Romania to hold Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization Chairmanship-in-Office in 2015

Romania will take over the Chairmanship-in-Office of both the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) in the second half of 2015, senator and PABSEC member Marian Vasiliev said on Thursday, on the first day of the Black Sea-Danube Social-Economic Innovation Forum in Bucharest.

‘The theme of the Danube is interesting for every one of us. The parliamentary side of Black Sea interaction comprises 12 countries, with Romania being the 5th contributor to this organization and playing a very important role in the development, on parliamentary ground, of relations based on Black Sea cooperation. As a member of Romania’s delegation to PABSEC, I want to assure you that promoting entrepreneurship and cooperation projects of Black Sea countries is one of our priorities. I want to point out that in the second half of 2015 Romania will take over the Chairmanship-in-Office of both the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization and of the relevant Parliamentary Assembly. I believe that this dual mandate of coordinating Black Sea cooperation both at governmental and parliamentary level opens important opportunities we need to put forward,’ Vasiliev said.

He also mentioned that lawmakers need to get more involved in activities envisaging the development of the Danube area and of the Black Sea region.

‘Lawmakers must get involved at all activity levels. They act just like a power transmission belt that is best in whatever has to do with the outer segment linking the Government and the local authorities. Every step we take will in the end produce prosperity for the Danube and Black Sea areas,’ said the Senator.

Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation came into existence as a unique and promising model of multilateral political and economic initiative aimed at fostering interaction and harmony among the Member States, as well as to ensure peace, stability and prosperity encouraging friendly and good-neighbourly relations in the Black Sea region. It was born on June 25 1992, when the Heads of State and Government of eleven countries: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine signed in Istanbul the Summit Declaration and the Bosphorus Statement.