At the tenth meeting of the Interreg Euro-MED Program Monitoring Committee, held on June 12 in Valletta, Malta, Montenegro officially assumed the presidency of the program for six months, until the end of 2024.
Interreg Euro-MED is a transnational cooperation program among 14 European Mediterranean countries, aimed at contributing to the transition to a climate-neutral and resilient society, and reducing the impact of global changes on Mediterranean resources.
Taking over the presidency provides Montenegro with an opportunity to increase the visibility of this program among various stakeholders and further enhance cooperation within the program area. Additionally, the presidency allows Montenegro, as an EU candidate country, to demonstrate its readiness and capacity to coordinate cooperation activities among the regions covered by the Program and to promote its main missions and priorities.
“Montenegro’s participation in the Interreg Euro-MED program significantly contributes to sustainable development, economic growth, environmental protection, social cohesion, and the building of institutional capacities, positioning it as an active and equal member of the Mediterranean countries’ community,” emphasized Miloš Marković, Acting Director-General of the Directorate for European Territorial Cooperation in the Ministry of European Affairs, during his address at the Monitoring Committee meeting.
The meeting highlighted that taking over the presidency is crucial for building cross-border trust and promoting unity and equality in the program area.
During the event in Malta, a transnational info session was also organized to present the Fifth Call for Strategic Territorial Projects under the Interreg Euro-MED program, which will open on June 18 this year. This call focuses on addressing challenges related to water scarcity and waste reduction in rural, mountainous, and island areas. The Ministry of European Affairs will organize a national info day on this occasion on June 24 in Podgorica.