The Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia in charge of European Affairs and National IPA Coordinator, Dr. Fatmir Besimi, today, in the premises of the Ministry of Local Self Government, held a working meeting with the Minister for Local Self Government Tahir Hani, planned in the EU Agenda 2014 of the Secretariat for European Affairs, within the EU/IPA institutional visits.
The topic of this meeting was to address and to make operational decisions regarding the current situation, the progress realized, as well as the unresolved issues and challenges within the implementation process of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA), putting the accent especially on the IPA Component for Cross-Border Cooperation (IPA K.2 – CBC), which is under full competence of the Ministry of Local Self Government, where the highest operational-coordinative function of this IPA Component, the National Coordinator for Cross Border Cooperation, is embedded.
The main topic at the working meeting was the use of the IPA funds and the open announcement for cross-border cooperation between Macedonia and Kosovo. During the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister Besimi informed that for the realization of the open announcement for cross-border cooperation between Macedonia and Kosovo, the budget is set at about 3.6 million EUR by the EU. 1.8 million EUR is to be allocated for the institutions from Macedonia and equal part for Kosovo.
Besimi added that municipalities and other institutions may apply for funds from the Macedonian Bank for Development Promotion as well, and this year he expects two more financial agreements to be signed with Kosovo and Greece.
The Minister Hani pointed out that it is important all the institutions to make thorough use of the IPA funds available to them.
“The IPA Component 2007-2013 provides for about 30 million EUR. Until now, financial agreements for about 27 million EUR have been signed, out of which 18 million EUR at this moment, or 65 % are signed agreements. We expect in two-week time this level to reach 75 %”, said Besimi after the meeting.
The meeting took place in a very constructive atmosphere and a mutual agenda was reached for certain operational activities in the direction of overcoming certain noted current unresolved issues that are usual for this phase of the process of adoption of these programmes by the Republic of Macedonia.