Gojkovic said that, since it joined the organisation in 2004, Serbia has been committed to developing and strengthening friendly relations with the BSEC member states and fully dedicated to the development of stability in the region and good-neighbourly relations, as well as the improvement and creation of favourable economic, as well as political climate in the region, conducive to cooperation.

“In line with it, Serbia has, during its presidency, worked toward furthering regional cooperation, strengthening the organisation’s international position and improving economic cooperation via new and the realisation of ongoing projects”, said Gojkovic.

The National Assembly Speaker said that Serbia has contributed toward raising the visibility and efficiency of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, especially on the international scene, adding that, as the PABSEC President, she had represented the organisation at the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference in Riga, Democracy and Solidarity Summit in Ankara, and the sessions of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, Inter-Parliamentary Union in Geneva and the Interparliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States in St. Petersburg.

Gojkovic said that the parliamentary component of relations is an important aspect in tackling the many contemporary challenges.

“The current challenges can only be resolved by the concentrated efforts of more than one state. The parliamentary dimension of cooperation is a way to broach important issues that swell beyond the borders of one state. That is where I believe the significance of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation lies as a place where parliamentarians come together to exchange views and experiences of many an issue common to the wider Black Sea region we all belong to”, said Gojkovic.

The opening of the General Assembly was also attended by the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic who said that the priorities of Serbia’s PABSEC presidency were the development of economic cooperation between the BSEC member states, especially in the area of trade and tourism, transport and infrastructure, as well as the improvement of cooperation with other international organisations, especially the UN and EU.

“I sincerely hope that we have succeeded in the realisation of the tasks we set on 1 July 2016 when we assumed the presidency, in view of the complexity of the political situation in the Black Sea region, respecting all the member states and their differences, focusing on what we all have in common – a wish for economic, cultural and social prosperity, and strengthening cooperation in the areas which can assist it”, said Dacic.

He thanked the National Assembly Speaker for the excellently organised gathering, underlining the importance of the activities she as the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation undertook in the previous months by taking part in the meetings of the parliamentary assemblies of international organisations.

At the plenary session, the parliamentarians will be debating the reforms in the BSEC member states and the role of national parliaments, while the meetings of the committees on economic affairs, legal and political affairs and cultural, educational and social affairs will focus on international investments in the BSEC member states, role of religion in the fight against terrorism and extremism and the role of education and science in sustainable development.

Besides Serbia, the General Assembly is also attended by the delegations of Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Turkey and Ukraine.