Bulgarian Foreign Minister Mitov Confers with Regional Cooperation Council Secretary General Svilanovic

"Regional cooperation in Southeastern Europe is exceedingly important for Bulgaria. We regard it as a key instrument for building security and political and economic stability in the region," Bulgarian Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov said here on Monday, conferring with Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretary General Goran Svilanovic, Mitov's Ministry said in a press release. Svilanovic is paying a visit here at the Foreign Minister's invitation.

For his part, the Secretary General thanked Bulgaria for its support and active contribution to the work of the RCC.

Mitov and Svilanovic discussed the state and future development of regional cooperation and the key priorities in the work of the RCC. In this connection, they exchanged views about the implementation of the South East Europe 2020 Strategy, adopted in November 2013.

The Foreign Minister stressed that the implementation of the RCC Strategy and the 2014-2016 Work Programme is a prerequisite for the attainment of the priority objectives: economic growth, new jobs, rule of law, counter corruption, cooperation in education and science, etc.

At the meeting, the sides also discussed the priorities of the forthcoming Bulgarian Chairmanship-in-Office of the South-East European Cooperation Process (July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2016). "Our Chairmanship will focus, among other things, on stabilization and economic development, transport, energy and infrastructure, media freedom and freedom of expression, migration and coping with the refugee flow," Mitov pointed out.