On 1–2 October, Dubrovnik hosted ADRIA 2025 – Adriatic Sea SARex / POLex / COMex, the international exercise promoted by Croatia with the support of European and regional partners. The simulations focused on search and rescue, response to marine pollution, and interoperability of communication systems. The Pollution Response Exercise took place within the framework of the Interreg ADRION ASAP – Adriatic Sensitive Areas Protection Mechanism project, coordinated by the CEI - Executive Secretariat (CEI-ES). The goal is to strengthen the protection of the most sensitive areas of the Adriatic through common procedures and enhanced joint operational capacity.
Ambassador Ivana Pejović, CEI Deputy Secretary General, stated: “For more than thirty years, our organisation has acted as a bridge between EU and non-EU countries, promoting European integration, sustainable development and regional cohesion. ASAP reflects this mission in a concrete way: it translates strategic priorities into practical action, bringing together institutions, experts and field operators to protect our common sea. This exercise has shown that, by acting together, we are stronger.”
The exercise, cut short due to adverse weather conditions, will provide valuable inputs for the ASAP Strategy for the Protection of Adriatic Sensitive Areas, to be presented in 2026. The lessons learned in Dubrovnik will also guide the next sea exercise, scheduled to take place in Slovenia in the spring of next year. The results also consolidate the role of the CEI as a platform for regional cooperation and a bridge between Italy, the Balkans and Europe, contributing to strengthening maritime security and the protection of the Adriatic as both a natural heritage and a shared economic resource
