The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Enzo Moavero Milanesi, today opens at the Farnesina the first annual meeting of the Committee of National Coordinators (CNC) of the EU Central European Initiative (CEI), counting 17 member States*.
The meeting is convened under the Italian presidency of the CEI for 2019.
With his attendance, Minister Moavero intends to underscore the high political value that Italy attributes to the Central European Initiative and to its top objective to foster stability and cooperation at regional level, also in view of the progress made by its member States in the EU accession process.
In his opening remarks, Minister Moavero said: “On the 30th anniversary of its foundation, the CEI continues to have a twofold role: on the one hand, as a specific forum of political debate and, on the other hand, as a functional and versatile instrument of economic, business and environmental cooperation for several Countries that feel part of this vast area of the European continent. Italy, during this year’s presidency, and responding to the hope expressed by the member States of the CEI, especially aims to consolidate its operational capacity with a special attention for tangible results.”
A special focus of the Italian Presidency will be on the Summit of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs scheduled to be held in Trieste on 10-11 June 2019.
In addition to the presence of Minister Moavero today at the Farnesina, the meeting is also attended by: the representatives of the CEI’s 17 members States; the top officials of the CEI Executive Secretariat headed by Roberto Antonione; and Marco Maggioni, President of the Italian Parliamentary Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the CEI.
*Member Countries of the CEI: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, Moldavia, Montenegro, Poland, Czech Republic, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Hungary
