EUSAIR - Final Report

OPENING ADDRESS BY ANŽE LOGAR,
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF SLOVENIA
Honoured Colleagues, Excellences, Partners and Friends,
The great thing about Macro-regional Strategies is that they are open –
open to the future and open to future partners. Let me start with some
very concrete proof of such openness: we started our Presidency last June
with a fresh new member, North Macedonia – and it is now clear that
we will end the year of the Slovene Presidency with another new member,
San Marino! Welcome!
How can one not be proud of such an incredible region, which unites two
classical pillars of our civilisation, Athens and Rome; which gives equal floor
and forum to Member States of the European Union and those countries
that are on their way to joining; and, last but not least, that has neighbours
from France to Turkey!
This is the privilege of the sea: the shores are safe, the waves are challenges,
the horizons are wide open. What can we say about the year behind us?
Historically marked by the most challenging pandemic of the century,
it has forced us all to focus even more on our priorities: Green Connectivity;
enlargement of our European Union, well connected and economically smart;
a socially sensitive and environmentally friendly recovery. It is almost as if our
four Macro-regional Adriatic-Ionian Pillars have spread across the borders
of our region – and gained broader value.
It would not be the first time that, because of the incredible climatic conditions,
educated and creative citizens and geo-strategic position, our shared
sea, part of the Mediterranean, it has been a guiding light in dramatically
dynamic times, providing safe haven in rough seas.
What have we achieved together to be able to look forward with optimism?
Our Izola Declaration clearly lists our results, so I would dare to select for
you only the key ones:
• We have finally succeeded in “putting our money where our mouth is” by
clearly embedding our flagship projects into concrete funding programmes,
European, regional and national, thus making many of our common projects
not only possible but feasible;
• As part of our EU enlargement agenda, the Presidency initiated a consultation
process to assess the relevance of EUSAIR flagships for the Economic
and Investment Plan and Green Agenda for the Western Balkans. The process
was tested in the areas of environment and transport connectivity for the
flagships, to be implemented through IPA III support and significantly to
contribute to a new growth model in the Western Balkans.
• Our thematic focus, Green Connectivity, has become a hub issue, not
only through all four pillars of our Strategy, but also beyond. For example,
eco-connectivity has been a source of cooperation with the Danube Macro-region
through the establishment of blue corridors in shared riverine
ecosystems. This proves the importance of coordinating cross Macroregional
Strategies.
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