3rd Danube Conference – Future for the Danube Area

 

3rd Danube Conference – Future for the Danube Area
“Danube Area - Potential for the young generation“
October 6, 2010

 

Representation of the State of Baden-Württemberg to the EU
in cooperation with the
Brussels Danube Network

The address of Mr. Andrej Plenković,
State Secretary for European Integration and
National Coordinator for the EUSDR
of the Republic of Croatia

 

 

Ladies and Gentleman,

It is a distinct pleasure to be here today at the Brussels Representation of the State of Baden-Württemberg and to take part in the debate on the future of our Danube region.

At the outset, allow me to thank you for a wonderful evening yesterday, and to congratulate on a well organized Donaumarkt, where the stands of two Croatian counties – Vukovar-Srijem and Osijek-Baranja Counties – offering traditional Danubian products, are also represented.

I would like to underscore the role that the State of Baden-Württemberg has played in promoting the idea of unity of states on the Danube, and in the creation of the concept of stronger cooperation in this region, particularly among younger generations.

It was Baden-Württemberg that was the driving force in building awareness within the EU about the uniqueness of the Danube River basin and when the need was determined to upgrade the present forms of cooperation to a higher level.

The Republic of Croatia has had a strong relationship with Baden-Württemberg since 1998, which was realized particularly through the work of our joint Commission that I co-chair with Minister Reinhart. It was the state of Baden-Württemberg that included Croatia in this new emerging Danube network, and gave it the opportunity to contribute to the dialogue through participation on previous Danube conferences.

At the same time, through the Danube Cooperation Process – initiated by Austria and Romania – countries of the region were continuously engaged in efforts to enhance project-oriented cooperation in the region of South East Europe. We must give special credit to this initiative because it has been a very important contributor to spreading the idea of unity and stronger cooperation in the Danube River Basin over the past several years.

I would also like to mention the important work of the Working Community of the Danube Regions, over which Croatia presided in 2000 and which has from its beginnings in 1982, contributed greatly to the development of our cooperation along the Danube.

Being a signatory state of the Final Declaration of the 2009 Danube Summit in Ulm, Croatia expressed its full support to the process of developing the EU Strategy for the Danube Region.
The most important feature of this Strategy is that it will provide us with tools to observe this intricate social and ecological system as one and to be able to undertake actions along this line. The holistic approach, in my strong belief, is the most precious benefit of the Danube Strategy.

As the most recent stage in the development of European territorial cooperation, macro-regions serve this goal precisely. They represent a new model of integration, a strong binding force and as such can have a great positive effect on the nature and modalities of our future cooperation.

As the country that will soon become the 28th member of the European Union, Croatia has through its accession process gained experience with various modalities of cooperation, both with EU Member States and those which aspire to this status.

I would like to point out the importance of a European Cohesion Policy and territorial cooperation programmes in promoting the idea of European integration among countries on the path of EU accession.

Because in essence, one common idea which we have to strengthen and support, is to achieve full European integration and engage strongly in avoiding any divisions.

I see a parallel in the calendar of adoption of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region and Croatia’s ambition to conclude accession negotiations during the Hungarian EU Presidency, in first half of 2011. In my view, these could be the two tangibles that our Hungarian neighbors could be in position to deliver next year.

Despite the policy of three NOs (no new institutions, no legislation and no funds) we believe it is of vital importance to secure funding for the projects which will be part of the future Danube Strategy Action Plan. Therefore, we hope that during the review of the Cohesion Policy priorities for the next financial perspective due attention will be given to the financing of the concrete projects related to the Danube region.

Croatia’s priority projects have been streamlined with the National Strategic Reference Framework and Operational Programs within the Instrument for Pre-Accession. Our relevant Ministries have already presented their ideas and concrete project proposals, along these lines.

We provided our full support to the recent conference in Belgrade which gathered representatives from international financial institutions who expressed their willingness to finance projects related to the EU Strategy of the Danube Region.

Ladies and gentleman,

I would like to emphasize the particular political importance which the Danube Strategy has for Croatia, particularly regarding the Croatian Danube region which sustained serious war damage. Currently, in the framework of the Strategy, Croatia sees a chance to promote, together with other countries, the development of both the Croatian Danube region and other parts of this broader geographical area.

Improved navigability of the Danube, pollution and flood prevention, as well as economic growth, among other things, are undoubtedly common goals shared by Croatia and the rest of the region. Similarly, connecting the Danube River and the Adriatic Sea, advancing development of small and medium entrepreneurship, establishing an efficient and secure energy network and strengthening the civil sector, are our common interests.

Let me point out another important matter. I am deeply convinced that mine infested parts of Croatia stretching along the Danube are also the problem of the broader region, if we want to achieve prosperity in the Danube area as a whole. A“Bottle of wine for a square meter of mine”, a promotional activity that two Croatian Danube counties are organizing at the Open Days’ Danube Market, could be a tourist slogan with a much broader meaning and could also serve as a sad reminder of the devastating events in our recent past, the consequences of which we still must address jointly, for the benefit of the region as a whole, as well as for those living along the banks of the Danube river.

Ladies and gentleman,

When the Danube Strategy and Action Plan are adopted it will only mark the beginning of the process. The real work will be in making decisions about actions and projects, with the full participation of all countries involved, in order to foster our common interests and mutual progress.

In this way, we can hopefully reduce the development gap among different parts of the macro-region – all of this in the end, serving to benefit not only the people of the Danube region, but all of Europe.

In fact, the Danube Strategy can also be a project-oriented vehicle to support the enlargement process, despite a sometimes reserved atmosphere within the public of some Member States.

Thank you for your attention!