EU Ambassador to Macedonia Erwan Fouere and Macedonian Local Self-government Minister Musa Xhaferi promoted the start of the IPA Program for Cross-border Cooperation with Albania on Tuesday. All nonprofit organizations, business associations, and local authorities will be able to apply for these funds with projects in the spheres of economy, culture, tourism, and ecology.

The first call for applying for funds for small projects from 20,000 to 50,000 euros will be open until 3 August this year. The total budget of this Program amounts to 680,000 euros, 120,000 euros of which were secured by the Government of the Republic of Macedonia. "These amounts might seem small, but they will have a big effect on the regions where the projects will be implemented," Fouere said. He stressed the EU's experiences with cross-border cooperation as a chief factor in the mutual cooperation among the states and their integration in the European Union. Fouere noted that such cooperation contributes toward economic development of the border regions and betterment of the lives of the local inhabitants.