Picture: Tangerine trees in Montenegro, Draw05 / Shutterstock
A Twinning project helped set up the EU pre-accession assistance for rural development (IPARD) programme.
To boost awareness on the ongoing changes, an event on IPARD preparation and roles of different stakeholders was organised with the participation of former European Commissioner, Mr Franz Fischler, and Ms Medlena Plugtschieva, former Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister. Training sessions for civil servants were also conducted, including simulations based on real investment examples.
The main impact of the project on the beneficiary administration was:
- Understanding the process of IPARD as regards programming, implementation, control, monitoring, reporting etc.;
- Raised awareness about IPARD as an Instrument for Pre-accession in Rural Development within the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development & other institutions and stakeholders involved in the process;
- Sustainable project deliverables such us the IPARD programme, Manuals of Procedures, drafted legislation, first outline of an accreditation package - all important for the future accreditation process and IPARD implementation;
- Sustainable establishment of formal and informal information and communication lines within the ministry as well as with other institutions and stakeholders.
The established level of administration was a good starting point for the next goal of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development – to get the IPARD Operating Structure accredited and to start with IPARD implementation in practice.
Project title: Support to establish an IPA Rural Development Programming and Implementation System in Montenegro
Project ID: MN 2008/IB/AG01, 2010-2012