Nish, 26 June 2023 (MIA) - Deputy PM for European Affairs Bojan Marichikj and Serbian Minister of European Integration Tanja Miščević, alongside EU Ambassador to Serbia Emanuele Giaufret, signed a trilateral financial agreement on crossborder cooperation North Macedonia-Serbia-European Union in Nish on Monday, MIA's Belgrade correspondent reports. 

The IPA Crossborder Cooperation (CBC) Programme, adopted by the European Commission on 3 June 2022, has a total budget of EUR 9.7 million, of which EUR 8.4 million as EU grant.

Marichikj and his Serbian counterpart Tanja Miščević signed the first allocation worth EUR 3.6 million.  

"By signing the financial agreement on the EU IPA CBC Programme, we practically open an opportunity for 850,000 citizens from the border region, both from North Macedonia and Serbia, for the municipalities, cities and citizens to use funds that mean specific projects in several key areas - youth employment, health policy, social and cultural inclusion and development of tourism, which is a very important branch in our region. If we add to this the Open Balkan projects and initiative, a more complete picture is given of all the opportunities provided by the European integration and regional initiatives, specifically for citizens. We do not want the European integration process to be perceived as a complicated bureaucratic process in Brussels or only in the Government or Parliament, but through this opportunity for cross border cooperation to bring the EU closer to the citizens and municipalities in order to bring a European quality of life," Marichikj said after the signing ceremony.  

The funds will focus on socio-economic and tourism development in the cross border region that includes the areas of Jablanica and Pchinja in Serbia, and the Northeast and part of the Skopje region in North Macedonia.

"I am pleased with the signing of the agreement on the IPA Cross Border Cooperation Programme with North Macedonia, and I thank Deputy PM Marichikj for recognizing the common interest of citizens to experience the EU process, to see that it takes place in local self-governments and is tied to each and every individual," said Serbian Minister of European Integration Tanja Miščević. 

The Ministers noted that despite the long wait for the start of negotiations and Serbia's long marathon of negotiations with the EU, the two countries are not giving up on the goal and hard work of the reform agenda, for more European opportunities and improvement of the quality of life of the citizens.

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