DPM Lukšić participates in SEECP Ministerial Meeting in Bucharest

Bucharest, Romania (20 June 2014) -- Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Igor Lukšić participated in the Ministerial Meeting of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), which was held in Bucharest, under Romania’s chairmanship of the regional organisation.

The meeting particularly focused on current developments in the region and the role of the SEECP in strengthening regional cooperation and European integration. The meeting’s participants stressed the importance of European perspective of the region and the continuation of the enlargement process. In that regard, they commended Montenegro's progress in the EU accession process and the opening of the negotiations with Serbia.

Deputy Prime Minister Lukšić said that actions taken within regional cooperation mechanisms make considerable contribution to further development of the region, its firmer positioning and strengthening its influence at the global level. He said that new horizons for deepening economic relations are being opened in parallel with the progress of the region’s countries towards EU and NATO memberships. Integrated approach will speed up the achievement of European perspective of the region, particularly in implementing projects related to infrastructure and energy connectivity, DPM Lukšić stated.

Senior officials of the South East European countries welcomed the reform process of the SEECP and the establishment of the Parliamentary Assembly, which was initiated during the Montenegrin chairmanship.

They also underlined the significance of the 2020 South East Europe Development Strategy aimed at boosting economic growth in the region, along with the increase in competitiveness and new jobs creation.

During his stay in Bucharest, Deputy Prime Minister Lukšić and his Moldavan counterpart Natalia German signed the Agreement on the reciprocal promotion and protection of investments between the governments of Montenegro and Moldova.