The SA SKILLS project continues to strengthen its role as a key driver of blue skills development and regional cooperation in the Adriatic–Ionian region.

On 24 April 2026, a coordination meeting was held at the Institute of Marine Biology (IMB) in Kotor, bringing together national and project-level stakeholders working on the blue economy agenda. The meeting was attended by Dr Aleksandar Joksimović (Scientific Advisor, IMB), Dr Milica Mandić (Deputy Director, IMB), and Mr Gavro Kaluđerović, recently appointed as Thematic Expert in Montenegro for EUSAIR Facility Point (FP) Pillar 1 – Blue Growth.

During the meeting, SA SKILLS activities and results were presented, highlighting the project’s contribution to developing market-oriented skills, strengthening cooperation between education and industry, and supporting sustainable blue economy sectors.

A key outcome of the discussion was the identification of a strong link between SA SKILLS and Montenegro’s role within the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR), particularly under Pillar 1 – Blue Sustainable Economy.

In this context, the preparation of a national Issue Paper was discussed as a priority step. This document will serve as the first structured contribution of Montenegro, as a candidate country, to the EUSAIR policy framework—focusing on specific challenges and development needs in blue economy sectors.

Importantly, it was agreed that SA SKILLS activities and results can be directly integrated into this document, ensuring that ongoing project work contributes to shaping national and macro-regional policy priorities.

Mr Kaluđerović was also invited to participate in the upcoming SA SKILLS Cross Border Permanent Table meeting, where further alignment between project outputs and EUSAIR Pillar 1 objectives will be discussed.

This meeting marks an important step towards stronger institutional anchoring of SA SKILLS within EUSAIR governance, reinforcing Montenegro’s position in the regional blue economy agenda and ensuring that project results are translated into concrete policy impact.