Secretary General Franco Dal Mas, met in Sofia on 10 September with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, Georg Georgiev.
During the meeting, focused on enlargement, security, and support for Ukraine, the crucial role played by Bulgaria during the CEI Presidency in 2022 was recalled. At that time, a firm decision was taken to condemn the large-scale aggression against Ukraine, reinforcing solidarity and cooperation as distinctive features of the Initiative.
Only through concrete cooperation can we turn today’s challenges into opportunities for growth and shared stability, stated Dal Mas, also underlining the political value of the European integration process for the security of the continent.
He reaffirmed the CEI’s commitment to accompany candidate countries, promoting good neighbourly relations, positive examples, and the adoption of the necessary standards to achieve the common goal of integration.
Dal Mas further praised Bulgaria’s experience, noting that with its recent accession to Schengen and its forthcoming entry into the Eurozone, it can offer concrete examples to non-EU States, contributing to human and institutional development throughout the region.
Connectivity and good governance were also central points of the discussion. The TEN-T network and the IMEC initiative were highlighted as essential tools for economic development, alongside the potential of Corridor 8 connecting the Black Sea and the Adriatic, which Minister Georgiev described as strategic.
Both parties agreed on the importance of the rule of law as a pillar of enlargement, recalling the good practices of Bulgarian projects financed by Italy through the CEI Know-how Exchange Programme (KEP).
On the margins of the mission, the Secretary General also met with the Ambassador of Italy to Bulgaria, Marcello Apicella, with whom he held fruitful exchanges on shared priorities and on Italy’s contribution to CEI activities in Bulgaria and the wider region.
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