site.bta13th SEECP Parliamentary Assembly Session Takes Place in Sofia

The 13th Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) took place here on Tuesday. The organization was marking 30 years since its establishment through the 1996 Sofia Declaration.

Bulgaria's National Assembly Chair and SEECP's Parliamentary Assembly President Mihaela Dotsova opened the event, stressing that the Process remains an important platform for promoting good-neighbourly relations, stability and regional cooperation amid growing international challenges. The Assembly has helped build trust, promote dialogue and identify common solutions to regional challenges, she said. Dotsova stressed that good neighbourly relations remain at the heart of SEECP and are essential for stability, prosperity and the European integration of the Western Balkans.

Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova said that a strong and active parliamentary dimension is an integral part of the architecture of SEECP. Petrova said that parliaments provide the democratic legitimacy of regional dialogue, ensure the sustainability of commitments undertaken and translate political decisions into tangible policies. She noted that this role is reflected in the South-East Europe Strategy 2030, where the Parliamentary Assembly stands out as a key platform for dialogue and interparliamentary cooperation in the region, contributing to mutual understanding, democratic development and further alignment with European Union legislative standards and practices.

Diplomatic representatives and experts discussed the achievements of Bulgaria’s Chairmanship-in-Office of the SEECP.  

Through its hosting of the Process, Bulgaria succeeded in achieving dialogue, partnership and practical cooperation, said Tanya Mihaylova, Director of the Diplomatic Institute at the Minister of Foreign Affairs. 

Foreign Ministry's Director for Foreign Economic Relations and Development Cooperation Ivanka Tasheva highlighted the priorities of Bulgaria's Chairmanship - the future of the Process, improving the competitiveness of economies and investing in human capital, regional connectivity, as well as addressing challenges and threats arising from disinformation, cyberattacks, natural disasters, and disruptions to supply chains and logistics.

Romania’s Ambassador to Bulgaria Brandusa Predescu emphasized the importance of drawing lessons from past experience, continuing to build on achievements through cooperation, and ensuring that no one is left behind as part of a process moving in a common direction.

Economic Policy Institute Executive Director Yasen Georgiev spoke about the development of regional cooperation, the construction of motorways, the improvement of railway infrastructure, the building of a new bridge between Romania and Bulgaria, as well as water connectivity.