The annual Summit of the SouthEast Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP) held in Thessaloniki was chaired by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Greece’s leading role as a factor of stability, peace and security in Southeast Europe and as a co-shaper of discussions on the future of the region at a critical geopolitical juncture, was highlighted by the Southeast European Cooperation Process Summit, according to government sources.
The annual Summit of the SouthEast Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP) held in Thessaloniki was chaired by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
The SEECP is the only regional cooperation scheme involving exclusively the countries of South-Eastern Europe and Kosovo, and the aim of the Summit is to strengthen good neighborly relations and regional cooperation and to properly prepare for the integration of its members into the Euro-Atlantic institutions through cooperation. in the fields of rule of law, security and economy.
In this context, the Prime Minister had the opportunity for a substantial exchange of views with all the leaders on the future of the region and the challenges of the current situation.
According to the same government sources, the importance of the Summit for the discussions concerning the region at the wider European level is reflected in the fact that the President of the European Council Charles Michel participated in the Summit as a high guest and observer, while the Chancellor attended the dinner. of Germany Olaf Scholz, following the invitation addressed to them by the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
At the Summit, most members of the Process were represented at the level of Head of State or Government: the Head of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Collective Bureau, Sefik Džaferović, the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, the President of Montenegro, MiloĐ , the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić, the President of Slovenia Borut Pahor, the Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama, the Prime Minister of Northern Macedonia Dimitar Kovačevski, the Prime Minister of Bulgaria Kiril Petkov, the Prime Minister of Croatia Andreav G Natalia M , the Deputy Prime Minister of Romania Sorin Grindeanu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selaković, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria Teodora Genchovska and the Deputy Minister of European Affairs of Turkey Faruk Kaymakci. The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majilinda Bregu also participated.
At the end of the Summit, a Joint Declaration was adopted, which outlines the commitment of the Participants to the principles of democracy, the rule of law and the values of mutual respect and solidarity that inspire the SEECP since its inception, while reaffirming its European perspective. . The Declaration includes specific commitments for actions in areas of critical structural importance, such as security against old and new threats, energy security, and sustainable, green and inclusive, sustainable development.
SEECP was founded in 1996 with Greek and Bulgarian initiative. Its first Summit was held in Crete in 1997.
Apart from Greece, Albania, Northern Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Croatia, Montenegro, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey are participating.
The priority areas of the Greek Presidency, which ended today, were the strengthening of security cooperation and the promotion of democracy, rule of law and human rights reforms, the strengthening of interconnection, sustainable development, the protection of the environment and the treatment of the effects of the pandemic. Particular importance was also attached to the Presidency’s cooperation with the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), which is the operational arm of the SEECP.
