Parliamentary Delegations from CEI Member States attended the Parliamentary Committee of the CEI Parliamentary Dimension (CEI PD) in Tirana on 30 June - 1 July 2024, under the Albanian CEI Presidency.
The gathering, moderated by Etjen Xhafaj, Chairman of the Albanian Delegation and President of the CEI PD, focused on the role of Parliaments in the oversight of the executive and in the EU integration process.
The meeting was opened by the Minister for Europe and Foreign affairs of Albania, Igli Hasani, who emphasised the need for stronger interparliamentary cooperation under the new EU. Welcome addresses were also delivered by the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, Ermonela Valikaj, and the Chairwoman of the Committee for Foreign Policy, Mimi Kodheli.
CEI Deputy Secretary General Zsuzsanna Kiràly highlighted that “Today’s meeting represents a good opportunity to emphasize that cooperation among the Parliaments of CEI countries plays a key role within our Organisation and highly contribute to achieve our core mission: fostering European integration and sustainable development through regional cooperation.”
The meeting also provided the opportunity to recall that, thanks to an improved cooperation among the Governmental and Parliamentary Dimensions, the Organisation could embark upon a reform path within the “Convention for the Strengthening of the Central European Initiative” to reinforce the role of the Organisation as a valuable political platform contributing to the stabilisation of the region, its economic development and social progress.
The meeting concluded with a Joint Statement reaffirming the CEI’s role as an effective forum of regional cooperation, based on fundamental values that the CEI and the EU share. It also highlighted the importance of reinforcing the role of Parliament as crucial for the preservation of democratic principles of representation and public participation. The need for further promoting capacity building programmes and information campaigns about European integration in the region was also mentioned.
For more info: fabro@cei.int