The Slovenia Times

Erjavec lauds EUSAIR as way to boost EU accession efforts

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Aside from serving the many shared interests in the macro region, the platform could boost the participating countries not yet in the EU in their accession bids.

Europe's future also lies in regional linking and regional action, Erjavec told the STA on the sidelines of the eight country ministerial in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

He listed environmental protection, improved transport links as well as tourism as points of shared interest for Slovenia.

"We can also make benefit of regions to give a boost to the countries that are not yet members of the EU," he said, adding that the four non-EU member states in the region needed the boost in their efforts to join the EU.

"We know that in the EU, which at the moment is facing other problems, this process can get stalled." This is why he believes regional cooperation can serve as an important signal to the EU.

Slovenia will host a facility point to offer support in the implementation of the strategy under the ADRION transnational programme, but Erjavec could not say yet when the facility would become operational.

"If macroregions do not get adequate financial support, it will be hard to realise projects. It's thus important to have internal cooperation and that all countries are involved actively."

Earlier Erjavec said that Slovenia was privileged to be involved in three out of four existing macroregions in the EU, initiatives that were not in competition but rather complementary.

"We can apply experience from one macroregion to another," he said, adding that Slovenia was happy to share experience with other partners: "In this way we complement each other, grow."

In the morning, the eight participating officials adopted the Dubrovnik Declaration and discussed the migration crisis.

In addressing the first EUSAIR forum in the afternoon they agreed that the Adriatic-Ionian region was an excellent framework for cooperation and progress, while they also listed its deficiencies, including a lack of funds.

Italian Ambassador to Greece Adriano Chiodi Cianfarani maintained that EUSAIR could also be a platform for coordination of migration policies.

Speaking about concrete projects that could be implemented under the regional initiative, most of them mentioned infrastructural projects, in particular an Adriatic-Ionian motorway and gas terminals.

Croatian Foreign Minister Miro Kovač, the current president of EUSAIR, said that it was up to the countries to take initiative. "Solidarity, coordination and leadership - these are the things that will decide about success or failure."

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