In the framework of the XIV General Assembly of the Adriatic Ionian Euroregion, the Region of Dubrovnik-Neretva County hosted the International Conference “The role of regions in proposing priority projects for EU strategy for Adriatic Ionian Region”.
The conference was held on 27 March 2017 at the Hotel Imperial in Dubrovnik, attended by Mr. Nikola Dobroslavić, President of the Adriatic-Ionian Euroregion and President of Dubrovnik-Neretva County, Mr. Aldrin Dalipi as vice president of the Adriatic Ionian Euroregion and President of Tirana Regional Council, Ms. Nikolina Klaic (State Secretary of the Ministry of Regional Development and EU funds, Croatia), Mr. Tomislav Mihotic (State Secretary of the Ministry of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure – Croatia), Mr. Nevenko Herceg (Prime Minister of the Herzegovina – Neretva County), Ms. Blanka Belosevic (Head of Department for international cooperation of the Ministry of Tourism of Croatia and permanent representative in UNWTO), Mr. Giuseppe Sciacca (Senior Policy Officer at Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe) and Mr. Riccardo COCOZZA, General Manager of Ikran Service.
The round table was coordinated by Mr. Francesco Cocco, the AIE Secretary General.
The aim of the conference was to bring some conclusions on the effectiveness of EUSAIR strategies and projects. All the speakers of the conference agreed that the strategy is a good opportunity for the development of the Adriatic Ionian area, although some of them were not satisfied with the EUSAIR implementation due to a lack of concrete projects and results. The speakers underlined also the lack of coordination between Member States and European Commission. Furthermore regional local governments, chambers of commerce and universities are not sufficiently involvement in the EUSAIR implementation.
President Dobroslavić presented the conclusions reached in the framework of the conference emphasizing the projects necessary to connect the macro-region: The Adriatic-Ionian highway from southern Greece to Trieste, which will connect the east coast of macro-region; the Fast railway Ravenna – Brindisi which will assure better connection on the west coast of macro-region, the Modern road, maritime and air connections in the direction west – east will bring together and connect the mainland across the Adriatic and the Ionian Seas, the energy connection with the Adriatic – Ionic pipeline, the fibre optic network for high speed communication.
Dobroslavić pinted out that the realization of these projects should require the active involvement of the European Commission (mainly the Directorate-General for Regional Development) involving also the EU investment funds as well as the European Fund for Strategic Investment (Juncker plan for Europe).
Here you may download, the conclusions of the conference
EN_Conclusions Confernce dubrovnik_27March2017
HR_Conclusions Confernce dubrovnik_27March2017
IT_Conclusions Confernce dubrovnik_27March2017
