The Ministry of European Affairs of Montenegro, in partnership with the EU Delegation to Montenegro, marked Interreg Cooperation Day on 9 October 2023 with a visit to the town of Kotor, celebrating accomplishments within the Interreg IPA CBC Italy-Albania-Montenegro programme. 

The highlight of the celebration was a concert by the EarPiece string quartet, held at the Church of the Holy Spirit in the heart of Kotor’s UNESCO-protected old town in collaboration with Vida Matjan Music School.

The quartet performed compositions by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Steve Reich with the aim of enhancing the skills of high school students attending this renowned educational institution, in reference to 2023 as the European Year of Skills.

The EarPiece string quartet was established within the EArPieCe project, which was funded by the Interreg IPA CBC Italy-Albania-Montenegro 2014-2020. The quartet now regularly performs across Montenegro thanks to this cross-border collaboration.

The celebration also featured a tour of the Creative Hub in Kotor, which opened two years ago following the transformation of an old prison building. This hub aspires to become a regional centre for creatives and artists, fostering skill development in creative industries. Its renovation was made possible through the 3C thematic project, supported by Interreg IPA CBC Italy-Albania-Montenegro 2014-2020, with the Ministry of Culture and Media of Montenegro as the lead partner.

Prior to the cultural events, a delegation of the Ministry of European Affairs and representatives of the EU Delegation met with the Mayor of Kotor, Vladimir Jokić, to discuss the accomplishments of cross-border cooperation projects and explore future opportunities for EU funding.

“It was no coincidence that we chose Kotor to celebrate Interreg Cooperation Day. Numerous institutions and organizations based in Kotor have successfully implemented a number of cross-border projects funded by the EU,” said Milena Žižić, State Secretary and National IPA Coordinator, who led the delegation of the Ministry of European Affairs.

She emphasized that stakeholders from Kotor have access to funding from eight cross-border and territorial cooperation programmes, out of a total of eleven in which Montenegro is involved.

“Under the IPA II programme framework, partners from Kotor have absorbed nearly 7 million euros in EU grants, implementing 23 cross-border and territorial cooperation projects,” Žižić added. 

Mayor Jokić expressed appreciation for the continuous support from the Ministry of European Affairs and EU Delegation to local governments and other stakeholders in applying for EU funds.

“A number of entities in the municipality have benefited from cross-border cooperation programmes, including the Institute of Marine Biology, Faculty of Maritime Affairs, Cultural Centre, as well as the Ministry of Culture and Media as a strategic partner at the national level. In addition to cross-border cooperation, our ambition is to secure additional financial support through the Western Balkans Investment Framework, with a focus on energy efficiency and environmental protection projects,” said Jokić. 

Speaking of EU support, Yngve Engstrom, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation, underscored that cross-border cooperation is the fundamental idea of a united Europe, and the programmes and people implementing them work tirelessly towards that goal.

“In collaboration with the Ministry of European Affairs, we have successfully implemented hundreds of diverse projects throughout Montenegro over the past 15 years, and we are committed to continuing this work in the future. The new cross border programmes will align with EU priorities, such as the EU agenda for digital and green transition. These new projects aim to transform local communities into competitive, innovative, smarter, and greener regions,” said Engstrom. 

Interreg Cooperation Day is an annual event marked in September and October with events across Europe. It celebrates cooperation between regions and countries in Europe and beyond, fostering solidarity and promoting joint projects and initiatives.