Macedonia and the rest of the former Yugoslav countries, along with Greece, Albania, Bulgaria and Romania, have established the association 'Iter Vitis Balkan'.
After it is legally registered, the association is expected to be certified in October as a cultural route that is part of the Council of Europe program 'Cultural Routes'.
Macedonia is already part of the 'Iter Vitis', and the Balkan wine route 'Iter Vitis Balkan' was promoted on Thursday in Skopje. It will unite the Balkan countries and it will affirm their rich cultural heritage and their common tradition of viniculture. It will be aimed at enhancing the cultural and economic development of the countries that took part in this initiative.
The idea for creating a Balkan wine route was acknowledged by Culture Minister Elizabeta Kanceska-Milevska and Stefano Dominioni - director of the European Institute of Cultural Routes, part of the Council of Europe, who opened the conference 'Establishment of Iter Vitis Balkan-Possibility for Connection and Economic Development".
"The association 'Iter Vitis Balkan' will intensify our cooperation, it will boost tourism and provide economic benefits for all participating member states. The establishment of 'Iter Vitis Balkan' will also promote another segment of our rich cultural tradition, the production of autochthonous wine varieties and the cultivation of viniculture in this area. The establishment of the new association 'Iter Vitis Balkan' will make us a regional leader in the so-called 'Wine route'," Kanceska-Milevska pointed out.
Promotional activities regarding the work of the association will take place the upcoming period so that a quality brand can be created.
In his opening speech, Stefano Domenioni, Head of the European Institute for Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, said that the route will show time and space travel, and will contribute to the jointly shared heritage.
"I am convinced that what we are creating is not only a legal association, but rather a community of experts, colleagues and friends, connected by the same values, building basis for mutual culture and socio-economic projects which benefit the entire region. That is in fact the spirit of the Cultural Routes program, supported by the Council of Europe with its 47 member states," said Domenioni.
The Wine Cultural Route is one of the 33 cultural routes certified by the Council of Europe. They go through many European countries, and promote the mutual heritage of European cultures. The Cultural Routes in which partners from at least 3 countries participate, are based on mutual European historical and cultural themes - architecture, music, industry, landscape, wine culture...
The Cultural Routes program has been established in 1987. Each year this program accepts and certifies new candidates for routes.
According to Domenioni, there is potential for the establishment of new cultural routes to promote the mutual traditions of several countries. He underlined that the possibilities are endless, pointing as examples the Routes of Olive Tree; Megalithic Culture; Jewish Heritage...
He also informed about the two applications from South East European countries who have filed their candidatures for the creation of cultural routes - Route of Cyril and Methodius, and route of Via Ignatia.