How can the Cohesion Policy benefit Slovenian citizens?

Our Slovenian partner, the Regional Development Agency for Podravje – Maribor, was invited by the municipality of Vitanje to the “Conference on the development of tourism in the municipality of Vitanje” on 9th of November.

As this was a meeting intended for local citizens, the information about the establishment of the Montana174 project, in which more than 280.000 citizens will be addressed through various communication channels, was welcome.

The conference took place in the Center Noordung whose recognizability places the municipality of Vitanje on the tourist map of the world. The municipality itself is aware of the importance of the role of Cohesion Policy, and have therefore been involved in projects such as: “Establishment of the Vitanje Tourist Information Center and arrangement of the surroundings” funded by European Regional Development Fund in 2019 and the Interreg Alpine Space project “ASIS – Alpine strategy for social innovation”. Furthermore, the Municipality is currently implementing the project “SEED – Competence Center for Social Innovation”, which is funded directly by the European Commission and also receives the fund of the Cohesion Policy, through the European Social Fund.

On the behalf of our Slovenian partner, Klavdija Gornik presented to participants some of the tools that will be produced by the Montana174 communication campaign, such as  the project’s brochure in Slovenian language, the testimonials from those mountain citizens whose Cohesion Policy measures have enabled them to raise their quality of life, and presentations of best practices directly from mountain areas.

At the time of the forthcoming new financial perspective 2021-2027 and promising tenders ahead, one of the objectives of the meeting were to create common goals that will enable the absorption of funds and, consequently, the further development of tourism, which should be designed to bring adequate income to the widest possible circle of participants in a common tourist story.

Therefore, the involvement of the municipality of Vitanje in the Partnership of Pohorje  and consequently in the Montana174 project is even more important.