefighting Center Mr. Alexander Avanessov, UNDP Resident Representative/UN Resident Coordinator in Montenegro said: “South East Europe is highly vulnerable to natural disasters, in particular to the forest fires. Over the recent period the countries of the region suffered from forest fires of dramatic dimensions and with catastrophic human and material losses. In the course of the past ten years hundreds of thousand hectares of forests were destroyed by accidental or man-caused fires. This growing risk urges solidarity, cooperation, mutual assistance, common procedures and interoperable equipment through a cost-sharing approach, in particular as there is general insufficiency of technical resources and highly trained men equipped to perform the most challenging tasks in fighting open space fires.” He also explained that based on the initiative which was generated at the Cross border Commission by participating municipalities on the joint firefighting, UNDP was requested to assist in the process of application towards EC funds, specifically under Multi beneficiary IPA (Instrument of the Pre-accession) using its own resources (20 000 USD). “The purpose of the project is to establish a solid and concrete case of Regional Firefighting Center and mutual cooperation on specific development activities (related to the economic development in the communities), ensuring long-term development of cross border region through achieving poverty reduction, the region’s greater stability toward EU integration, its residents’ reconciliation and Millennium Development Goals agenda. In line with the recommendations from the EC, UNDP will continue supporting this initiative and suggest joint action for additional sources of funding where continuous support will be required from the Governments of the respective countries as well,” Mr. Avanessov concluded.

THE JOINT STATEMENT on Cooperation on the Realization of Joint Cross Border Projects from the Scope of Work of the Commission for Cross-border Cooperation in Case of Natural  and Other Catastrophes and in the Area of the Natural Resources Management

ZAJEDNIČKA IZJAVA o saradnji na realizaciji zajedničkih prekograničnih projekata iz oblasti područja rada Komisije za prekograničnu saradnju u slučaju prirodnih i ostalih katastrofa i na upravljanju prirodnim resursima