The cross-border regions` connection in Europe has commenced in mid twentieth century and currently there are some 100 such projects while in our neighbourhood there are several dozens. Only Poland and its regions participate in the work of nine Euroregions.
European policy of creating the Euroregions as institutional forms of cross-border cooperation in regions of mutual interest leads to changes in traditional perception of sovereignty. Some Euroregions have the legal entity status while the others, especially in Eastern Europe, are just work or communities of interest for information exchange. This is a consequence of differences in laws and level of power transfer to local institutions in every individual state.
Jovan Komsic, sociologist at the Novi Sad School of Economics, says that for any region progress achieving, institutional possibilities accompanied with local authorities and experts` qualification for cooperation should be realised.
"After the Law on Local Self-Government cooperation between municipalities is allowed. However, the problem arises at mutual institutions forming since according to the current regulations only one municipality can be the founder of the regional agency. Therefore, I think Serbia needs clear regionalisation political strategy. Within that context, the state and its citizens can get the most since Serbia is the one that has growing number of hermetic borders," says Komsic.
The first Euroregion in Serbia - Dunav-Kris-Moris-Tisa (DKMT) - created by Vojvodina and four counties from both Hungary and Romanian Banat, was founded in 1997, during sanctions. The aim of this Euroregion with six million inhabitants is developing regional authorities` relations in economic, educational, scientific, and sports areas, says Vladimir Pandurov, Deputy Regional Secretary for Regional and International Cooperation.
"The experience of DKMT as the oldest Euroregion in which the Serbian institutions participate shows that the Euroregions should primarily be focused on solving mutual problems. Only later on should be formed working groups and other forms of political and protocol cooperation," adds Pandurov.
He is also adding that the DKMT project "Security Without Borders" has made possible efficient defence action in case of disasters that has proved perfect during great floods in Banat.
Pandurov stated that Brussels maintains Euroregions as a kind of laboratories for creating the "EU in small." People in border areas are in everyday contact, they exchange information and experiences and that way help in realising contacts with other organisations within their countries.
"At the Mixed Committee on Economic Cooperation between Serbia and Hungary meeting held at the end of last week, most active were exactly those cities and ministries representatives who had showed initiatives within the DKMT Euroregion. This is an evidence of Euroregions being special bridge between national governments," says Pandurov.
Other Euroregions along the Serbian border enclosing our towns and municipalities have started to be formed only after the October 5th changes.
In 2002, on the initiative of the Council of Europe, "Euro-Balkans" was constituted and included 80 towns and municipalities of Serbia, Bulgaria, and Macedonia. The importance of this region is also in its position - it is located on the trans-European Corridor 10 towards Greece and broader Black Sea region. Of special importance is one of the "Euro-Balkans" goals, i.e., development of cooperation in the micro region of towns of Gnjilane, Presevo, and Kumanovo.
Also in 2002, Serbia, Romania, and Bulgaria formed the "Danube 21" Euroregion consisting of the towns of Zajecar, Kalafata, and Vidin, i.e., regions that are relatively far away from administrative centres and therefore have long had the status of poor and isolated places. These towns have been trying to overcome economic and social problems and therefore jointly act in seeking help from the EU funds.
The Euroregion "Drina-Sava-Majevica" was founded in the Brcko district in 2003. It includes 16 municipalities in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Croatia.
During the recent years in motion were put initiatives for new Euroregions forming, namely at the junction of three borders of Serbia, Hungary, and Croatia that would round in the region of the local national park, then the "Mid-Danube-Djerdap," and "Europanon" that should include Vojvodina, North-Eastern Bosnia, Eastern Slavonia and some municipalities of Podrinje.
European Commission is also supporting Euroregions` forming by financing some projects and through logistic support. In 1990, within the EU structural funds INTERREG, the initiative has been launched with the aim of developing cooperation between border areas, inside and outside the EU that are often isolated and less economically developed thanks to their geographic location. Since January 2007, the EU support for cross-border cooperation of the Western Balkans countries has been realised also through the IPA instruments for pre-joining help.
Best illustration of the importance of money channelling into the marginalised municipalities` development projects is the anecdote claiming the infrastructure in the Eastern European border areas being so undeveloped that the USA can be reached faster than the North-East of Poland from some parts of Romania.
Bulgaria and Romania joining the EU, and Hungary entering the Schengen Zone has spread fears the Euroregions created by Serbia, and those countries would run into crisis. However, perspectives for further regional connections are being open also by "Neighbouring Programmes." Until now, within such a programme with Hungary, two projects have been realised - the Sombor municipality project on garbage management and the improvement of informatics knowledge of students and teachers of the Sombor Teacher`s College.
Beside economic of great importance is also political dimension of cross-border cooperation that is reflected in stability strengthening, good-neighbour relations development and dialogue promotion. That aspect has special importance in the Western Balkans where the Euroregions forming is the realisation of local authorities` wish for closer institutional cooperation between countries emerged in the former Yugoslavia territory.
Former Director of the Serbian Government Office for European Integration Tanja Miscevic considers every form of regional cooperation, even Euroregions` forming, as one of the key factors for the Euro-integrations stimulus. According to her, at the beginning of the European road regional cooperation was just a condition while today it has become the need.
According to the analysts` estimations, development of the cross-border cooperation of the Western Balkans countries, including Serbia, will be the best indicator of the country`s capability for joining broader political, economic, and social trends of the united Europe.
* Sandra Pekic is a journalist with International Radio Serbia. (Photo: European Communities, 2009) CEV Magazine is an online publication of the Centre for European Values.
