At the Summit of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), held in Sofia under the Bulgarian chairmanship, the leaders of the participating countries adopted the Sofia Declaration, the Annual Report of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and the Mid-Term Update of the SEE2030 Strategy.
The Summit Declaration marks the 30th anniversary of the SEECP and reaffirms the importance of regional cooperation, stability, security and sustainability in South-Eastern Europe. At the same time, the leaders commended the work of the RCC in strengthening regional coordination and advancing European integration.
RCC Secretary General Amer Kapetanovic said that the region needs a stronger strategic approach in the face of global challenges.
“Thirty years ago, SEECP helped restore the culture of dialogue. Today, it must help build a culture of strategic implementation. Regional cooperation is not a slogan. It is a necessity,” Kapetanovic declared.
He warned that Southeast Europe is facing the "triangle of pressures" of demography, productivity and sustainability, stressing that fragmented responses are no longer sufficient.
SEECP leaders welcomed the RCC's contribution as the operational arm of the process, appreciating its role in translating political priorities into concrete results for citizens, businesses and institutions.
The Sofia Declaration also reaffirms the European Union's perspective for participating countries aiming for membership, the importance of good neighborly relations and the role of the Regional Common Market in advancing economic integration and rapprochement with the EU Single Market.
The summit concluded with the official handover of the SEECP chairmanship from Sofia to Bucharest, which will lead the regional cooperation agenda in the coming period./ RTK
