The Autonomous Province of Vojvodina signed the Cooperation Agreement with the Autonomous Region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Trieste, 13 June – The President of the Executive Council, Bojan Pajtić, MA, and the President of the Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Riccardo Illy, have signed the Cooperation Agreement between the two regions in Trieste today. After the signing of the agreement, cooperation at the level of institutions, economy, agriculture, agro-industry, tourism, science and culture will be continued and specified. Having signed the Agreement, the President of the Executive Council, Bojan Pajtić, MA, said that the agreement allowed the possibility of establishing a mixed working group that would work on the strengthening of international trade between the two regions, in addition to foreign investment attraction. “According to data, the value of Vojvodina’s export to Italy last year was €247 million, whereas of import €211 million. It means that we are not only someone who invites investors, but also that there is space for us to become partners.” The President of the Automous Region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Riccardo Illy said that apart from the assistance Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region could offer in Serbia’s integration into the EU, that region would continue with active engagement in establishing contacts between the economic actors of Vojvodina and Italy through the work of the representation office of that region in Novi Sad. President Pajtić suggested organizing of an event named “Days of Friuli-Venezia Giulia in Vojvodina”, which would aim at strengthening cultural exchange and be an additional opportunity for presenting the region, which resembled Vojvodina according to its multi-ethnic structure and tremendous tourist potential.

By signing the agreement today, the Italian region became obliged to present to Vojvodina the institutional and regional structure and process of decentralisation in Italy and to investigate the possibilities for cooperation between public and private initiatives. On the other hand, Vojvodina became obliged to identify project partners for cooperation, and both sides became obliged to work within the principles of European regional policy and to have coordinated use of EU operational and financial instruments. The delegation of the Executive Council comprised of President Pajtić, Provincial Secretary of Economy, Siniša Lazić, Secretary for Regional and International Cooperation, Predrag Grgić, and Director of the Office for European Affairs, Predrag Novikov, had a meeting with businesspeople, industrialists and representatives of the Chambers of Commerce and Economy of Trieste, Udine, Gorizia and Pordenone. It was stated at the meeting that the interest of Italian businesspeople and entrepreneurs for Vojvodina was large and that gaining knowledge and establishing contacts with the provincial administration were a basis for increase in economic cooperation.