Mr. Chairman,
Dear Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen
I wish first of all to thank the Chairmanship in Office for organizing this meeting in an excellent manner.
Greece highly values the SEECP (South East Europe Cooperation Process), which constitutes a unique political forum for regional cooperation in South Eastern Europe, instituted at the initiative of the countries of this region on the principles of regional ownership and all-inclusiveness. The Process aims at promoting the good neighborly relations among its member-countries and their constructive cooperation for the benefit of the region as a whole, as well as facilitating the European integration of all the aspiring countries of the region.
SITUATION IN THE REGION
The prospect of European integration has further strengthened the efforts of the South East European countries to promote inter-state understanding, mutual trust and cooperation. We should capitalize on this trend in order to address the remaining, long-pending, issues and consolidate peace, stability and good neighborly relations in South Eastern Europe, but also promote democracy, the rule of law, state efficiency and a healthy, well functioning, open economy.
In this period of the still persisting economic crisis, the economic matters should be placed high on our agenda and serious efforts should be made to achieve regional recovery, economic growth and a sustainable and all inclusive development.
This approach is evident in the priorities of the Romanian Chairmanship-in-Office, but also in the “Strategy and Work Program” of the RCC ( Regional Cooperation Council) for the period 2014-16, which includes, as its main component, the “SEE 2020 Strategy, A Job-creating Growth Strategy” and the EU Integration Strategy.
GREEK EU PRESIDENTSHIP- MAIN RESULTS
In the same vein, Greece has set the priorities of its Presidency of the Council of the EU with the aim to counter the economic crisis within EU and its social and political outcomes. I, indicatively, present some of its main achievements:
1-Regarding the priority of promoting Growth, Employment and Social Cohesion, I note the completion of the legislation respecting the Multi-annual Financial Framework and the decision on the participation of the EU in the capital increase of the European Investment Fund.
2-On the question of the further integration of EU and the Eurozone and especially regarding the promotion of the banking union, I stress an important event, the political agreement with the EP on the Single Resolution Mechanism (SRM).
3-Regarding the Migration-Borders-Mobility priority worth noting is the revision of the listing of third countries whose nationals need or are exempt from visa requirements to cross the EU borders. One of the results of this revision was the liberalization of visa regime for Moldova. The adoption of the Regulation on the External Maritime Border Surveillance is another important achievement during the Greek Presidency of the Council of the EU.
4-Regarding the EU Maritime Policies, I especially mention the Directive on the Maritime Spatial Planning, which is expected to benefit tourism and the protection of the environment.
EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE OF THE WESTERN BALKANS
Greece has been not just a supporter but initiator of EU enlargement in the Western Balkans, as a means of consolidating peace, security, stability and prosperity in the region. The European perspective of the Western Balkan countries remained a priority during the whole period of the Greek EU Presidency.
We are proud that the starting of the accession negotiations with Serbia took place during our Presidency and would like to thank FM Dacic for his kind words. We are also glad that during our Presidency visa liberalization was granted to Moldova.
In this framework, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece paid a visit to all the Western Balkan countries, on February, while an EU- Western Balkans Ministerial Conference was organized in Thessaloniki, in May 8th, as a tribute to the milestone 2003 Thessaloniki Agenda which still provides the basic framework of EU-Western Balkans relations and, mainly, as a forum to consider practical measures to promote the European perspective of the Western Balkan countries.
The Conference consisted of two sessions. In the first, during a political discussion on the achievements and challenges of enlargement and the European integration of the Western Balkans, the participants reaffirmed their commitment to the European perspective of the region. In the second, there was a more operational/technical exchange of views, with the participation of representatives of financial institutions and regional organizations, focusing on the issue of Connectivity between the EU and the Western Balkans, as well as within the region, in the fields of energy and transport.
The promotion of the idea of Connectivity in the fields of energy and transport was actually recognized as an opportunity to complement the accession process and promote growth, competitiveness and employment in the Western Balkan region, while the broader geopolitical advantages this policy were also stressed. I remind you, on this occasion, that concrete actions to promote regional cooperation in the fields of energy and transport are part of the South East Europe 2020 strategy, as it was evident in the “Baseline Report” which was adopted yesterday by the SEE 2020 Governing Board.
During the Conference the European Commission confirmed its intention to use up to 1 billion Euro from the new IPA for infrastructure projects in the six Western Balkan beneficiaries for the 2014-2020 period.
To summarize: Greece will continue working to maintain the EU focus on our region and to give a more tangible European perspective to the Western Balkans. Greece considers essential that the integrity and the credibility of the enlargement process be maintained and reinforced.
We have to bear in mind in this context that the EU has repeatedly reaffirmed its strong commitment to the SEECP States’ European perspective, depending on the known, rigorous but fair, conditionality and the individual aspirations and merits of the candidate and aspirant countries.
As a consequence, in order for the South East European countries to advance towards full EU membership, all criteria and requirements set by the Union should be fulfilled. Strengthening the rule of law and democracy, respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms and commitment to constructive regional cooperation are at the core of this process. Respecting and promoting good neighborly relations remains an essential precondition for accession to the European and Euro-Atlantic structures. It should be stressed that Good Neighborly Relations constitutes an integral part of the Stabilization and Association Process, the EU policy specially designed for Western Balkans countries, launched in June 1999 and strengthened at the Thessaloniki Summit in June 2003, aiming at the actual EU integration of all the countries of the region. The pace by which each country will advance towards the EU depends, of course, entirely on its own individual progress.
Let me conclude by expressing our solidarity to the victims of flood in Varna but also few days ago in Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia. In my country there was an impressive mobilization of civil society to collect medicaments and other items for the victims of the flood. This is a very important sign of popular solidarity.
Once again congratulations to the Romanian Chairmanship and all the best to the forthcoming Albanian one.
June 20, 2014