OPATIJA OPATIJA, Sept 8 (Hina) - The summer school of the Assembly of European Regions (AER) is beginning in the Croatian coastal resort of Opatija on Sunday.
OPATIJA, Sept 8 (Hina) - The summer school of the Assembly of
European Regions (AER) is beginning in the Croatian coastal resort
of Opatija on Sunday. #L#
The seventh summer school, focused on the regions' contribution to
the process of viability, has drawn 200 participants from 40
regions of 25 European countries.
The organisers of this event are three Croatian counties of Istria,
Primorje-Gorski Kotar and Dubrovnik-Dalmatia, supported by the
Italian Friuli-Venezia Giulia region.
Prior to the start of the event, AER Secretary-General Klaus Klipp
said that this year for the first time young representatives from 11
European countries would also attend the summer school for the
youth.
Croatia's European Integration Minister, Neven Mimica, spoke of
the twofold meaning of the Opatija school.
The work of such school tests possibilities for lowering processes
of European integration from political elites (government,
ministries, diplomats) to a level of regions, he explained adding
that Europe must find new expressions of the institutionalisation
of the bilateral and multilateral relations because of an
increasing number of members joining the integration processes.
The second task of the school is discuss the regional development
with the protection of environment, Mimica added.
It was previously announced that Croatian President Stjepan Mesic
would officially open the school, however, he will not take part.
Instead, Minister Mimica is expected to open the five-day event on
Sunday afternoon.
(hina) ms