Conference on the Opening of the new and closing of the previous cross border cooperation programme Hungary Serbia
Media Conference on Opening of the new and closing of the previous cross-border cooperation programme of Hungary and Serbia was held at the Master Centre of the Novi Sad Fair on 7 October 2016.
It was assessed at the conference that the cross-border cooperation (CBC) between the two countries was more than successful, and that 98% of the foreseen more that EUR 50 million were used through the implementation of projects under the IPA funds. The participants agreed that the different projects involved 287 settlements and 360 different organisations participated.
Welcome notes were given by Mr. Zsigmond Perényi, Deputy State Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office, Hungary on behalf of the Managing Authority and Hungarian National Authority of the Programme, who talked about the following financial period of the IPA CBC, as well as Mr. Steffen Hudolin, Head of Operations, Section 2, Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia, who expressed great support for the project activities of the two countries and cooperation of their regions. His Excellency Ambassador of Hungary in Serbia Mr. Attila Pintér highlighted the good and friendly relations between the countries. He said that each year the two countries broke the records in terms of trade, and that the presence of the most important Hungarian companies in Serbia contributed to it because they contributed to the increase in the export.
Mr István Pásztor, President of the Assembly of AP Vojvodina said that at the conference “the past was analysed, and in fact the future was looked at” because the goal was to continue the cooperation with greater enthusiasm, which was supported by concreted results. He emphasized that in the past period, and in relation to the project activities in the CBC, experience and knowledge in terms of institutions and human resources were gained, thus results can be expected in the future.
Ms Sanda Šimić, Assistant Director of the European Integration Office of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, talked about the significance of cross-border cooperation programmes. Mr Péter Rácz, Head of the Joint Secretariat, Interreg-IPA CBC Hungary-Serbia, gave an overview of the results of the previous programme – Hungary-Serbia IPA Cross-Border Co-operation Programme and presented the plan for the new programme – Interreg-IPA Cross-border Cooperation Programme Hungary-Serbia.
After that, three projects out of eight were presented as examples of best practice of the Hungary – Serbia IPA Cross-border Cooperation Programme 2007-2013.
Ms Tatjana Đurić, Advisor, Provincial Secretariat for Urban Planning, Construction and Environmental Protection, presented the project “Support to Allergen-Free Environment – SAFE”, which was jointly implemented by the secretariat, European Affairs Fund of AP Vojvodina, City of Sombor and Local Self-government Baja.
Ms Marijana Maksimović, Assistant Manager, Guarantee Fund of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, talked about the project “Business Women”, whereas Ms Mira Ibrajter, EU Coordinator, Nemzeti Infrastruktúra Fejlesztő Zrt, presented the project Ásotthalom. – Bački Vinogradi.
