BiH took over from Slovenia chairing SEECP

Today, Bosnia and Herzegovina took over from Slovenia the Presidency of the South East Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP) in Brdo near Kranj.

Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BiH, Denis Zvizdić, said that the one-year chairmanship of the largest regional forum will be a great obligation and an incentive for contributing to regional cooperation.

Speaking to the audience, Zvizdic said that SEECP's main objectives are, among other things, the strengthening of security, stability, a good political environment, and economic relations and cooperation in the areas of democracy and justice. He underlined that BiH, within the framework of the SEECP mission, will support the strengthening of human resources, as well as the fight against illicit activities and terrorism, with the aim of transforming the region into an area of peace and stability.

- We have the capacity and the desire to join forces that will ensure Southeast Europe to become a positive example of successful regional cooperation, infrastructure connectivity and friendly relations. BiH is determined to continue strengthening regional co-operation, as it is a 'condition that can not be' for creating a stable and secure environment in the region, which is one of the prerequisites for economic development, said Speaker Zvizdic during his address.

He emphasized the fact that SEECP provides everyone with an excellent opportunity to use dialogue at all levels to share knowledge, best practices and lessons learned from many areas that will present the region as a successful story, and to speed up European integration for those members of the region which are in the "waiting room" for the European Union.

- SEECP countries have launched a political initiative and have taken ownership of the processes in the region, creating ideas of peace, security, good neighborly relations and economic development, by investing efforts to keep the instability, conflicts and collective apathy behind them a constructive partner to Europe - said Zvizdic.

He added that Bosnia and Herzegovina has a clear and strong interest in a stable and prosperous Europe.

- BiH has fostered coexistence and multi-ethnicity, solidarity and understanding through centuries. The fundamentals of European integration are also based on these principles. We also emphasize that a dialogue based on European values and principles, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, respect for diversity and human rights is the basis for the functioning of a united Europe - said the chairman Zvizdic.

He underlined that membership in the European Union represents the highest priority of foreign policy and the strategic goal of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

- We are trying to do everything to speed up our European path. Our goal is to become a candidate country for EU membership by the end of 2018 or at the very beginning of 2019. In this regard, BiH welcomes the European Commission's messages on the credible prospects of enlargement for the countries of the Western Balkans as an important political message that points to the clear intention of the European Union regarding our region. We highly appreciate the decision of the Bulgarian presidency of the European Union to put the theme of the enlargement of the European Union to the countries of the Western Balkans at the center of its priorities - said at the end of his address Chairman Zvizdic and congratulated Slovenia on the successful chairmanship of the SEECP.

Besides the Chairman Zvizdic and the Prime Minister of Slovenia Mire Cerar, the meeting in Brdo near Kranj was attended by Prime Ministers of Bulgaria Boyko Borisov, Croatia Andrej Plenkovic, Montenegro Dusko Markovic and Kosovo Ramus Haradinaj, as well as representatives of the European Union, Serbia, Albania, Romania, Greece and Macedonia.

At the initiative of Bulgaria, the SEECP was founded in 1996 under the name Balkan Initiative, in order to strengthen economic and political co-operation, promote good neighborly relations and joint fight against organized crime, the BiH Council of Ministers said.

• 24 Apr, 2018
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