site.btaPresident Plevneliev Outlines Priorities of Bulgaria's SEECP Chairmanship in Tirana

President Plevneliev Outlines Priorities of Bulgaria's SEECP Chairmanship in Tirana

Tirana, May 26 (BTA) - Transport and energy connectivity in
Southeastern Europe, strengthening the fundamentals of
democracy, security and migration will top the agenda of
Bulgaria's Chairmanship-in Office of the Southeastern Europe
Cooperation Process (SEECP), whose priorities were outlined by
President Rosen Plevneliev at a SEECP Summit in Tirana on
Tuesday.

At the Summit Bulgaria took over the Chairmanship-in-Office from
Albania. Bulgaria will chair the regional initiative between
July 1 2015 and June 30 2016, which will mark SEECP's 20th
anniversary. The format was established in Sofia in 1996.

Plevneliev said that Bulgaria considers regional cooperation,
reconciliation, connectivity and good neighborly relations core
values. The Bulgarian head of State told participants in the
forum that in the past 20 years the Balkans have achieved a lot
and have solved serious problems, but that more efforts are
needed towards peace and prosperity. "The major driver of this
positive change is the engine of regional cooperation and
European integration," said Plevneliev.

"We want borders on the Balkans to fall, not to be moved.
Cooperation between neighbors is a very powerful instrument,
especially on the Balkans," said the Bulgarian head of State,
adding that trust and good communication could prevent a lot of
crises. "Let us avoid double games and double standards - in
history, in politics, in democracy, in the rule of law and media
freedom," he added.

"Recent events in the Republic of Macedonia have shown the need
to reaffirm our support for the independence and territorial
integrity of the country. The Bulgarian Chairmanship-in-Office
of the SEECP will work for the adoption of a joint Declaration
to reaffirm the principle of inviolability of national borders
in the region," said Plevneliev.

He went on to say that enhancing connectivity is a necessity in
order to secure foreign investments in the region and open up
new markets. The President noted a need for shared efforts and a
regional approach to handling complex challenges in
Southeastern Europe such as energy dependence, lack of
connectivity, economic problems, climate change, and the biggest
migratory flow towards Europe in decades. Regarding migratory
flow Bulgaria will pool efforts to deal with this challenge
through creating an efficient regional policy based on
solidarity with affected countries. An opportunity to exchange
ideas and consolidate a common position will be provided at two
special conferences on migration policy and demographic
challenges.

The implementation of transport and energy infrastructure
projects will also feature on the agenda of Bulgaria's
Chairmanship-in-Office. Plevneliev noted that the EU is planning
to invest almost 50 billion euro in the region by 2020.
"Improving the energy security of our region through
diversifying the sources and routes of supply and connecting our
gas and electricity networks should be a common priority," he
underscored. The President added that by building a regional
Energy Exchange the foundation will be laid of a common energy
market with competitive prices and suggested that the
establishment of the European Energy Union start from the
Balkans. The program of Bulgaria's Chairmanship-in-Office
envisages a high-level forum on "Energy security and energy
infrastructure in Southeastern Europe" in October 2015 and a
high-level meeting on "Strengthening the regional
infrastructure" in April 2016.

Under the motto "SEECP - 20 years key to regional cooperation",
the Bulgarian Chairmanship has set an ambitious and
result-oriented agenda for the next 12 months. Bulgaria will
focus on raising the visibility of the SEECP as a political
format within EU institutions. "SEECP-EU interaction is vital
for the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of the Western
Balkans," he said.

The President called for further strengthening the partnership
between the SEECP and the Regional Cooperation Council, as well
as between the other formats such as the EU Strategy for the
Danube Region, the Adriatic-Ionian Strategy, and the
Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation.

Bulgaria attaches great importance to the parliamentary
dimension of the SEECP and will seek the support of the
participating states for the proposal of the Bulgarian National
Assembly to transform the acting Regional Secretariat for
Parliamentary Cooperation in Sofia into a Permanent Secretariat
of the new Parliamentary Assembly.

Bulgaria was among SEECP's founders in 1996. Since then it has
chaired the forum twice (1996-1997 and 2007-2008).