SEECP member countries to strengthen cooperation for combating COVID-19 pandemic

Chisinau, 7 November /MOLDPRES/ - Foreign Affairs and European Integration Minister Oleg Tulea has participated in an informal meeting of the foreign affairs ministers of the states participating in the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), dedicated to strengthening the cooperation in the South-Eastern Europe, in the context of the efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting is organized under the mandate of Turkey, which holds the SEECP chairmanship-in-office, the Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry’s (MAEIE) press service has reported.         
The heads of the national delegations tackled ways of consolidating the regional cooperation, in order to overcome the crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting also gave possibility to review the latest developments recorded in the European integration process in the south-east European region.
In his speech, Minister Oleg Tulea expressed appreciation for the way the Turkish chairmanship was exercising its mandate within SEECP on a period marked by more difficulties and challenges. Stressing that SEECP proved its relevance as dialogue political forum in the region, the Moldovan diplomacy head said Moldova would further back the promotion of the sectoral agenda, with emphasis put on getting tangible and inclusive results for the participating states, which are to contribute to the advancement of the European integration processes.  
The South-East European Cooperation process was launched at Bulgaria’s initiative in 1996. Thus, the countries from the South-East Europe laid the foundations of the political platform, in order to create an atmosphere of trust, good-neighbour relations and stability. Moldova joined SEECP as full-fledged member at the Thessaloniki Summit on 4 May 2006. The country held the organization’s chairmanship on the period 2008-2009.    
Photo: MAEIE