Challenges and opportunities of the cross-border city: Gorizia and Nova Gorica on il Sole 24 ore
In the latest publication of Sole 24 Ore entitled "European Funds for More Sustainable Cities. Between avant-gardes and structural transformations" also features EGTC GO with a paper written by the project managers Lara Devetak and Micaela Passon on the opportunities offered by European funds for our cross-border territory to improve the quality of life of citizens and build a sustainable and inclusive future. The publication discusses several cases of Italian cities from the Metropolitan City of Turin to the City of Naples, via the Lazio Region to the Puglia Region, which are developing a sustainable perspective through the use of European funds.(https://bit.ly/4eLGd27)
The EGTC GO article entitled "The Challenges of a Cross-Border City Gorizia and Nova-Gorica and the Case of the Square Divided in Half" analyzes the challenges posed by the cross-border city and the ways in which EGTC GO is addressing these challenges with long-term strategic planning that crosses territorial boundaries supported by various European funds. Specifically, the challenges of Gorizia-Nova Gorica, which in December 2020, were officially named European Capital of Culture 2025 thanks to their continued collaboration and cooperation. The symbol of this joint candidacy is the Transalpina-Trg Evrope square, divided in half between two states, which is the beating heart and soul of the cultural program in 2025. The square represents the newfound unity between the two cities after years of separation dictated by the presence of boundary stones and a wire fence, Slovenia's entry into the European Union in 2004 accelerated the process of cooperation allowing the two cities to get to GO! 2025.
The desire to make the square not a peripheral place but a center of cultural aggregation attracted several European, local, Slovenian, and Italian sources of investment, initiating the redevelopment of Transalpine Square on both the Slovenian and Italian sides. The intervention was largely financed by European cohesion policy funds, and in particular by the Regional Program Fesr 2021-2027 of the Autonomous Region FVG for a total amount of 2.3 million euros and the Slovenian National Program Pon Fesr 2021/2027 for a total amount of 580.000 euros. Additional funding was made available by the Slovenian Government for a total amount of 580.000 euros and by the Municipality of Nova Gorica for a total amount of 756.000 euros.
The EGTC GO as a cross-border entity that can operate on both Italian and Slovenian territory, in addition to managing the redevelopment project of the Square, in its activities has also addressed the issue of using the square itself for events and manifestations. As the square is divided in half between two states, two different and sometimes incompatible systems of rules apply there to know and follow, an aspect that hinders the full implementation of the European Capital of Culture project. In order to be able to overcome and curb the cross-border obstacles, EGTC GO turned to B-solutions, a tool promoted by DG Regio and managed by the Association of European Border Regions (Aebr) and received support from a legal expert who defined possible solutions to the problem. As part of the project, a useful Vademecum was prepared for both Italian and Slovenian associations to help them navigate the various regulations and rules currently applicable in the square (B-solutions: GO! square - GECT GO / EZTS GO (euro-go.eu)
The cross-border city presents many daily challenges and obstacles, which can be overcome only through full cooperation between local, regional, national and European institutions. At the same time, the EGTC and other tools provided at the European level, such as cooperation programs and cohesion funds, make it possible to address these obstacles by creating real development opportunities for the area and ensuring greater well-being for citizens.
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