site.btaBulgaria's BSEC Chairmanship-in-Office Focused on Transport, Environment, Culture - Foreign Minister Zaharieva

ESD 12:08:31 28-06-2019
DD1214ES.107
107 POLITICS - BSEC - MFA COUNCIL MEETING

Bulgaria's BSEC Chairmanship-in-Office
Focused on Transport, Environment, Culture -
Foreign Minister Zaharieva


Sofia, June 28 (BTA) - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva highlighted cooperation in transport, environmental protection and culture as the priorities of Bulgaria's Chairmanship-in-Office of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC).

On Friday, Zaharieva opened the 40th meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of BSEC, the most representative and institutionally developed organization in the broader Black Sea Region.

The meeting marks the end of Bulgaria's fourth Chairmanship-in-Office and the beginning of Greece's stint.

The organization still faces serious challenges arising from the complicated situation in the Black Sea Region, said Zaharieva. "Despite our differences, BSEC brings us together every time to concentrate on what unites us, not on what divides us," Bulgaria's chief diplomat said.

Zaharieva noted that there is no better proof of BSEC's importance and role on the international scene than the membership application of North Macedonia. She added that she was confident the BSEC Council would consider favourably Skopje's bid on Friday so that a new member could join BSEC in the near future.

Zaharieva talked about other Bulgarian priorities, including tourism, health care, energy and promoting fruitful cooperation between BSEC and the EU.

The event is attended by representatives of the 12 members (Bulgaria, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine), Egypt and Tunisia, which have observer status, and the Union for the Mediterranean, among others. LN/DD