Support to the interregional cooperation projects 
Regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Embassy of BiH in the Council of Europe have defined the common strategy of appearance and applying for development projects in EU
In the period 24.11.-25.11.2005 in Strasbourg, France was held the General Assembly of the Assembly of European Regions, which was also attended by Prime Minister of Bosnian-Podrinje canton Gorazde, Salko Obhodjas, as the first man of the Canton in the capacity of the regular representative of the Assembly and member of the Committee for institutional reforms and ad hoc Group for the regions of the western Balkan.
The jubilee 20th General Assembly of the Assembly of European Regions was held in the building of the European Parliament in Strasbourg and it was attended by representatives of 159 European regions and representatives of 18 new regions, which got the status of member of this Assembly. It should be stressed that 750 regional political representatives from across the Europe, representatives of European institutions and representatives of media joined the Assembly of European Regions in Strasbourg in celebration of its 20th anniversary on 25 November 2005.
Welcome speech was held by President of region Alsace, Mr. Adrien Zeller, who was the host of this 20th meeting of the Assembly and President of the European Commission, Mr. Jose Manuel Barroso also addressed to the participants of the meeting.
Mr. Riccardo Illy, President of the Assembly presided over this meeting, and during the working part of the Assembly he submitted Elaborate on the last meeting of the Assembly for adoption, as well as the Report on entrance of new European regions into the membership of the Assembly.
Great interest has been shown for the Report on challenges that the Assembly of European Regions will encounter in the coming period.
Ratification of the Constitution of EU and the role of the citizens in the process of introducing of regulations is the aim of the Assembly and it will make its efforts in achieving it. Enlargement of the European Union is a challenge constantly encountered by the Union and in that process this Assembly takes very respectable position.
Thanks to the good practice and efforts made by many regions from Croatia and other democratization programs implemented by this neighboring country, it is realistic to expect joining of Croatia to the European Union in 2008 or 2009. Negotiations with Turkey are constantly in course and it is expected that Turkey is going to join the Union in the period of 10 years. It was stated that Turkey has one region represented in the Assembly of European Regions and it is whished that more Turkish regions join the Assembly, so that the Assembly, by monitoring the progress that Turkey makes and through its influence, speeds up joining of Turkey to the European Union.
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro are in process of joining the European Union. Adoption of the budget of the Union is very important step for its members, but also for the Assembly, which, through its Commissions, applied for research and development programs for the new regions, because these programs make key factors of success for regional economic development.
President Illy and President Barosso stated that there is no use building innovative Europe in one part of the continent, while neglecting the other one. The European innovative politics must support development of creative culture in all countries of our continent. For that reason, President Illy urged President of the European Commission Barosso to ensure that the European Neighboring and Partnership Instrument, the new financing instrument for the countries bordering on the countries of the Union, provides support to interregional cooperation projects.
The principles of the Lisbon strategy have been supported, although not accepted and adopted yet.
In the sequel, the Assembly has adopted the Reports of the Commission A – for institutional administration reforms and Commission B – for social institutions and programs.
Very important issue, imposed in the process of joining the new countries to the European Union is the issue of creating new jobs and transfer of production to those regions and states. Unemployment is a product of these trends and the issue that should be resolved as soon as possible.
Decline of the birth-rate of the population is the problem that causes ageing of the system in the European Union. For that reason, number of pensioners increases, which, in the end, results in growth of the expenses.
There are very few young people who are trained to take over compound jobs and tasks in the administration, and the programs of support to young people in their education is a priority to both the Assembly of European Regions and the European Union.
There have also been organized meetings in separate work groups with the members of the Assembly. For members of the regions from Bosnia and Herzegovina there was a meeting with the purpose of defining the interest of the common strategy of appearance and applying for development projects in the European Union, for which the Union and other European countries will allocate considerable funds in the coming period. There was also proposed a program of cooperation with the Assembly of the European Regions that will be officially submitted to the regions for adoption. As experimental development project, Bosnian-Podrinje canton Gorazde applied for project of construction of the tunnel Podhranjen, which is a good connection of this Canton with the central part of the country and it is also a part of completion of the European main road M5 through Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This project has been offered on the basis of concession and it has had a great attention of the Assembly.
At the end of the first day of the meeting of the Assembly, in the congress hotel of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, representatives of Bosnian and Herzegovinian regions were bidden welcome by the Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Council of Europe, H.E. Borisav Maric and his associate, Ms. Lucija Ljubic.
In this meeting there have been defined cooperation activities of our Embassy and Bosnian and Herzegovinian regions in the future.