OSCE missions support regional municipal cross-border co-operation

PRIZREN, 24 May 2006 - Local and regional officials from Kosovo, Albania, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia met today in Prizren, with the support of the OSCE, to discuss regional co-operation and local co-ordination on issues of mutual concern.

The meeting served as a forum in which officials from Dragash/Dragas and Prizren municipalities were able to define common goals with their counterparts from the Kukes region in Albania and the Tetovo region of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and discuss a strategy on how to succeed at cross-border efforts.

Among the issues and possible areas of future co-operation discussed, were economic development, transport and communications, environment, tourism, culture, and sports.

While the local and regional authorities were the initiators of this effort, as a further demonstration of its commitment to this effort, Kosovo's Provisional Institutions of Self-Government (PISG), Health Minister, Sadik Idrizi, and Minister for Transport and Communications, Qemail Ahmeti, were both in attendance.

The OSCE - through its Mission in Kosovo, the Presence in Albania, and the Spillover Monitoring Mission to Skopje - is facilitating co-operation between local and regional authorities.

Ambassador Werner Wnendt, Head of the OSCE Mission, said that securing borders was central to Europe's priorities in the fight against crime. However, another key principal was the freedom to move across borders.

"Cross-border co-operation is also of fundamental importance in establishing a climate of confidence through mutual understanding, solidarity and good neighbourly relations, in particular in border regions which are home to minority communities."

This meeting was held in view of the growing awareness and significance of regions throughout Europe that lie in different states but share economic and cultural ties. The authorities in these regions are working together to promote common interests across borders, aiming towards improving the daily life of people who live in those areas.

The OSCE Mission has been involved in a similar process between Dragash/Dragas municipality in Kosovo and the Kukes region in Albania since 2003.

With the inclusion of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in this process, the OSCE has taken on the role of facilitating co-operation between the local and regional authorities, including practical issues such as economic development.