site.btaExpert Says Balkans Surrounded by Conflicts Originating Outside Region

Economics and International Relations Institute (EIRI) CEO Lyubomir Kyuchukov said on Monday that the Balkans are in a unique situation because conflicts surround the region but do not originate from it. He was speaking at the opening of a conference titled "Towards Shared Regional Security for Peace, Stability and Cooperation in the Balkans and the Black Sea" in Sofia, organized by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and EIRI.

Kyuchukov noted that the event is linked not only to Bulgaria’s current Chairmanship-in-Office of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), which will be handed over to Romania on June 10, but also to the broader development of regional cooperation in Southeastern Europe.

Regionalization demonstrates that processes are no longer confined within the borders of individual states but increasingly unfold at regional and global levels, he said, adding that this trend unfortunately also applies to conflicts.

According to Kyuchukov, the choice between being a neutral periphery and an active zone of confrontation should not be seen as the only option for the region. He stressed that the SEECP, which marks its 30th anniversary in 2026, remains a significant achievement at a time when dialogue and mutual trust have become some of the most scarce commodities in international relations.

For Bulgaria, the creation of the SEECP was a fully Bulgarian initiative, from the concept and structuring of regional cooperation in the 1990s to the later reform of its architecture based on the principle of regional ownership, i.e. placing regional interests at the forefront, he said.

Kyuchukov emphasized that the region is now facing entirely new challenges and risks. He said the aim of the conference is to encourage a joint rethinking of these issues by examining what the region should look like in 10 or 20 years and what developments should be avoided.

The war in Ukraine, rising geopolitical tensions, crises of trust and increasing militarization raise fundamental questions about how to guarantee the security of societies, he said. Stability cannot be built solely on a balance of power but requires political will, dialogue, trust among societies and the ability to seek common solutions beyond national differences and interests, he added.

Friedrich Ebert Foundation Director Jacques Paparo said the conference is taking place amid growing challenges. The Balkans and the Black Sea region have always been of strategic importance, he noted, adding that democratic debate is more necessary than ever as Europe searches for a new vision for its future.

For the Foundation, peace and cooperation have always been closely linked, Paparo said. Sustainable security is built not only through institutions but also through trust. Bulgaria has a special role to play and can be an important factor for dialogue and connectivity in Southeastern Europe and the Black Sea region, he added.

Dimitar Gardev, who chaired the Foreign Policy Committee of the previous parliament, said cohesion policy should remain a firm priority.

Attending the forum are President Iliana Iotova, MPs, MEPs, former President (2002-2012) Georgi Parvanov, former National Assembly chair Georgi Pirinski, ambassadors, diplomats and academics.