Connectivity – the key word of the region
Skopje, September 19th, 2017 – Approaching the European Mobility Week, this weekend in Celje,a new phase of one of the most significant regional projects in the field of ecotransport – the EDISON eCity project was launched.
The event, attended by numerous representatives from the economy from the region and state representatives of the Government of Slovenia and the European Union, was organized by the regional initiative Summit100 in partnership with the local government of Celje and Rotary clubs in the region.
The EDISON platform was launched in Slovenia in 2015 as a result of a humanitarian initiative, whereas for the needs of children with disabilities, in the rent–a-car serviceswere introduced electric vehicles, the BMWi13 model. With this, the first ecological sharing economy was established and it is becoming one of the fastest growing global economic trends. Following the installation of ten stops for powering electric vehicles in Slovenia, this initiative was presented within the Summit100 in Sarajevo, aiming to trigger electrification on a 2400 km long road that connects all major cities in the region, from Ljubljana via Zagreb and Belgrade to Skopje, Tirana, Pristina, then Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar and Kopar. In April this year, the project eBelgrade was introduced. Last weekend, the first results of the platform were presented and the eCelje phase was launched, with which the EDISON project continues its connection within the region of Southeast Europe.
At the launch of the new phase in Celje, the European Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc was also present.
One of the creators and main drivers of the project is Dr. IztokSeljak, Chairman of the Managing Board of the Slovenian company “Hidria”, one of the leading European companies in the field of automotive technology, and Vice President of the Managing Board of Summit100.
“We are in an era of a major transformation of the society, which will be based on renewable energy and economy of sharing. All of us in the region see this as a phenomenal opportunity, as a connected region, to exploit thisopportunityfor rapid growth. Today, the EDISON project is recognized as one of the strategically most important projects of the environmental transport in Europe, and this is confirmed by today’s presence of Mrs. Violeta Bulz”, stated IztokSeljak. “EDISON is making a laboratory for green mobility from the region, and we can present the successful solutions in the global market”.
The event in Celje is one of the activities within the regional initiative Summit100, just before the sixth annual regional gathering, which will take place in Skopje on 16 and 17 October.
Summit100 of the business leaders of Southeast Europe is the only business initiative that unites the most prominent business leaders from Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania, aiming to position the regional cooperation high on the agenda of everyGovernment in the region, which will improve competitiveness of national economies and strengthen the potential of Southeastern Europe.
This year in Skopje, this event will unite more than 150 business and political leaders from the region, together with special guests from the European Commission, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), Norden, the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and many others, in order to
Identify the key projects and new deals for the new age, according to the slogan of Summit100.