site.btaCroatia's Chairmanship-in-Office of SEECP to Focus on Solidarity, Better Tackling of Migration Crisis

Croatia's Chairmanship-in-Office of SEECP to Focus on Solidarity, Better Tackling of Migration Crisis

Pravets, Western Bulgaria, June 1 (BTA) - Croatia's forthcoming Chairmanship-in-Office of the South-East Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP) will focus on solidarity, on finding a faster solution of the migration crisis and on support to EU membership applicant countries, Croatian Foreign Minister Miro Kovac said after the end of the meeting of the foreign ministers of SEECP member states which took place here on Tuesday.

Kovac said that the migration crisis will be at the focus of attention and urged for global actions in the countries which experience crises and conflicts.

The Croatian Foreign Minister said that his country's Chairmanship-in-Office of SEECP will continue to work on the previous goals and achievements. He noted the importance of connectivity, of the political dialogue among the countries, parliamentary cooperation and synergy.

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov too said that the migration crisis is the chief problem, noting the need to wage an uncompromising war on human smugglers. Mitov said that regional conflicts such as the one in Syria generate migratory flows but this is not the only problem. "A big portion of the people coming to Europe are illegal economic migrants and our attention should focus on problems that are far beyond solving a given regional conflict," Mitov said, stressing the need for a much more global thinking.

Albanian Deputy Foreign Minister Odeta Barbullushi thanked Bulgaria for the successful Chairmanship-in-Office of SEECP which she said contributed towards more effective cooperation seeking more tangible results. As a representative of the country which held the previous SEECP Chairmanship-in-Office Barbullushi stressed the importance of consistency.

The Albanian official noted the commitment expressed by the SEECP member states for supporting the European perspective of the countries in the Western Balkans.