Daniel Mitov: SEECP has a vital role for the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of the Western Balkans
24 February 2015 News
Minister Daniel Mitov participated in the informal meeting of the ministers of foreign affairs of the South-East European Cooperation Process /SEECP/, which was held today in Tirana within the framework of the Albanian Chairmanship-in-Office /July 2014-June 2015/. The SEECP top diplomats discussed the latest developments within the initiative and the best modalities to adapt the organization to the present-day challenges of the region in order to make the cooperation within this format more effective and result-oriented.
Speaking at the forum, Minister Mitov underscored the role of the SEECP as a leading political format for regional cooperation, thus promoting security, stability and prosperity. It has a vital role for the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of states from the Western Balkans, he said. Minister Mitov focused also on the upcoming Bulgarian SEECP Chairmanship as of July 2015, adding that during this period the organization will observe its 20th anniversary /1996-2016/. This gives additional impetus for further deepening the cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
Minister Daniel Mitov outlined the key fields of cooperation during the upcoming Bulgarian Chairmanship: transport, energy and infrastructure, media freedom and freedom of expression, migration and the refugee pressure. He emphasized that Bulgaria will continue to put efforts in areas such as stabilization and economic development, security and justice, environmental protection and combating climate change, regional policy for youth and sport, development of human potential - culture and education.
At the end of the meeting, the SEECP foreign ministers adopted a joint statement on terrorism, in which they strongly condemned its spread worldwide and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen cooperation in order to neutralize such threats in the future. “The joint statement voices our growing concern over the danger coming from ISIL and the ideology it disseminates. If we really want to become a truly integrated area, if we want to be really adequate, we must respond firmly and decisively to the challenges we face from terrorists," the document says.
At the press conference in the Troyka format, Minister Daniel Mitov emphasized the importance of continuity between the chairmanships as a pre-condition for sustained development of the region.
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