Minister Ivan Kondov took part in the 31st OSCE Ministerial Council Meeting in Malta
05 December 2024 News
Minister Ivan Kondov attended the annual meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the member states of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which was held under the Presidency and auspices of Malta.
For the third consecutive year, the focus of the meeting was on the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine and its disruptive consequences for the security of Europe and the future of the organisation.
In the framework of the informal dinner for the heads of delegations held on 4 December with the participation of the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, the possibilities for future assistance to Ukraine within the OSCE were discussed. In his statement, Minister Kondov reaffirmed Bulgaria's support for the OSCE's continued engagement in the country, where the OSCE Secretariat Extra-budgetary (ExB) Support Programme for Ukraine (SPU), under which Bulgaria has been a donor since its establishment in 2022 and which has allowed the OSCE to maintain its presence in Ukraine after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, plays a leading role. In order to maximize added value, he stressed the importance of close coordination with Kiev to identify areas where the OSCE could add the most value, pointing out that in the long term the organization should focus on building resilience and reconstruction in the post-war period.
During the plenary session Minister Kondov reaffirmed Bulgaria's traditional and consistent support for Ukraine, stressing the unacceptability of Russia's aggressive actions, which constitute a flagrant violation of the UN Charter and the OSCE's founding principles. He stressed that the OSCE retains its importance for the European security architecture and in this sense the participating states have a responsibility to make efforts to preserve it. Welcomed the consensus reached on the appointment of a new Secretary-General and the heads of the three independent institutions (Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights/ODIHR, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media/RFM and OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities/HCNM) and looked forward to the early adoption of the budget and decisions for the 2026 and 2027 presidencies. On the latter, expressed support for Cyprus' readiness to take over the presidency of the organisation in 2027.
During the meeting, Minister Kondov held bilateral meetings with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and Acting OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Philippe Tremblay, at their request. In the framework of the meeting with Minister Saar, the prospects for EU-Israel cooperation were discussed, as well as the desire to deepen the bilateral dialogue between Bulgaria and Israel on multilateral and sectoral issues. In conversation with Minister Kondov, Acting RFM expressed its gratitude for the financial contribution and constructive cooperation with Bulgaria.
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