Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova Opens the Annual Meeting of the Regional Cooperation Council
09 June 2026 News
Minister of Foreign Affairs Velislava Petrova opened the Annual Meeting of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), which was held today in Sofia as part of Bulgaria’s Chairmanship-in-Office of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP). The event takes place on the eve of the SEECP Meeting of Foreign Ministers and SEECP Summit and forms part of the commemorations marking the 30th anniversary of the Process.
In her opening remarks, Minister Petrova underscored the importance of the SEECP as the principal regional platform for dialogue, confidence-building and good-neighbourly cooperation in South-East Europe. She noted that, amid growing geopolitical and economic challenges, regional cooperation remains a key instrument for strengthening stability, security and sustainable development.
Velislava Petrova further highlighted that Bulgaria possesses all the necessary prerequisites to position itself as a regional hub for stability, economic competitiveness and technological advancement, with a key role in the fields of energy, innovation and digital technologies.
“At a time of increasing geopolitical and economic challenges, our country continues to demonstrate its potential to serve as a guarantor of stability and predictability, while actively contributing to the sustainable development of the region and of Europe,” the Foreign Minister stressed.
As part of the official opening of the meeting, a video address was delivered by Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement. In her remarks, she emphasised that, in the context of growing geopolitical uncertainty, shifting power dynamics and intensified competition for influence in regions neighbouring the European Union, enlargement policy is acquiring ever greater strategic importance for Europe’s security and stability. Commissioner Kos stressed the need for the countries of the Western Balkans to remain firmly anchored to the European Union and noted that tangible and measurable progress is being achieved in this process.
In the course of the meeting, Bulgaria's top diplomat, Velislava Petrova, expressed appreciation to RCC Secretary General Amer Kapetanović and his team for their active work in support of regional cooperation and the European perspective of the region.
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