(ANSA) - BELGRADE, APR 29 - "The significant acceleration of negotiations for Montenegro's accession to the European Union, and the resulting prospect of completing the process by 2028, represents a huge opportunity for Friuli Venezia Giulia in terms of expanding and consolidating the scope of territorial cooperation between the two shores of the Adriatic," said Pierpaolo Roberti, Friuli Venezia Giulia's regional councillor for Local Authorities, Public Administration, Security, and Immigration. Roberti made the statement during an official visit to Kotor, Montenegro. Roberti, accompanied by Edvino Jerian, President of Trieste People's University, and Fabrizio Somma, Secretary General, met with Mayor Vladimir Jokic, Aleksandar Dender, President of the Uzicg - Association of Italian Communities of Montenegro, and students from Kotor High School, an institution dedicated to promoting Italian language and culture. During the 21st Annual Assembly of the Union of Italian Communities of Montenegro, attended by Andreina Marsella, Italian Ambassador to Podgorica, which confirmed Dender's appointment for the next four years, Roberti emphasised "how important it is for all institutions to be committed to preserving those deep roots, rich in history and culture, that unite Friuli Venezia Giulia and Italy to these lands." According to Roberti, "support for the Italian communities in the Balkans, particularly the nine sections active in Montenegro, has a dual political and cultural significance, reflecting the national government's desire to accelerate the process of European integration, on the one hand, and the regional government's desire to protect and enhance the tangible and intangible heritage that has united our peoples throughout history, on the other." This process will only be strengthened by Montenegro's membership in the European Union, which will allow us to broaden our scope of action with broader initiatives across the country and involve a larger number of institutional stakeholders." The councillor highlighted the role of the People's University of Trieste, "a bridge with the city of Kotor since 2004 and, more generally, the organiser of a rich calendar of initiatives to keep Italian identity and culture alive across the 54 communities present in Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, and Montenegro." Upcoming initiatives include a travelling multimedia exhibition—conceived by the Istrian Union and UPT in collaboration with the State Archives of Montenegro and scheduled to open in early 2027—on the evolution of relations between Italy and the Bay of Kotor area from the Venetian Republic to the twentieth century, as well as the photo-editorial exhibition "Italia Amore Mio" by Gianfranco Jannuzzo and the engravings by Emiliano Edera. (ANSA).