Romania takes the presidency of the Central European Initiative for 2026

Romania took the presidency of the Central European Initiative (or CEI) on Wednesday, November 26, according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE).

The organization is a regional intergovernmental forum established in 1989, following the fall of the Berlin Wall. It gathers 17 Member States in Central, Eastern, and South-Eastern Europe to promote regional cooperation for EU integration and sustainable development.

The handover of the presidency took place at the meeting of Foreign Ministers from the CEI member states, organized by Serbia in its capacity as the current presidency of the initiative. On the occasion, foreign minister Oana Țoiu delivered a recorded statement in which she highlighted Romania’s increasing commitment to regional cooperation and presented the priorities of the new presidency.

The priorities include supporting the European integration of candidate states by maintaining the CEI’s role as a bridge between EU member states and candidate states; strengthening the economic and business dimension in the CEI area, including by boosting connectivity projects; capitalizing on the local dimension of the CEI by involving local authorities, communities, and citizens; keeping in focus the fight against disinformation and the strengthening of resilience.

At the ministerial meeting in Belgrade, Romania was represented by the secretary of state for Romania’s OECD accession process, economic cooperation, the UN, and Francophonie, Luca Niculescu, according to Agerpres. In his remarks, he commended the efforts made by foreign minister Marko Djuric and the Serbian presidency team throughout the current mandate to strengthen the CEI’s role as a platform for dialogue and cooperation both among member states and between them and the EU.

Niculescu highlighted the progress of the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, and the Western Balkan partners in the EU accession process, emphasizing the need for a credible enlargement process based on the candidates’ own merits, anchored in reforms. He condemned the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine, a CEI member state, and reiterated Romania’s multidimensional support for Ukraine.

The event concluded with the adoption of a Joint Declaration, a document reconfirming the CEI member states’ support for the EU enlargement process, support for Ukraine, and the reaffirmation of the CEI’s role as a platform for regional cooperation in support of European integration and the sustainable development of member states.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos | Octav Ganea)