Representatives of the Parliaments of the CEI countries met in Sofia on 16-17 May on the occasion of their meeting of the Parliamentary Committee of the CEI Parliamentary Dimension.
The gathering - held under the Bulgarian CEI Presidency 2022 - was opened by Nikola Minchev, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria, and chaired by Denitsa Simeonova, Head of the Bulgarian Delegation to the CEI PD.
The Bulgarian CEI Presidency seeks to promote a constructive exchange of views to strengthen stability, security and competitiveness in the region, which will help overcome current challenges and explore diverse opportunities. The joint efforts of parliamentarians to link digitalisation processes with investment in research and innovation would help reduce regional burdens, pool resources and increase the impact on the sustainable development of CEI Member States, their competitiveness, economic and social welfare, said Minchev.
Welcome addresses were also delivered by Daniel Lorer, Minister of Innovation and Growth, and Nikolai Denkov, Minister of Education and Science.
After exchanging views on fostering cross-border research and innovation in the CEI region, the participants issued their Joint Statement. In summary, the Committee invites national parliaments and governments to create and implement policies aimed at developing talent and accelerating the countries’ technological advancement and sustainability, as well as invest in research and innovation. In particular, they suggest that a new event format should be established, i.e. a ‘CEI Innovates Summit’ bringing together leaders in the CEI innovation ecosystem.
The next PD event under the Bulgarian Presidency is taking place in November 2022, i.e. the PD Parliamentary Assembly meeting.
For more info: fabro@cei.int
