One hundred participants took part in making the kick-off event for the Cross-border programme between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina a success. First Call for Proposals under this Programme was launched on July 8th, 2009, while the kick-off event took place in Uzice on July 13th, 2009. The opening of the ceremony was symbolically marked by music – at noon, a local trumpet orchestra played the EU anthem, Beethoven’s Ode to Joy – and by the release of white doves. The representatives of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Serbia and those of the Directorate for European Integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the representatives of the EC Delegation in Serbia and the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the Mayor of Uzice addressed the representatives of the municipalities from the programming area present at the ceremony. The participants were introduced to the previous CBC experience of Serbia, as well as the contents of the IPA CBC Programme between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. This was followed by the presentation of the first Call for Proposals and the application package. The kick-off event was followed by 7 information sessions: 3 in Serbia (Valjevo, Loznica and Zlatibor) and 4 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (in Tuzla, Vlasenica, Vogosca and Rogatica). Around 500 potential applicants were covered by the information campaign which also received extensive media coverage from both national and local media outlets. During the information sessions the participants received essential information on the application package and requirements for submitting project applications from the staff of the JTS and Antenna. They also had the opportunity to ask questions related to the CfP.
Officials of the two countries at the Kick-off event in Uzice: Mr. Jovan Markovic, Mayor of Uzice, H.E. Radomir Bogdanovic, Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Serbia, Mr. Luca Manunta, EC Delegation in Serbia, Ms. Nada Bojanic, DEI, Ms. Mila Crnogorac Bajic, JTS, Ms. Jaroslava Bozanic, MoF Serbia, Mr. Petar Kraljevic, Ministry of Finance and Treasury of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ms. Mirjana Nozic, MoF Serbia.
