State Secretary Koprivc underscored the importance of Interreg programme Italy-Slovenia for cross-border cooperation. The cross-border cooperation programme has been implemented for nearly 25 years.

‘’The current programme’s strategic project KRAS-CARSO II that upgrades the 2007-2013 project Kras/Carso and the 2014-2020 project GeoKarst delivers on the mission of the programme. Its primary goal is to establish a joint structure for shared sustainable management of the cross-border functional area of the Karst,’’ said State Secretary Koprivc on this occasion.

The State Secretary recalled that the mayors of 17 municipalities signed a Letter of Intent to establish a European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) Kras-Carso on 11 March in Trieste. ‘’One of the main missions of the EGTC Kras-Carso is to manage the cross-border Geopark Kras-Carso. As the area is known for its rich geological and natural heritage, the Geopark will be stablished to ensure that this heritage is protected and promoted, and that awareness is raised about geodiversity. Thus, it is essential that the future cross-border management structure involves the relevant technical and scientific support in the field of geology in accordance with the national legislation,’’ stressed State Secretary Koprivc.   

Slovenian and Italian representatives agreed that the cooperation between the Republic of Slovenia and the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia has additionally strengthened in the months leading up to the handover of the title of the 2025 European Capital of Culture to Nova Gorica in Slovenia and Gorizia in Italy. The project bears significant symbolic importance: it brings together two cities, two countries, and two nations, once separated, and unites them in a vision of a common European future, harmony, and cooperation in a space without borders. Both cities will work to remove administrative barriers while facilitating cross-border mobility of artists and their audiences, which will help make the cross-border project of European Capital of Culture GO!2025 a good practice at the EU level. In order to further strengthen the relations between the Republic of Slovenia and the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia in the area of cohesion and inclusion of local actors, with a special emphasis on the post-2027 programming period, the two sides agreed to establish a dedicated working group on cohesion and subsidiarity that will focus on horizontal themes.