On 21 January 2026 CEI Secretary General Franco Dal Mas hosted at the Executive Secretariat an Italian delegation engaged in the preparatory phase of the “Falcone–Borsellino Programme for the Central European Initiative”, an activity aimed at strengthening the rule of law and combating corruption and organised crime across the CEI region.
The meeting was attended by the CEI Secretary General, Franco Dal Mas, and the National Coordinator for Italy, Alfredo Durante Mangoni. The delegation included representatives and experts from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Discussions focused on the operational aspects of the Programme, including judicial cooperation, institutional capacity-building and the exchange of best practices, with a flexible approach tailored to the specific needs of each participating country. The political declaration adopted at the CEI Ministerial Meeting in Belgrade on 26 November 2025 underlined Member States’ support for the launch of the Programme in Central & Eastern Europe and the Balkans.
“Effective governance relies on transparency, accountability and cooperation between institutions,” emphasised Secretary General Franco Dal Mas, highlighting the value of multi-level dialogue and experience-sharing between countries to promote democracy, the rule of law and sound administrative practices.
The visit reaffirmed the role of the CEI Secretariat as a key reference point for regional coordination and institutional dialogue on legality and good governance in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe.
For more info: radovanovic@cei.int
