Ministerial Council

A senior Turkish diplomat, Feridun Sinirlioğlu, has been appointed as the secretary-general of the Organization of Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) with the votes of all 57 member states, becoming the first Turkish national taking the helm of the prestigious organization.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrives at the venue for the 31st Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Malta, 05 Dec. 2024.

A new incentive and reward system for public sector employees was presented by the Interior Minister Niki Kerameus and Deputy Interior Minister Vivi Charalampogianni during the Ministerial Council meeting Monday. 

The government approved the composition of the Bulgarian delegation for the NATO Summit on July 11-12 in Vilnius. The delegation led by Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov includes Minister of Defense Todor Tagarev, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tihomir Stoychev and Chief of Defense Admiral Emil Eftimov.

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev (R) receives a folder with the names of ministers from prime ministerial candidate Nikolay Denkov in Sofia on June 5. EPA-EFE/VASSIL DONEV

The move is likely to bring an end to two years of political turmoil which has seen five parliamentary elections held in Bulgaria.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Dec. 2 discussed bilateral relations and regional challenges with Russian top diplomat Sergey Lavrov in Stockholm.

In the meeting, our bilateral relations and regional developments including Syria, Libya, Ukraine and the Caucasus were discussed, according to a statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry. 

People at an anti-government protest in front of the Council of Ministers in Sofia, July 10, 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE/VASSIL DONEV

The probe comes after the release of video footage dated July 10 2020, acquired from the cameras of the Ministerial Council, which has caused fresh concerns about unsanctioned police brutality during the 2020-2021 protests.

Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias is on Friday scheduled to participate in the 27th Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

The meeting will be held via video teleconferencing and Dendias will join it from the Cypriot capital of Nicosia, which he is due to visit.

Turkey on March 5 rejected recent decisions by the Arab League which contained unfounded allegations against the country.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said "Turkey completely rejects all baseless claims and decisions" taken at a Ministerial Council meeting held on March 4 in Cairo, Egypt.

Dacic and Lavrov are in Vienna, Austria today for the 24th OSCE Ministerial Council.

Tanjug reported that Dacic took the opportunity to speak with Lavrov for a few minutes before the start of the Council's plenary session.