Participants in the Southeast European Cooperation Process (SEECP) summit signed a Summit Declaration in Thessaloniki last night, reaffirming their strong commitment to the basic principles of the SEECP Charter, the UN Charter and relevant EU, OSCE and Council of Europe documents, emphasizing the commitment to democratic values, the rule of law, solidarity, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, as the foundations of economic and social progress in the region, recognizing the role and importance of the SEECP as a major political forum for cooperation in South East Europe; emphasizing that it is an inclusive, self-sustainable and regionally based process, based on the principle of equality.
The participants stressed the common vision towards the European perspective of the whole region, as a key driver for peace, security, as well as social coherence and economic development through cooperation, reiterating the special focus on free movement of people and the importance of visa-free regime for the entire Southeast Europe in relation to the EU.
Emphasizing the role of the Berlin Process and CEFTA seems to have in a way sent a message for the Open Balkan initiative, which many have criticized as a “weaker” replacement for the Berlin Process.
