The Central European Initiative could join the Group Friends of the Eastern Partnership. Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Martynov voiced such a viewpoint at the plenary session during the CEI Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Trieste on 10 June. The event was held under the presidency of Serbia, and attended by delegations from 18 CEI members-states.
The Foreign Minister of Belarus believes that the CEI could share its experiences in project activities with the Eastern Partnership. “This is something that is much needed for the EaP which is still about many words and few projects,” Sergei Martynov said in an interview with BelTA.
According to him, this idea was first voiced by Belarus in Trieste and drew attention of many ministers. They believe the idea is really interesting and merits consideration. Serbia, the presidency of the CEI, promised that it would study this initiative with other delegations.
The Central European Initiative (CEI) is a regional association established in 1989 by Italy, Austria, Hungary and Yugoslavia. At present, the CEI is composed of 18 countries: Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Montenegro and Ukraine. All of them participated in a meeting in Trieste on 10 June.
The current name of the organization was formally adopted by the Heads of States of the countries - members of the CEI in Vienna on 18 July 1992.
The main mission of the initiative is to promote flexible and pragmatic European regional cooperation. CEI promotes interaction of Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe in cross-border cooperation, energy, transport, science and technology, education, culture, small and medium-sized business, agriculture, environment, human resources, information and media, protection of national minorities, tourism and youth policy.
Belarus acceded to the CEI in June 1996. Belarus actively participates in the annual meetings of Heads of Government and Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Central European Initiative, meetings of the Committee of National Coordinators, the CEI parliamentary dimension.
In January 2004, the Belarusian State University has joined the CEI Network of University Relations created at the University of Trieste.
Sergei Martynov told BelTA that in 2010-2011 CEI approved financing of a project of technical cooperation for the Vitebsk Plant of Polymeric Items (CEI/EBRD co-financing of €75,000), and a program of regional power efficiency for the municipality sector for several CEI member states including Belarus (CEI/EBRD co-financing of €220,500). The abovementioned events are implemented within the EBRD management improvement program.
Belarus attaches great significance to cooperation with CEI viewing the organization first of all as an efficient instrument for expanding and strengthening regional cooperation through implementation of joint projects in energy, sustainable development, environment, science and technology.
