The Assembly delegation, composed of MPs Petar Risteski and Fatmir Bytyqi, participated in the proceedings of the meetings of the Standing Committee and the General Committee on Economy, Infrastructure and Energy of the Parliamentary Assembly of the South East European Cooperation Process (SECP PA) held yesterday in Sofia, Bulgaria. The meetings are held within the framework of the Bulgarian Chairmanship of the SECP 2025-2026.
Both meetings were chaired by Iliana Zekova, a member of the Bulgarian Parliament. The deputies were addressed by Ivaylo Jordanov from the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who presented the priorities of the Bulgarian chairmanship of the EBRD.
The topic of the Standing Committee was “Strengthening the role of the Bureau/Troika” in order to ensure the continuity of the work of the presidencies and monitor the implementation of the decisions of the PA of the PESJ.
“MP Petar Risteski emphasized in his discussion that dialogue and cooperation are not only necessary, but also essential for the stability and development of the region and a common European future. The PA of the PBJL has a unique role in this regard, as it brings the voice of all citizens directly into the framework of regional cooperation. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the way in which MPs from different national parliaments work together. He gave full support to strengthening the role of the Bureau/Troika, as mechanisms to ensure continuity in the work of the presidencies and for better monitoring of the decisions that are adopted. This is why the Bureau, composed of the previous, current and future presidencies, should play a more prominent and active role in order to ensure greater continuity, preserve the institutional memory and ensure a sustainable strategic direction of the Parliamentary Assembly,” the Assembly statement reads.
MP Fatmir Bytyqi participated in the proceedings of the General Committee on Economy, Infrastructure and Energy. The topic of the meeting was “The regional dimension of startup policy, research and development and innovation in Southeast Europe”.
MP Fatmir Bytyqi emphasized in his discussion that innovation and entrepreneurship are no longer optional components of economic policy, but essential drivers of sustainable growth, competitiveness, and sustainability in countries.
“In a rapidly changing global economy, the region must move beyond traditional models and adopt a knowledge-based and innovation-led development path. He emphasized that important steps are being made in the country in supporting the startup ecosystem, promoting digital transformation and encouraging research and development. However, national efforts by countries alone are not enough, challenges such as limited markets, brain drain, access to finance and fragmentation, which are common to all of Southeast Europe, require a strong regional approach,” said Bytyqi.
He stressed that the regional dimension of startup and innovation policies can create opportunities that no country can achieve alone and that it is necessary to connect the regional market, harmonize regulatory frameworks and facilitate cross-border cooperation, with the aim of building a more attractive environment for entrepreneurs, investors and researchers. This would enable startups from the region to scale up and compete more easily on a wider European and global stage.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Balkans, which includes the parliaments of the countries of South-Eastern Europe: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Slovenia, Serbia, Turkey, Croatia and Montenegro, bases its goals and tasks on the principles of regional ownership and European integration. The Parliamentary Assembly plays an important role in promoting parliamentary participation and facilitating inter-parliamentary dialogue and cooperation in the region, as well as in encouraging the process of integration into the European Union.
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