Tirana Regional Council organizes the Forum on “EU Policies and EU Territorial Cooperation Opportunities, focused on Technology, Innovation and Youth in the Adriatic-Ionian area”.
For two days in Tirana, with the support of the Tirana Regional Council, the introductory conference of the AI-NURECC initiative was held.
The Adriatic-Ionian Network of Universities, Regions, Chambers of Commerce and Cities Initiative and the Tirana Region, a member of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions, focused on further development of regional cooperation in the function of mutual communication between countries during the forum “EU Policies and EU Territorial Cooperation Opportunities, focused on Technology, Innovation and Youth in the Adriatic-Ionian area”.
In his opening speech, the President of Tirana Region, Mr. Aldrin Dalipi said that “the purpose of this project is to work together with European commitment for the best standards for our citizens”.
Further on in his speech he explained what this project brings and where it is intended to be achieved in the two days of the conference being held in our country.
“The main objective of AI-NURECC is to promote a structured dialogue and effective cooperation between Regional and Local Authorities, Universities, Chambers of Commerce, youth associations and networks, entrepreneurs and civil society, where each of the stakeholders will have representatives on these two days of the event”.
On her speech, the Project Coordinator, Ms. Eleni Marianou, praised the first day of the conference that “all public actors at central and local level, private ones, universities and civil society will cooperate in this very important regional initiative”.
Deputy Mayor of Tirana, Mr. Andi Seferi emphasized that Tirana is working hard for technological development and is turning into a regional center. “We as the Tirana Municipality welcome such initiatives, and we are ready to cooperate regionally”, said Mr. Seferi.
Present at the panel Dr.sc. Nevenko Herceg, Prime Minister of the Canton Herzegovina-Neretva in Bosnia and Herzegovina, said that “the time we live requires coordinated responses. These answers depend on our regional cooperation. We are ready to offer our contribution”.
Meanwhile the Deputy Minister of Tourism and Environment of Albania, Ms. Ornela Çuçi emphasized that two basic priorities of the department she represented were the development of a perennial tourism and environmental protection that can be done in cooperation with the countries of the region.
“We have given special importance to the development of tourism as a regional area of economic development, as well as environmental protection. Such initiatives assist our regional coordination,” said Ms. Çuçi.
Ms. Tatiana Boskovic, head of Departament for horizontal and strategic issues in European Integration Office and EUSAIR National Coordinator assistant, Ministry of European Affairs in Montenegro, said: “Our country is working in a coordinated manner to make a concrete contribution to regional initiatives, thus we can achieve the integration of our region into the European Union”.
While Croatia’s ambassador to Albania, Ms. Sanja Bujas Juraga welcomed the regional initiative and emphasized that “we guarantee cooperation both at central and local level. Tourism is one of the areas where regional cooperation can be further deepened”.
The Albanian lawmaker, Mr. Anastas Angjeli, also honorary president of the Mediterranean University, said: “Digital market, endless opportunities for development. I propose a digital university digital platform where students from our region can connect, communicate and collaborate”. AI-NURECC is an initiative which aims to support the European Union Strategy for promoting a more effective cooperation between Regional and Local Authorities, Universities, Chambers of Commerce, youth associations and networks, entrepreneurs and civil society, providing a deep and wide territorial coverage on regional and local level.
Today’s Forum is organized for the first time in Albania by the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe that includes 160 regions in cooperation with the Tirana Region. AI-NURECC includes 5 important partners such as the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR), the Adriatic-Ionian Euroregion (AIE), Forum of Adriatic and Ionian Cities (FAIC), the Forum of Adriatic and Ionian Chambers of Commerce (AIC Forum), and the Association of Universities Adriatic-Ionian area (UniAdrion).
This initiative extends its effect to 8 countries in the Region; 4 of which are EU member states: Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Albania.
The two-day forum sets out a broader policy and strategy at European level in technology, innovation and youth policies. In December, this event will continue its presentation in Belgrade and at the beginning of the next year in Brussels in the Committee of the Regions of Europe.
