Blanar Confirms Interest in Cooperation within Central European Initiative

Bratislava, February 13 (TASR) - Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) confirmed to new Secretary General of the Central European Initiative Franco Dal Mas Slovakia's interest in strengthening cooperation within the Central European Initiative as the oldest regional grouping in Europe, ministry's communications department told TASR on Thursday. According to him, its contribution is invaluable, especially in the issues of European Union (EU) enlargement. The head of Slovak diplomacy pointed out that the Central European Initiative had played an important role in the integration process during its more than 35 years of existence and had helped the candidate states on their way to the EU. "From Slovakia's position, it's important that European integration is completed both in the case of the Western Balkan countries and in relation to Ukraine and Moldova, on the basis of the fulfilment of the same conditions for accession to the Union. There should be no shortcuts or double standards in this process, and we've agreed on this with the new secretary general," said Blanar. The Central European Initiative was founded in 1989. Slovakia has been a member since 1993 and is due to take over the rotating presidency in 2028. The organisation was established as an intergovernmental forum for political, economic and cultural cooperation between its member countries, which currently include 17 states. At the time of its creation, its main objective was to help the countries of Central Europe in their process of moving closer to the EU. Following the successful enlargement of the EU in 2004, the Central European Initiative began to focus on the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries. am/mcs