European Commissioner Orban: The Black Sea zone is facing big challenges

The Black Sea region is facing big challenges that no country can withstand alone, and the initiatives started under the European Neighbourhood Policy in 2007 and 2008 - the Black Sea Synergy and the Eastern Partnership - provide opportunities for strengthening cooperation between the countries in the region and the European Union and among them thanks to the approaches and specific mechanisms set in place, European Commissioner Leonard Orban said on Thursday in the opening speech of the Black Sea NGO Forum in Bucharest.

'The Black Sea region has gained a rising geopolitical importance over the past years as a place where three continents meet. We are all aware of the problems in this region, but we have to do our best to provide the peoples in the area an opportunity to use their huge human potentials. The Black Sea Synergy is already functional and soon three important sectoral partnerships - in the fields of environment, transportation and energy - will be added to the ongoing activities,' said Orban.

Orban also pleaded for close cooperation with the civil society, pointing to the importance of new cooperation opportunities being sought for common solutions.

He also underscored the importance the EU attached to the Black Sea region, particularly after Romania and Bulgaria's accession, adding that the interest of the EU is reflected in the European Neighbourhood Policy, the pre-accession policy developed for its relationship with Turkey, as well as in the strategic partnership with Russia.

The European commissioner also said that the civil society will play an important part in the Eastern Partnership, stressing that civil rights observance is a precondition on the part of the EU when negotiating association partnerships with Eastern partners. He also mentioned that the European Commission has suggested the creation of a Civil Society Forum under the Eastern Partnership to promote contacts among NGOs and facilitate dialogue with public officials. EU's thematic platform concerning democracy, good governance and stability will includes promoting contacts among NGOs in order to help them promote their objectives and facilitate confidence building in areas affected by prolonged conflicts.

The Black Sea NGO Forum is gathering in Bucharest for three days officials of nearly 100 NGOs and think tanks from the enlarged Black Sea region, governmental and non-governmental donor institutions, analysts and journalists.

The NGO Forum project applies the principles promoted by the EU under the Black Sea Synergy, while stimulating reflection on European policies that could be adopted in the future for the region, both of which are important objectives in Romania's foreign policy.

The event is seen as an opportunity for the attending organisations to identify their partners in the region and promote their ideas for projects. The partners and organisers of the Forum aim to generate concrete regional projects that will be submitted for financing under various international regional assistance instruments.

Agerpres