For joint projects of Montenegro and Albania, EUR 2.8 million are available to potential beneficiaries in the areas of environmental protection and employment promotion at a conference held today in Podgorica on the occasion of the publication of the Second Call for IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Program Montenegro – 2020.
“The second call, which we present today, opened until May 27, 2019, for project proposals that should contribute to the protection of natural resources in lake and mountain areas, as well as strengthening employability and social inclusion. The total funds earmarked for the Second Call amount to EUR 2.8 million, “said Deputy Chief Negotiator and National IPA Coordinator Ivana Glisevic Djurovic.
She assessed that quality cooperation between the two countries resulted in the contracting of eight projects worth 3.2 million euros in the framework of the First Call for Proposals, aimed at improving the quality of people’s lives in the program area in the areas of tourism promotion and cultural and natural heritage, environmental protection, as well as employment.
“It is important to emphasize that this is already the fourth call in the framework of the cross-border cooperation program from the IPA II financial perspective, which is implemented through the indirect management of EU funds. This means that the role of the Contracting Authority is performed by the Directorate for Financing and Contracting EU Assistance Funds within the Ministry of Finance, and this invitation of the institution’s institutions will be carried out independently, and in accordance with the rules and procedures prescribed by the European Commission “, stressed EA. Director General of the Directorate for Financing and Contracting EU Funds of the Ministry of Finance Marija Vukcevic.
Vukčević emphasized the readiness to build a partnership with applicants and future beneficiaries in order to better absorb available funds and contribute to improving the living conditions of the population in areas covered by the cross-border cooperation program. She added that all information can be found on the website of the finance minister, and that it is very important to comply with the deadlines and form.
Deputy Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania Sokol Dedja emphasized that the Program is being implemented very successfully, and expressed the belief that future projects will contribute to concrete results important for the life of citizens in the border area. “It is very important to strengthen the partnership between people and institutions in the border area,” said Dedja.
Donat von Sigsfeld, Program 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 programs and has shown significant capacities in managing the program which are conducted in indirect management.
Head of the Joint Technical Secretariat, Sanja Todorovic, presented the objectives of the Second Call, the available amounts, as well as the general rules for the submission of projects by potential beneficiaries. She highlighted a couple of important dates that are important to the applicants. In addition to May 27, which is the deadline for submission of projects, May 6th also pointed out the deadline for qualification from the contracting authority and 16 May, which is the deadline for asking questions related to the project. Projects can be sent by post or by special courier service to the address of Stanka Dragojevića 2 in Podgorica.