Sarajevo hosts meeting of Southeast European foreign ministers

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The meeting of the heads of diplomacy of the member states of the Southeast European Cooperation Process (SEECP) was held in Sarajevo, taking place on July 8 and 9.

Among the foreign ministers hosted by Minister Igor Crnadak were Mevlut Cavusoglu (Turkey) and Ivica Dačić (Serbia). The summit is attended by representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Turkey, and Slovenia.

High-level delegations from SEECP member states, representatives of the European Union and the Regional Cooperation Council are participating in the meeting. Discussions will focus on the current momentum of EU integration, activities on connectivity in the Southeast European region and beyond as a prerequisite for sustainable development, and regional and European integration processes.

The summit is being held without the representatives of Kosovo and Albania.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Igor Crnadak, in his address, drew attention to the importance of Southeast Europe as a crossroads of different cultures and traditions, but also as a region connecting two continents. He emphasized the need for a joint response to all contemporary challenges, as well as the fact that the current times offer enormous potential that should be utilized for common prosperity. Minister Crnadak highlighted the importance of connectivity among the countries of the region, not only in terms of infrastructure but also in terms of digital, economic, cultural connectivity, and connectivity among young people.

This is a prerequisite for achieving faster economic growth, modernization, sustainable development, and the overall prosperity of the inhabitants of the entire region. He particularly drew attention to the necessity of faster integration of the region into the European Union, emphasizing that this is beneficial not only for Southeast Europe but is also in the interest of the entire European continent.