The CEI Committee of National Coordinators (CNC) met in Podgorica on 7 December 2010.
The meeting was opened by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro Milan Roćen, who focused on the achievements of the Montenegrin Presidency and the importance of regional cooperation as a prerequisite for further European integration.
He emphasized the progress of Montenegro’s efforts to become a member of the European Union and expressed appreciation for the CEI’s facilitating role.Minster Roćen recalled the numerous high-level meetings organised under the umbrella of the Montenegrin Presidency - 5 at ministerial level - in the fields of transport, environmental protection, energy, economy, tourism, human resources and cross-border cooperation. Montenegro’s crucial contribution – the Budva Recommendations - to strengthen the CEI was also highlighted. This strategic document, adopted by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs on 15 June 2010, represents a roadmap for the CEI’s central mission in promoting regional cooperation for European integration. On behalf of the CEI, Secretary General Ambassador Gerhard Pfanzelter expressed his profound gratitude for Montenegro’s strong and dynamic leadership throughout the year. He then gave an update on the most recent CEI activities to strengthen the relations with the EU and cooperation with other regional organisations, e.g. the meeting of Sustainable Energy Development Regional Initiative, SEDRI, a joint CEI-RCC activity, held in Trieste on 7-8 October 2010. The CEI’s role as a credible and reliable partner of the EU is also reflected in the Action Plan of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region – EUSDR. There was also a fruitful discussion on a new fund to enhance the support of the CEI to non-EU Member States, according to a proposal of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in London, which manages the CEI Trust Fund, fully supported by Italy.
Serbia, which will take over the CEI Presidency in 2011, announced that the next CNC meeting will be held in Belgrade in February, while the Foreign Ministers’ meeting will take place in Trieste in June. At the margin of the CNC meeting, Amb. Pfanzelter had a bilateral meeting with Minister Roćen. He also met the Prime Minister of Montenegro Milo Djukanović, who thanked the CEI for the strong support given to the Montenegrin Presidency.
from left: Amb. Gerhard Pafanzelter and Prime Minister Milo Djukanović