(ANSA) - TRIESTE - The President of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Debora Serracchiani, met in Trieste with Croatian MEP Ivan Jakovcic, appointed by the European Parliament in Strasbourg to prepare a document on Adriatic-Ionian Initiative, the European strategy for Southern Europe in which the FVG region takes part. The meeting, as Jakovcic explained, is part of a broad consultation with representatives of the countries participating in the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative (Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Greece) and in particular with all the Italian regions involved, in order to prepare the document. The first draft will be ready in June and, in the fall, the Parliament in Strasbourg will vote on the final version, which will then be forwarded to the European Commission.

''The Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia - Serracchiani said - is strongly committed to the Adriatic-Ionian strategy. We now need to boost the project, putting forward concrete proposals in this regard, so as to gain the funding of the European Union''.

Jakovcic agreed with Serracchiani and as a concrete proposal he suggested that the first draft of the document should include a series of specific projects of common interest to the countries and regions participating in the strategy. According to Friuli Venezia Giulia, energy, transport, maritime in particular, research and development are key sectors. (ANSA).