“Fostering regional cooperation and balanced territorial development of Western Balkan countries in the process

towards EU integration”

Achievements and results June 2015 – April 2017

Project objectives• The project aims at fostering regional cooperation among

institutions and stakeholders in the agriculture and food sector,as well as to facilitation of the process of balanced territorialdevelopment of the Western Balkan countries in theprogression towards EU integration.

• The objective of the project is to strengthen the networking andcooperation among the public institutions and stakeholders, aswell as with other relevant regional bodies in order to acceleratethe EU accession process of the WB candidate and potentialcandidate countries in the field of agriculture and ruraldevelopment

ABDA implementation in Prespa

• Main focus on - capacity building to stakeholders and support to preparation of applications for calls for proposals

• Organization of meetings with stakeholders

• Capacity building measures for preparation of project proposals

• Support to stakeholders for preparation of project proposals for different calls (emphasis on IPA II)

• Performance of publicity activities related to available funding

• Organization of people-to-people actions

• Participation on meetings of other regional structures

• Grant Scheme within LEIWW

Overview of the Stakeholder Group meetings

• 10th Meeting of the Stakeholders’ Group for the Cross-border Region of “Prespa”, June 23rd 2015, Ohrid, Macedonia

• 11th Meeting of the Stakeholders’ Group for the Cross-border Region of “Prespa” October 22nd 2015, Gorica (Mala Gorica), Albania – Restaurant “Vasil”

• 12th Meeting of the Stakeholders’ Group for the Cross-border Region of “Prespa” 25 March 2016, Information Center Pelister National Park, Republic of Macedonia

• 13th Meeting of the Stakeholders’ Group for the Cross-border Region of “Prespa”24 June 2016, Municipality of Pogradec, Republic of Albania

• 14th Meeting of the Stakeholders’ Group for the Cross-border Region of “Prespa” 23 September 2016, Restaurant Galaxy, Pretor, Republic of Macedonia

• 15th Meeting of the Stakeholders’ Group for the Cross-border Region of “Prespa”16 December 2016, Municipality of Devoll, Bilisht, Republic of Albania

• 16th Meeting of the Stakeholders’ Group for the Cross-border Region of “Prespa” 24 February, 2017, Hotel “Milenium Palace”, Ohrid, Macedonia

Overview of the People to People

events within ABDA

Wine and Cheese Festival was held on 21st and 22nd of August 2015 in Ohrid,Republic of Macedonia. The event was organized by the Department of Tourism and LocalEconomic Development of Municipality of Ohrid in cooperation with Agrinet from Albania.Around 20 participants exhibited and promoted their wines, cheeses and other traditionalfood product from the region. This two-day event was attended by more than 5.000

visitors.

"Tour de Galicica 2016” – 18-19 June, 2016 in Resen, MacedoniaThis cycling event was organized for the third time by the Municipality of Resen and thisyear there were more than 400 guests present for this event, staying at different placesin the region near Resen, at the Prespa Lake.

Korca Apple Fest was organized by AgriNet from Korca, Albania, in partnership with theMunicipality of Korca and the Municipality of Resen and was held on the 2nd of October 2016 inDvoran, Albania. Numerous cultural and entertainment activities (concerts and sport activities)were organized during all day. The event was visited by more than 500 people and different localand regional businesses and subjects had the chance to promote their products and services.

“Prespa Business Forum” was organized by the Municipality of Resen, in partnership with the Municipality of Korca and the Municipality of Pustec. The event was held from the 1-2 December, 2016 at the hotel “Lakeview” in Otesevo, Macedonia.The main goal of this regional event was to create an opportunity for achievement of greater and wider cooperation in the sectors of tourism, agriculture and food industry, as well as to initiate economic benefit for the local population in the cross-border region of Prespa.

The Workshop “Agriculture Cooperatives in the cross-border region of Prespa” was held on 3rd March, 2017 at the restaurant “Dve liri” in Resen. This event was organized by the SWG, in cooperation with the Regional Directory of Agriculture Korca and the Municipality of Resen. The main objective of this regional event, as part of the People-to-People program, was by gathering the relevant stakeholders from the cross-border region of Prespa, from Albania and Macedonia, to establish and improve the cross-border cooperation between farmers and agriculture specialists operating in the Prespa region.

“Outdoor camp Lagadin” was organized by Ikar Hut, Lagadin, in partnership with the

National Park Prespa from Albania, and it was held in the period 3-5 March, 2017 in Ohrid,

Macedonia. This regional event brought together teenage students from Macedonia and Albania,

at the age between 14-16, to learn and practice skills in nature and mountain according to the

environmental principles.

“Improvement of waste management systems in the cross-border region of Prespa” was held on the 6th March, 2017 at the Municipality of Resen. The event was organized by the JKP ”Proleter” from Resen in cooperation with the Municipality of Korca and the Municipality of Pustec from Albania.The main objective of the event was to promote the environmental values in the region, in the context of best practices of waste management and use of recycled products in organic production, and branding the Prespa region as a destination for eco-tourism.