site.btaSofia Hosts International Conference of SEECP Parliamentary Assembly

Sofia Hosts International Conference of SEECP Parliamentary Assembly

Sofia, November 6 (BTA) - The Bulgarian Parliament can assume the responsibility for the creation of an electronic platform for dialogue between the parliaments of the countries participating in the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), National Assembly Chair Tsetska Tsacheva said here Friday. She was speaking at an international conference of the SEECP Parliamentary Assembly, which was opened in Sofia on November 6.

Participating in the forum are representatives of the 13 countries participating in SEECP. Bulgarian assumed the SEECP Chairmainship-in-Office in July 2015.

Tsacheva, who is also SEECP Parliamentary Assembly President, said that today more than ever, the regional dimension of strategic cooperation has a leading significance. In her words, under the pressure of the migration crisis the attitude towards the countries in this region is changing and today it is time for dialogue and new partnerships.

"Our countries need development based on security. Achieving a higher level of transport, energy and infrastructure connectivity is at the basis of economic prosperity, directed at developing the human potential and quality of life in our countries," Tsacheva said.

In her words, in today's conditions there are new spaces for parliamentary diplomacy. "Today it depends on us to restore the citizens' trust in their representatives. The road to its restoration passes through an increase of the parliamentary diplomacy's quality and a broadening of parliamentary cooperation," Tsacheva noted.

"We are not only the newest parliamentary institution - we would also like to be the most modern central platform for parliamentary dialogue," she told the participants in the conference.

Deputy Foreign Minister Valentin Poryazov said that the strengthening of the SEECP countries' connectivity is a topic of key importance for the region, and marked as important goals the implementation of projects in the sphere of transport and energy infrastructure. He mentioned migration as one of the challenges and said that a conference will be held on migration policy between January and March 2016. Poryazov noted that the Bulgarian Chairmanship-in-Office also focuses on the region's economic development. He mentioned as other important topics media freedom, freedom of speech and cultural heritage.