The Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) continues to expand its activities and to be serious factor for the political and economic stability in the region, has stated Mihail Mikov, National Assembly President and President of PABSEC at the opening of the 41st plenary meeting of the General Assembly of PABSEC on July 10th, 2013 in Sofia.

Mihail Mikov noted the present forum shows the importance attached by PABSEC to the tourism further development as an important factor for the Region’s economic development. Tourist industry today provides better opportunities for mutual acquaintance with the traditions and culture, the every- day life and mentality of the people living in the region, thus contributing to better mutual understanding and to more successful economic ties, has added Mihail Mikov.

The 20th anniversary of PABSEC is an opportunity to not only report the achievements but mostly to search for new options to transform the Assembly in a more efficient instrument for achieving the set by us goals, noticed Mihail Mikov. He said during the Presidency of Bulgaria, the Organization has made further steps to solve important issues for the member-countries. In the economic sphere the member-countries had discussed the cooperation in sea rescue operations as well as development of the cooperation in the post graduate education between the universities of the member-countries.

The new goals set by the Organization for Black Sea Cooperation (BSEC) determine the ever growing importance of PABSEC for ensuring optimal conditions to the process of integration in the region, based on good neighborhood and partnership aimed at initiating join projects in fields of mutual interests for all members, Mihail Mikov has underscored. In his view PABSEC has to become more active in its key role in the development of the parliamentary diplomacy as an efficient tool for creation of a more favorable environment not only for expansion of the economic development but for finding solutions to the existing open conflicts that are still a matter of concern. The President of PABSEC pointed out that the Organization needs to establish more close interaction with other European structures, mostly with the European Parliament.

Mihail Mikov has stated that the new stage in the development of the Black Sea Cooperation requires a higher level of interaction between PABSEC and BSEC conformant to the European standards.

In its 20 years of existence the BSEC has gone a long way and accumulated experience in tapping the big potential of the regional cooperation, said the president of PABSEC and added that the Organization had affirmed itself as forum for contacts and exchange of ideas on a number of issues related to regional cooperation. Mihail Mikov pointed out the present forum had realized the need for improvement of BSEC and said he assesses the new document titled: “Economic agenda for intensification of the cooperation” as a new road map for tackling the new challenges, as a tool to outline the priorities and the ways to reach real results by employing pragmatic attitude and higher efficiency in the interaction between its members.  In his words the role of the Organization in the 21st century is to get higher. The serious prospects for development of the Black Sea Cooperation are closely linked with the integration processes in Europe and particularly with the European Neighborhood Policy through the Black Sea Synergy.

The participants in the 41st plenary sitting of the General Assembly of PABSEC were addressed by the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Rosen Plevneleiev, by the President of the Council of Europe, Jean Claude Mignon. An address on behalf of Eduard Nalbandian, President of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation and Foreign Minister of Armenia was read.

Parliamentary delegations from 12 BSEC member–countries have attended the meeting as well as more than 120 parliamentarians, guests and observers - representatives of international parliamentary assemblies. Among the observers there were representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and   the European Parliament, other parliaments and international organizations.