ASSEMBLY OF EUROPEAN REGIONS STARTS IN POREC

POREC, Aug 30 (Hina) - The Assembly of European Regions, which gathered over 70 regions from Europe and the United States, started in the northern Adriatic summer resort of Porec on Monday. During the one-week-long assembly, the participants will discuss the European regional policy and inter-regional cooperation. Organisers of the event are 12 members of the Assembly of European Regions including the northern Adriatic county of Istria, which is the host of the assembly. The event was also supported by congresses of local and regional authorities of the Council of Europe and the European Commission. The assembly is attended by 160 regional representatives from about 20 countries from Europe and the United States. The central topic of today's plenary session was the role of regions in the process of expansion of the European Union. Special envoy of the European Commission in Croatia Per Vinther pointed to the steps which countries of Southeast Europe must undertake in order to successfully integrate with European institutions. Also present at the session was representative of the Croatian Government Office for European Integration Vera Varga who stressed that Croatia's strategic goal was to enter European integration. (hina) it jn