The Operating structures of the programme, the European Integration Office of Montenegro, Contracting Authority (CFCU Montenegro) and the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania with the support of the Joint Technical Secretariat of the Programme organized on 18 March 2019 the Kick-off conference on the occasion of the launching the 2nd Call for Proposals under the IPA Cross-border Cooperation Programmme Montenegro – Albania 2014-2020.
The conference was formally opened by the Deputy Chief Negotiator and National IPA Coordinator Ivana Glišević Đurović, who pointed out that the Second Call will be open until 27 May 2019 for project proposals that should contribute to the protection of natural resources in the lake and mountain areas, and to the strengthening of employability and social inclusion. She assessed that quality cooperation between the two countries resulted in contracting of eight projects worth 3.2 million euros under of the 1st CfP, aiming to improve the quality of people’s lives in the program area in the fields of tourism promotion and cultural and natural heritage, environmental protection, as well as employment. Glišević Đurović reminded the participants that within the 1st call, a total of 82 project proposals were submitted with 9 times higher requested funds than those that were available, which indicates the need and interest of potential beneficiaries on both sides of the border to jointly implement projects that will contribute to the improvement of standards and the quality of life of people in the border area, which is also one of the main objectives of the Programmes.
Deputy Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania, Sokol Dedja stated that the Programme is being implemented successfully and expressed his belief that future projects will contribute to the achievement of concrete results that are of great importance for the life of citizens in the border area. In addition, he stressed that it is very important to strengthen the partnership between people and institutions in the border area.
On behalf of the Contracting Authority, Acting Director General of the Directorate for Finance and Contracting of the EU Assistance Funds of the Ministry of Finance of Montenegro, Marija Vukčević, emphasized that this is already the fourth call within the framework of the cross-border cooperation programmes within the IPA II financial perspective, implemented through indirect management of the European Union funds. This means that the role of the Contracting Authority is performed by the Directorate for Financing and Contracting of EU Assistance Funds within the Ministry of Finance, and this CfP will be carried out independently by the institutions, in accordance with the rules and procedures prescribed by the European Commission. She also pointed the full readiness to build a partnership with applicants and future beneficiaries in order to better absorb available funds and to contribute to the improvement the living conditions of the population in areas covered by the cross-border cooperation Programme.
Donata von Sigsfeld, Programme Manager for Territorial Cooperation in the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, said that regional cooperation is high on the agenda of the European Union and stressed that Montenegro is very successful in managing cross-border cooperation programmes and that it has shown significant capacities in managing the programme which are conducted in indirect management.
After the introductory presentations, the Head of the Joint Technical Secretariat, Sanja Todorović, presented the objectives of the Second Call, the available funds, as well as the general rules for the submission of projects by potential beneficiaries.
The conference was attended by over 100 participants, among which were the representatives of municipalities, national and local institutions and enterprises, educational institutions, representatives of the civil sector and representatives of the operational structures of the programs from Montenegro and Albania, as well as representatives of the media.
Within the Second Call for Proposals, potential applicants will be able to submit project proposals related to protection of the environment and promotion of employment. The total funds available for the Second Call for Proposals are 2,890,000.00 EUR.
For more information related to the 2nd CfP, click here.
