The European Commission (EC) will mobilize additional funds for research and development in the coming period, in particular through increased participation in the Horizon Europe program, announced the European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, Ekaterina Zaharieva.
Zaharieva met with the Ministers of Education, Science and Innovation and European Affairs, Anđela Jakšić Stojanović and Maida Gorčević, in Podgorica, as part of the Ministerial Meeting of the Governance Platform for Research and Innovation for the Western Balkans.
As announced by the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, this is the first visit of the EC Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Startups to Montenegro since 2008, sending a clear message of the Commission's strong support to Montenegro in all activities it carries out in the areas of research and innovation.
Zaharieva said that the European Union (EU) and Montenegro are strong partners in the areas of research and innovation.
"Montenegro has been participating in our framework programs since 2008. Since then, it has made impressive progress," said Zaharieva.
She pointed out that Montenegro was the first country outside the EU to adopt the Smart Specialization Strategy, which, as she stated, opened the door to future access to European structural funds.
This step forward, Zaharieva emphasized, has strongly connected the academic community and the economy, directing national investments and European funds towards areas with the greatest development potential that are clearly defined by the Smart Specialization Strategy.
Zaharieva announced that the EC will mobilize additional funds for research and development in the coming period, especially through increased participation in the Horizon Europe program.
Jakšić Stojanović emphasized that the EU is an important and reliable partner for Montenegro, emphasizing the most significant activities that Montenegro has implemented in the previous period in the areas of research and innovation.
"Montenegro temporarily closed the negotiation chapter 25 Science and Research back in 2012, after which it gradually built a recognizable identity in the European Research Area - from the first country outside the EU with a Smart Specialization Strategy, to one of the leaders among small states in connecting science, innovation and digital transformation," Jakšić Stojanović pointed out.
She also gave special attention to the leading EU program for funding research and innovation - Horizon Europe.
"Our goal is more projects with measurable impact, including the coordinating roles of Montenegrin partners," emphasized Jakšić Stojanović.
She emphasized the Innovation Fund as a key lever for the development of the domestic innovation ecosystem, given that last year alone, the Fund launched six calls for proposals worth a total of EUR 2,4 million, and an additional six million was provided for three programs this year.
Gorčević announced that Montenegro remains firmly committed to completing the negotiation process by the end of next year, which would pave the way towards full membership by 2028.
"In this context, we recognize the transformative power of research and innovation for economic growth, sustainable development and social cohesion. We see science not only as a driver of technological excellence, but also as a key bridge towards European integration," Gorčević emphasized.
The Government of Montenegro, as stated in the statement, remains committed to, with the support of the European Commission, accelerating reforms and increasing participation in Horizon Europe, so that science and innovation bring measurable benefits to citizens and the economy.
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