During his mission to Budapest on 16 July 2026, Secretary General Franco Dal Mas, accompanied by Deputy Secretary General Zsuzsanna Király, met with MP Lovkó Csaba - Tisza, Chair of the Hungarian Delegation to the CEI Parliamentary Dimension as well as with the other members of the delegation at the Hungarian Parliament to discuss the role of parliamentary diplomacy in advancing regional cooperation, connectivity and European integration.
The meeting reaffirmed the Parliamentary Dimension as one of the four pillars of the Central European Initiative, providing a unique platform for political dialogue and cooperation among parliamentarians from the Organisation's 17 Member States.
Discussions focused on strengthening practical cooperation in areas of common strategic interest, including transport infrastructure, energy connectivity, economic competitiveness and support for the European integration of the Western Balkans. Both sides underlined that closer regional cooperation remains essential to promoting stability, sustainable growth and prosperity across Central and South-Eastern Europe.
Secretary General Dal Mas welcomed Hungary's longstanding commitment to the CEI and recalled that, since its establishment in Budapest in 1989, the Organisation has served as a bridge between EU and non-EU countries, translating political dialogue into concrete regional cooperation.
"Regional cooperation is not an end in itself, but a practical instrument for bringing our countries closer together, strengthening connectivity and supporting the reunification of Europe," Secretary General Dal Mas said. "The CEI will continue to promote concrete initiatives that deliver tangible benefits for citizens while accompanying the European path of the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova."
The Hungarian delegation reaffirmed its support to the CEI as a valuable framework for regional dialogue, highlighting the strategic importance of developing Central European transport and energy corridors to enhance competitiveness, strengthen economic resilience and improve connectivity across the region.
The meeting also looked ahead to the next session of the CEI Parliamentary Assembly, scheduled to take place in Bucharest in November under the Romanian CEI Presidency, where Member States will continue working together to advance the Organisation's parliamentary agenda and reinforce regional cooperation.
