MINSK, 30 May (BelTA) – Chairman of Belarus' Council of the Republic Mikhail Myasnikovich suggested holding a series of meetings and consultations of the parliamentary groups of the Central European Initiative (CEI) as he spoke at the session of the CEI Parliamentary Committee in Minsk on 30 May, BelTA has learned.
Mikhail Myasnikovich noted that the idea of mutually beneficial cooperation between the countries of Central Europe is relevant today as never before. In their search for new drivers of economic growth and competitiveness of the national economies, the countries are facing the challenges of the fourth industrial revolution, aging populations, and environmental security. “I suggest holding a series of meetings and consultations of the parliamentary groups of our countries that share the ideas of cooperation in the CEI region, in order to have a brainstorming session, include in the three-year action plan new measures to boost collaboration in the priority areas, and address the global and regional challenges and threats,” Mikhail Myasnikovich emphasized.
He explained that he was referring to an exchange of the best practices and approaches to the law-making process in such important areas as investment climate, industrial cooperation, digital economy and cybersecurity, innovations and technology.
Mikhail Myasnikovich believes that the parliaments will play a special role in developing the CEI and achieving its priority objective, which is to strengthen the integration and cooperation in Europe, develop the regional dialogue and partnership. The Belarusian official pointed out that the CEI member states should step up their efforts to harmonize their laws. “This will be a tangible contribution to the policy of connectivity in a wider Europe,” he said.
The Central European Initiative is a regional organization founded in 1989. It aims to promote the development of strong ties between the countries of Central, Western, and Eastern Europe in politics, economy, and culture, and also to prevent new dividing lines in the European region. Today the organization unites 18 countries, namely Austria, Albania, Belarus, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Croatia, Montenegro, and the Czech Republic.
Belarus joined the CEI in June 1996. The country assumed presidency of the CEI in 2017 for the first time. Promoting connectivity in a wider Europe has been chosen the key theme of Belarus' presidency, when connectivity is understood as the development of a whole range of ties and interactions between the countries of the region and different integration platforms, such as the European Union, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Eastern Partnership initiative, and others.
