Deputy Minister Emilia Kraleva Takes Part in Meeting of SEECP Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Slovenia
24 April 2018 News
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Emilia Kraleva attended a Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the South East Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP) on 23 April. The forum took place at Brdo pri Kranju, Slovenia, which holds the rotating Chairmanship-in-Office of the SEECP.
The foreign ministers’ meeting prepared the session of the heads of State and government of the SEECP countries which was held today. The Bulgarian diplomat stressed the similarity in the priorities of the Slovenian Chairmanship-in-Office of the SEECP and of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
“The mottoes of the Chairmanship-in-Office and of the Presidency convey a shared message of unity. More than ever before, the countries of the region need to pool their efforts in building a European future,” the Deputy Minister said. Emilia Kraleva stressed that one of the principal objectives of the Bulgarian EU Council Presidency has already been achieved, with the Western Balkans figuring high on the Union’s agenda. “The integration of the region is a long-term objective which Bulgaria will continue to pursue consistently. We succeeded in focusing the attention of the EU on the Western Balkans, but this is just the beginning. From now on, everybody has to put in a lot of efforts to bring the process to completion,” the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasised.
During the meeting she presented the advantages of Sofia’s bid to host the Permanent Secretariat of the SEECP Parliamentary Assembly and the expectations that all States participating in the Process will support it. In conclusion, Kraleva welcomed the agreement reached on the future chairmanship-in-office of the SEECP, as well as the consecutive mandates for the position of Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council.
The meetings in Brdo were the conclusive events to be organised by the year-long Slovenian Chairmanship-in-Office of the SEECP which began on 1 July 2017. After Slovenia, the Chairmanship-in-Office of the Process will be assumed by Bosnia and Herzegovina.
At their meeting today, the SEECP heads of State and government adopted a declaration.
Click HERE for the text of the SEECP Brdo Summit Declaration.
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