‘The expansion of EU It is a strategic necessity, “said Deputy Foreign Minister, responsible for financial diplomacy and extroversion, Tasos Hatzivasiliouin his presentation to the 10th annual EU and Ionian (EUSAIR) forum, organized under the Greek Presidency in Georgioupolis Chania.
The deputy minister, conveying the prime minister’s warm greetings Kyriakou Mitsotakis and Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, referred to Greece’s decisive role in the European perspective of the Western Balkans, stressing that “Eusair is not only a macro -regional strategy but a bracket of diplomacy and an accession tool”. As he said, “the decision to start accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina shows that progress is possible when there is political will. And the Eusair Forum can accelerate this course. “
Referring to the role of the Greek Presidency, Mr. Hadjivasiliou noted that the aim was to integrate Eusair into the hard core of European enlargement, through political integration, institutional convergence and the interconnection of regional projects with the Union strategy.
The Deputy Minister highlighted the importance of energy security as a geopolitical demand for the area, referring to the vertical gas corridor and energy infrastructure in Alexandroupolis. As he pointed out, “Greece is evolving into an energy hub. It is a reliable partner and this enhances the cohesion, stability and European perspective of the region. “
He made a special reference to the younger generation, describing it as “the pillar of the present and a lever for the future”, noting that the halt of Brain Drain and the support of innovation are prerequisites for the recovery of the Adriatic-Ionian Region. “The Greek Presidency has highlighted the issues of the younger generation in its priorities. Eusair has to talk to the younger generation, create tools for her and inspire her, “she said.
In closing, Mr Hadjivasiliou welcomed the adoption of the Declaration of Crete, saying it is “a common commitment to a more powerful, more coherent, more green and more European region of Adriatic and Ionian”.
