The Deputy Minister of National Defence Ms Maria Kollia-Tsaroucha participated in the South-East Europe Defence Ministerial (SEDM) which was held in Belgrade, on 10-11 October 2018, and was chaired by Greece.

The Meeting included a briefing of the Ministers about the progress of the projects implemented by SEDM, and a joint press conference of Greece’s Deputy Minister of National Defence, and of Serbia’s State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Ms. Maria Kollia-Tsaroucha and Mr. Bojan Jocic.

The Deputy Minister of National Defence Maria Kollia-Tsaroucha stressed the need to further strengthen the relations among the states of South-eastern Europe and to consolidate a spirit of cooperation, security and stability in the wider region.

She also referred to the creation of military and civilian structures which ensure stability and peace, and to the multi-level framework of agreements and cooperation which deal with modern problems, such as the establishment of the IMIHO Online Military Medical Archive, the BI (Building Integrity in Defence) project, the FLSD (Female Leaders in Security and Defence) project and other projects.

The Deputy Minister concluded her address by stressing the need of a continuous modernization of entities of civil protection and of the Armed Forces.

Address of the Deputy Minister of National Defence Ms. Maria Kollia-Tsaroucha:

“Thank you Mr. Chairman, State Secretary of Defence of the Republic of Serbia, Mr. Bojan Jocic, dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,

First of all, I would like to thank the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Serbia for the exceptional hospitality in the great city of Belgrade; a hospitality that is of equal merit to the longstanding traditions in the Balkans and in the wider South-eastern Europe region.

Furthermore, I should congratulate Minister, Mr. Vulin, for the flawless organization of the Conference at the undoubtedly prominent “Palace of Serbia”, almost 70 years after its construction had commenced.

SEDM started as an informal forum for cooperation between Deputy Ministers of Defence in the Balkan region, with a view to strengthening the relations between South-eastern European countries and to establishing a climate of cooperation and good neighbourly relations and to consolidating security in the wider Balkan region in the defence sector. Besides, let us not forget that our region has been historically a place of many disputes that fuelled conflicts that even marked the future of humanity.

Today, I am confident that our people, having already learnt lessons from history, have only one desire – the consolidation of peaceful coexistence. And that is where the added value of our initiative that serves our people’s desire lies, fostering at the same time the good neighbourly relations.

Ladies and Gentlemen, dear colleagues, more than 20 years later, it is apparent that SEDM has met the purpose for which it was created. Over time, we have provided a resilient platform for cooperation, through which we develop useful projects and we exchange, on a regular basis and at different levels, views and proposals regarding the future of the Process.

More than 20 years later, a purely political initiative has obtained a dynamic military branch, the SEEBRIG brigade, through which SEDM’s regional added value for ensuring stability in our wider region is being highlighted.

At this point, I would like to express my warmest thanks to the SEEBRIG Commander, Brigadier General Tudorica Petrache, and his staff for the efforts made to ensure that the Brigade can fulfil its mission.

Besides, the completion of the 6th update of the MPFSEE (Multinational Peace Force South-east Europe) Agreement exactly 20 years after it had been originally concluded, serves as a proof. In the near future, the relevant Additional Protocol will be jointly signed, as the capping stone of another successful negotiation between the Initiative’s countries involved, under the coordination of the Greek Presidency.

Ladies and Gentlemen, dear colleagues, the refugee and migration flows of recent years, the responsibility for the protection of the human life and the fact that no country can face this kind of challenge on its own, prove the importance of an enhanced regional cooperation. Furthermore, most of the challenges we face today are common and not restricted by borders. Only if we work jointly can we protect and secure the interests of our countries and citizens.

My country, despite the difficulties it faces, has received refugees and migrants in a hospitable manner and in a spirit of solidarity. Our Asylum Service has undertaken the greatest number of requests compared to our population, on European soil. We did not give in to nationalistic, xenophobic calls for refoulement of the refugees to the sea or conducting a superficial asylum procedure which would reject the sum of requests. I can assure you that Athens will continue to support the efforts of the International Community, in the context of the United Nations, for control and eradication of smuggling and modern slavery.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear colleagues, Athens will continue to support the outreach efforts of SEDM Process which were greatly enhanced with the activation of the permanent official website of SEDM and the pertinent utilisation of social networking. Furthermore, we will continue to focus on the detailed planning of the Process projects, in order to avoid useless overlap with parallel actions of other International Organisations, like the United Nations, the European Union and NATO.

Taking into consideration the fact that our region occasionally suffers from natural disasters, including heat waves and forest fires, we proposed a new approach to the current framework for dealing with these phenomena and in particular the Natural Disasters Relief Plan. In furtherance of the direction given by the competent Politico – Military Steering Committee, SEEBRIG has drafted a pertinent detailed catalogue of capabilities. From now on the member – states, that is us, will have to examine the next steps and the capabilities for contribution in this field for the benefit of our peoples and in cooperation with the competent bodies of civilian protection.

My country has assumed the Presidency of SEDM Process last July for two years and we tried, in a systematic way, to enrich and further develop its projects and its organisational infrastructure, taking into consideration the requirements of the digital age we live in.

Our desire is to facilitate communication, not only for our executives engaged in the two main SEDM Committees, but also a wider circle of individuals who will promote and utilise the capabilities provided by our projects and will finally bring closer colleagues from our countries who share common interests.
Concluding, I would like to underscore that my country will continue to support the fundamental values of SEDM Process, and respect the International Law, the good neighbourly relations and, to the benefit of our peoples, stability and cooperation in the wider area of South-eastern Europe.”

Statements of the Deputy Minister of National Defence Ms Maria Kollia-Tsaroucha at the joint press conference:

“I am particularly pleased to be here today, in Belgrade, in the historical and beautiful capital of Serbia.

A short while ago, we concluded the annual meeting of SEDM Defence Ministers. We were informed on the projects that are underway, SEEBRIG’s current activities and we exchanged views about the future of the Process through a constructive dialogue.

At the 20th anniversary since the signing of the Founding Agreement of SEEBRIG, we completed the 6th update by which we adapted its planning to the requirements and the challenges of the modern security environment in our region. We will sign soon the relevant Additional Protocol, a process which the Greek Chairmanship has completed successfully. Moreover, by adopting the Joint Statement today, aiming at our peoples’ progress and prosperity, we confirmed the main principles of SEDM: respect of international law and territorial integrity, good neighbourly relations and consolidation of stability and cooperation in the wider area of South-eastern Europe.

Through the SEDM, we can develop every possible effort with courage and determination, in order to maintain and reinforce the relations of confidence and cooperation among the states and peoples of our region. Our duty to the next generations is to open new ways of progress and prosperity; to move on at a different pace, with a new vision and new impetus.

The Greek government and the Greek people, loyal to the values and qualities of democracy and security respect the values of other peoples and other nations in South-eastern Europe, and they believe and expect that everyone respects this; for us to be able to move onto the future and deliver what I said before, to next generations, always observing the international law and respecting values of every human.

Concluding, I would like to thank the State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia, Mr. Jocic, for the unique hospitality he offered us and the excellent organization of the meeting.”