Senior official Ciamba attends Central European Initiative ministerial meeting discussing its future

Secretary of State for Euro-Atlantic bilateral and strategic affairs with Romania's Foreign Ministry (MAE) George Ciamba, attended a ministerial meeting of the Central European Initiative (CEI) in Split on Monday, organised by the annual CEI presidency, currently held by Croatia, according to a MAE press statement.

The meeting's agenda included debates on the future of CEI, including Austria's intention to withdraw from CEI, challenges in the EU accession processes, and the role of the CEI member states in ensuring regional stability amidst diverse transnational challenges, with emphasis on combating against the effects of illegal migration and on increasing connectivity.

MAE also says that the ministerial meeting was an opportunity for the CEI foreign ministers to promote and strengthen regional co-operation.

In his speech to the meeting, Ciamba highlighted Romania's appreciation and support for the Croatian chairmanship-in-office.

"The Romanian official stressed the relevance of the Central European Initiative, including in the context of the European integration of the Western Balkans and the European Union's co-operation with the participating Eastern Partnership countries - Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus."

At the same time, Ciamba welcomed the 2018 Enlargement Package and the proposed recommendations.

"The implementation of the European Commission's recommendations could make 2018 a European Year in terms of reform progress in the Western Balkan countries. The enlargement and reflection on the future of the EU should continue simultaneously, and the European prospects of the candidate and potential candidate states depends on their individual progress against established criteria. Romania supports the European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations of the CEI member states and their task is to continue their sustained efforts for political and economic reforms."

Ciamba also pointed out that, at regional level, the already shaped political profile of the CEI and the member states' commitment to its objectives can provide substance and coherence to joint actions and other co-operation bodies, to the benefit of the whole region.

"Romania has been constantly supporting the European aspirations of the partners in the CEI, as well as the efforts made to meet the commitments pledged for democratic standards," according to MAE.

At a debate on regional stability, Ciamba highlighted the role of energy connectivity and energy security.

He also mentioned the summit of the Three Seas Initiative to be hosted by Romania in September 2018 and bring together nine EU member states participating in the CEI, and a business forum as a side event where invited are also representatives of seven CEI member states from the Western Balkans and the Eastern Neighbourhood.

The ministerial meeting adopted documents relevant to economic co-operation and CEI organisational chart: a decision on the budget of the CEI 2019 co-operation fund and the decision of the CEI 2019 Presidency, to be held by Italy. AGERPRES (RO - author: Madalina Cerban, editor: Antonia Nita; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Cocleriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)