Research program aiming to develop a micro-regional cross-border map of funding sources related to Baja city and its surrounding areas

The Danube as a “fil” connects 14 different states to each other is the symbol of multiculturalism, the common natural, historic and spiritual heritage and the necessity of cooperation since it provides drinkable water, landscape, and goods, as well as transport corridor and facilities to relax to every country within its basin. The Danube Strategy represents a multi-faceted offer of the second largest river in Europe involving EU member states, membership aspirants and important neighbours of the EU. The Danube leaves the territory of the European Union in a very exciting area: after exiting Hungary it forms the border between Croatia and Serbia connecting small and medium-sized towns having a very common Danubian identity and history. The accession process of Serbia to the EU provides a good opportunity to reinterpret this common history, this common approach to the Danube. The cities of Baja and Mohács from Hungary, Osijek and Beli Monastir from Croatia as well as Sombor and Apatin from Serbia started a cooperation and reinterpretation of historic and natural givens. The cooperation covers several fields from water management, environment protection, and risk prevention, through the common management of border crossing transport and tourism, up to cultural, administrative, business and civil cooperation.

CESCI Balkans was helping regional development processes and cooperation between municipalities and administration bodies within the micro-region (Baja, Mohács, Sombor, Apatin, Osijek, Beli Manastir). During autumn, 2015, a funding map was created and a study on the territorial and organisational aspects of a potential cooperation of city-level partners evolving in the Hungarian-Serbian-Croation triple border region. CESCI Balkans has participated in the work of two project preparation workshops by creating the funding map, as well as elaborating, collecting and translating project ideas (Serbia, Croatia).