The new perspectives of cooperation between Friuli Venezia Giulia Region (I) and Montenegro were discussed at a forum held in Cattaro (MNE) on 16th of September. The event was promoted by Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Municipality of Monfalcone, Association of the Italian community in Montenegro and LDA of Niksic.
The meeting was attended by Mr Alessandro Perelli (Friuli Venezia Giulia) and Mr Lucio Gregoretti (Municipality of Monfalcone), both members of the governing board of ALDA, and by Mr Kerim Medjedovic, Delegate of the ALD of Niksic.
Attended the Forum also Mrs Silvia Altran, Mayor of Monfalcone, Elio De Anna, Friuli Venezia Giulia Councillor, Mr Paolo Perugini, President of the Italian Community of Montenegro, Mr Sergio Brabanti, Italian Ambassador in Montenegro, Mr Ettore Romoli, Mayor of Gorizia, Mrs Silvia Acerbi, Vice President of Informest, Mr Antonio Paoletti, Regional President of Chamber of Commerce, Mr Fausto Biroslavo, journalist and the responsible of some cooperation project in the area.
In September 2008, with the presentation, of the demand for EU membership, the Republic of Montenegro has started an important process of European integration which has as prerequisites the gradual adjustment to European standards of democratic participation and modernisation of social institutions and economic system.
In this framework, and for its population size and its characteristics socio-economic, Montenegro is one of the areas of strategic interest for the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, also in consideration of the added value of being connected to the Local Democracy Agency of the Council of Europe, for the interest already expressed by major regional production companies, and the presence of a big community of Italians.
Among the objectives that emerged from the Forum, there is the support to programs and actions to facilitate the achievement of the criteria of the acquis communautaire, in particular of active citizenship projects and those projects that encourage democratic participation and the development of civil society. Therefore, now is time to consolidate the experience of activation, within the Local Democracy Agency, of a center devoted to the development of Institutional capacity-building initiatives.