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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Continuation of cooperation between Serbia, Montenegro through IPA III programme

Zlatibor, 6 October 2023

Minister for European Integration and national IPA coordinator Tanja Miscevic signed the Financial Agreement for the IPA III financial perspective 2021-2027 today in Zlatibor for the Serbia-Montenegro cross-border cooperation programme, worth €8.4 million.

The agreement was signed on behalf of the Union by Head of the Delegation of the European Union in Serbia Emanuele Giaufret, while on behalf of Montenegro, State Secretary of the Ministry of European Affairs and national IPA coordinator Milena Zizic signed the agreement.

After the signing of the Agreement, grants were awarded within the Third Call for the submission of project proposals from the IPA II financial perspective 2014-2020 for two cross-border cooperation programmes Serbia-Montenegro and Serbia-Bosnia and Herzegovina.

23 contracts worth €6.6 million were awarded, which will contribute to the development and improvement of health services, social inclusion, tourism and tourist infrastructure, economic development, entrepreneurship, promotion of biodiversity, improvement of entrepreneurial skills and opportunities for vulnerable groups and young people in these cross-border areas.

On that occasion, Miscevic pointed out that it is very important to continue cross-border cooperation projects, which are colloquially called "small IPA", because they are much smaller funds, but of immeasurably great impact.

These projects that Serbia has with its neighbours have so far brought benefit to hundreds of thousands of citizens of our country, including the same number of people from the other side of the border. Together, we can work much better and more efficiently, rather than closing ourselves in national borders, the Minister pointed out.

She announced that invitations will soon be issued in the cross-border program with Montenegro, which are worth a total of €8.4 million, while the value of this program with Bosnia and Herzegovina will be €12.6 million.

Giaufret said that the projects that will be implemented will relate to employment, social law, public health, tourist offers and nurturing the rich cultural heritage of the two regions, with the expectation that the agreement between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina will be signed soon.

Zizic reminded that the cross-border cooperation between Serbia and Montenegro dates back to 2008 and that so far, through six public calls, 62 projects worth more than €13 million have been contracted.