TIRANA, Aug. 9 – The Head of the Delegation of the European Commission, Ambassador Helmuth Lohan, and the Minister of European Integration, Majlinda Bregu, signed contracts worth 417,000 euros to support the implementation of cross-border cooperation programs under European Union assistance plans.
A technical assistance contract of 201,000 euros will permit specialists from the Ministry of European Integration, as well as staff of the beneficiaries of cross-border cooperation projects, to participate in meetings with Albanian and foreign stakeholders and to take advantage of training activities.
A second contract, worth 216,000 euros, will partially fund the Ministry of European Integration contribution to a joint project with the Hellenic Center for Development and Innovation for the creation of a European Academy in Vlora, Albania, and Ioannina, Greece. The task of this institution will be to support potential and final beneficiaries for applications for cross-border cooperation projects.
“Projects on cross-border co-operation support the feeling of belonging together”, said Lohan. “I am proud that we have been able to sign an important number of contracts to support CBC activities”.
These contracts are part of 8.7 million euros worth of assistance currently being provided to numerous Albanian beneficiaries under the CARDS Neighborhood Programs.
Another 31.7 million euros have been earmarked for cross-border cooperation programs for the period 2007-2010 under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA).
Cross-border cooperation programs address common issues arising from the proximity of countries, such as social and economic development in the border areas, working together to safeguard the environment and public health, prevention of and fight against organized crime, ensuring efficient and secure borders and promoting local “people-to-people” type activities.
The Ministry of European Integration acts as a National Coordinator of the programming and implementation of these programs in Albania and participates fully in joint management with the partners across the borders, while the European Commission Delegation to Albania acts as a contracting authority.
Calls for project proposals under IPA are expected to be launched from 2008 onwards. IPA cross-border cooperation in Albania will include programs benefiting the Albanian regions bordering the following neighbors: Greece, the Adriatic region, Montenegro, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Kosovo.
