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SEVEN STARS 22

On Thursday 6th of October 2022,the Distinguished Visitors Day (DV-DAY) of exercise “SEVEN STARS 22” was held in Veles (Na-5).

The DV-Day was attended by the SEDM Chairperson Ms. Teodora Genchovska, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Republic of Bulgaria, Ms. Slavjanka Petrovska Minister of Defense of the Republic of North Macedonia and high-ranking officers from the participating nations.

The biannual exercise “SEVEN STARS“is the main training activity of SEEBRIG for 2022, focusing on tactical level processes, procedures and capabilities. It is the right platform to reaffirm the Brigade’s capability to operate as a multinational force in a Peace Support Operation.

SEEBRIG and member nations personnel , observers from NATO entities and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as well as the Lithuanian Polish Ukrainian Brigade (LITPOLUKRBRIG) took part in the exercise.

47th SEDM-CC/ 48th PMSC Meetings

On the 20th of September 2022, the  47th SEDM Coordination Committee (CC) and the 48th Political-Military Steering Committee (PMSC) meetings took place in Sofia, Bulgaria. The events were hosted by Sofia for the third time within the framework of the Sofia SEDM Chairmanship for the period 2021-2023.

Representatives of 13 of the SEDM member-states, the Commander of SEEBRIG and other officers from SEEBRIG HQ, and delegates from international organizations, such as RACVIAC and UNDP/ SEESAC participated in the events. The representatives of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence and NATO Building integrity participated in the meetings virtually.

Within the framework of the working sessions the attendees discussed the progress achieved so far and the way ahead. The SEDM Secretariat and COMSEEBRIG presented an update of the activities and results achieved since the last CC/PMSC meeting in March 2022. Advance information on the upcoming Ministerial meeting in Sofia was also provided.

34th IMIHO TWG - 16th Users Meetings

The 16th Interconnection of Military Hospitals (IMIHO) Users’ Meeting took place virtually on 18th May 2022, organized by Athens and executed via VTC, chaired by IMIHO Chairman, LtCol Theodoros Valsamidis.

Mrs Daniela GRIGOROVA, SEDM Director opened the Meeting by emphasizing the importance of the Project and expressed his appreciation for tangible results and outputs, achieved so far, at no cost to nations.
An IMIHO Awards Ceremony took place to honor individuals who distinguished themselves by providing valuable support and assistance to the activities of the Project.

A Webinar on “IMIHO as a Platform for Military Humanitarian Medical Applications”, featuring an extensive program, composed of diverse and informational presentations on topics of common interest, moderated by the IMIHO Chairman. During the session, Nations presented information pertaining to the contribution and outcomes of Military Health Care Personnel during peace-keeping and humanitarian missions. Information will be included in the Military Medical Archive. Presentation recordings and slides will be published to the IMIHO Portal.

The 34th IMIHO Technical Working Group (TWG) Meeting took place virtually on 17 May 202. During the event, the IMIHO Chairman elaborated on the significant progress and tangible outcomes achieved, as well as the planned way-ahead. A fruitful dialog produced several action items of common interest and benefits. Specific actions were decided, aiming at further enriching the IMIHO Portal, enhancing functions and services offered at no cost to users, including subprojects, webinars and online medical training, both theoretical and practical. Furthermore, a first version "Online Medical Services" portal was presented, based on the proposal authorized by the SEDM Ministers. A proof of concept implementation focuses on psychological support of active and retired personnel, as well as their families, by utilizing open source software and video-teleconferece technologies. The services will be developed and provided at no cost to nations and eligible personnel. 

We hope that these multinational activities will bring the national health care communities closer, provide an online medium for information and expertise exchange, while conducting training, fostering scientific and academic collaboration among professionals of the Health Care Institutions, serving Military personnel. Finally, it is our hope that the Webinar and future activities will help towards bringing soon an end to the ongoing pandemic situation.

The Chairman expressed his appreciation for the invaluable support of SEDM-CC/PMSC Director and Secretariat, as well as all Presenters and Participants for their attendance. 

More information and recorded material will be available at the IMIHO Portal soon.

47th PMSC- 46th SEDM-CC Meetings

The 47th meeting of the Political-Military Steering Committee (PMSC) of the Multinational Peace Force South-Eastern Europe (MPFSEE) and the 46th meeting of the Coordination Committee of SEDM (SEDM-CC) were held on the 16th of March 2022 in the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Bulgaria. Due to the current pandemic and the imposed restrictions the sessions were conducted via Video-teleconference.

The conference was presided by the SEDM-CC/ PMSC Chairman and Deputy Minister of Defence Mr. Yordan Bozhilov. The Bulgarian delegation included Ms. Daniela Grigorova – Director of SEDM-CC/ PMSC Secretariat and experts from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Defence Policy and Planning” Directorate of Ministry of Defence and the members of the SEDM Secretariat.

During the sessions the discussions were focused on the progress made and the possibilities for further development of SEDM, as well as current issues concerning the regional cooperation in the field of security and defence. The participants were briefed on the activities of the South-Eastern Europe Brigade (SEEBRIG) by the Commander of the Brigade and updated on the latest developments of SEDM related projects such as “Female Leaders in Security and Defence” (FLSD) and “Interconnection of Military Hospitals” (IMIHO). Additionally, the details for the DCHOD meeting in Ljubljana, SEESIM22 and the SEDM Ministerial in Sofia were presented by the Host nations.

Sofia proposed a text for a joint statement of the SEDM Ministers of Defence concerning the current situation in Ukraine. The statement is to be approved after each SEDM member state reviews it. In the course of the debate on the issues the participants expressed their principal approval and condemned the Russian aggression.

Sofia has taken the rotational SEDM chairmanship for a period of two years (2021-2023). The SEDM Process was initiated in 1996 as a mechanism for improving the regional security and is one of the most important forums in the field of regional security and cooperation. Sofia has always been an active participant in SEDM Initiative as this is its second term as chairing state, the first term was accomplished in the period 2009-2011 and the nation was the first host of SEEBRIG, for the period 1999-2003.

33rd Tech WG Meeting – 15th IMIHO Users Meeting

The 15th Interconnection of Military Hospitals (IMIHO) Users’ Meeting took place virtually on 8th December 2021, organized by Bucharest and executed via VTC.

Ms Daniela GRIGOROVA, SEDM Director opened the Meeting by emphasizing the importance of the Project and expressed his appreciation for tangible results and outputs, achieved so far, at no cost to nations.
An IMIHO Awards Ceremony took place to honor individuals who distinguished themselves by providing valuable support and assistance to the activities of the Project.

A Webinar on “IMIHO as an online multinational Research Collaboration Platform”, featuring an extensive program, composed of diverse and informational presentations on topics of common interest, moderated by the IMIHO Chairman. During the session, Nations proposed ideas on medical research topics, associated -directly or indirectly- with Military Medicine, with the purpose to identify research areas of common interest for future collaboration.  Nations proposed specific  research topics that will be distributed for further action. Presentation recordings and slides will be published to the IMIHO Portal.

The 33rd IMIHO Technical Working Group (TWG) Meeting took place virtually on 7 December 2021. During the event, the IMIHO Chairman elaborated on the significant progress and tangible outcomes achieved, as well as the planned way-ahead. A fruitful dialog produced several action items of common interest and benefits. Specific actions were decided, aiming at further enriching the IMIHO Portal, enhancing functions and services offered at no cost to users, including subprojects, webinars and online medical training, both theoretical and practical. Finally, preliminary planning took place pertaining to the "Establishment of Online Medical Services" Subproject, recently authorized by the SEDM Ministers. Finally, a post-deployment briefing on the new version (2) of the IMIHO Portal was presented.

We hope that these multinational activities will bring the national health care communities closer, provide an online medium for information and expertise exchange, while conducting training, fostering scientific and academic collaboration among professionals of the Health Care Institutions, serving Military personnel. Finally, it is our hope that the Webinar and future activities will help towards bringing soon an end to the ongoing pandemic situation.

The Chairman expressed his appreciation for the invaluable support of SEDM-CC/PMSC Director and Secretariat, to Bucharest personnel for their efforts to organize this event as well as all Presenters and Participants for their attendance.

More information and recorded material will be available at the IMIHO Portal soon.

2021 SEDM Ministerial Meeting

 

The annual South-Eastern Europe Defence Ministerial (SEDM) meeting was held in person on the 4th of November in Skopje.Representatives of the SEDM Nations, SEEBRIG HQ and representatives of UNDP/SEESAC, Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), RACVIAC and European Union participated. The meeting was presided by the SEDM Chairman Mr. Plamen YORDANOV, Deputy Minister of Defence of the Republic of Bulgaria.

In his opening remarks, the Chairman stressed on the importance of the Ministerial meeting as the forum for high-level officials to discuss current regional security issues and concerns. Moreover, Mr. YORDANOV expressed his confidence in the future of the process and its consolidation as one of the most important regional mechanisms for cooperation and highlighted that such events contribute to the regional security and stability based on the principle “ It’s much better to know each other, before we need each other”.

Ms. Radmila SHEKERINSKA, Minister of Defence of the Republic of North Macedonia, gave a key note speech, in which she addressed the immediate challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and the looming threats such as climate change, disinformation and the digitization of conflicts and crises. Furthermore, she underlined that cooperation and partnership are essential for the nations in order to thrive and be resilient.

Following the update on the latest developments on SEDM-CC projects and PMSC activities, given by Mr. YORDANOV, the Commander of the South-Eastern Europe Brigade (SEEBRIG) Brigadier General Aristeidis ILIOPOULOS reviewed the Brigade’s activities since the last SEDM Ministerial meeting in 2020 and presented the documents to be approved by the MPFSEE Nations.

During the meeting, the SEDM nations’ Ministers and their representatives expressed their national views and commitment to the SEDM Process, thus contributing to the importance of the Initiative as acrucial format for regional cooperation.

In the closing remarks the SEDM Chairman congratulated Ms. Radmila SHEKERINSKA for the successful organization of the Ministerial in these unprecedented circumstances.

The full joint statement is available here.

 

46th PMSC- 45th SEDM-CC Meetings

On the 15th and the 16th of September 2021, were held respectively the 46th PMSC and the 45th SEDM-CC Meetings in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The recent developments and the way ahead for SEEBRIG and the SEDM Process were discussed within the margins of the meetings. The leading nations provided updates on the various SEDM projects. The participating international organizations expressed their content and willingness for further collaboration with the Initiative.  Topical security and defense issues at a regional scale as well the perspectives for enhancing the regional cooperation were also discussed in details.

The meetings were headed by the chairman of the SEDM Process, Deputy Minister of Defence Mr. Plamen Yordanov.

Due to the COVID restrictions the meetings were held in a hybrid mode, in which attendants participated both physically and virtually.

SEDM Chairmanship Handover – Takeover & SEEBRIG 22nd Anniversary

On the 26th of August 2021 in Kumanovo, North Macedonia, the current location of SEEBRIG HQ, an official SEDM event took place. On that date was celebrated the 22nd anniversary from the establishment of SEEBRIG and the formal SEDM Chairmanship handover-takeover ceremony. After a productive two year term Tirana handed-over the rotational SEDM Chairmanship to Sofia.

The Deputy Chief of Defence Lieutenant General Dimitar Iliev, on behalf of Sofia Chairmanship, presented plaques and memorabilia to the outgoing Tirana Secretariat and the head of the delegation Deputy Minister of Defence Ms. Dallendyshe Bici.

Mrs. Radmila Shekerinska-Jankovska Minister of Defence of RNM, Ms. Dallendyshe Bici Deputy Minister of Defence of Albania, Lieutenant General Dimitar Iliev Deputy Chief of Defence of the Bulgarian Armed forces and Brigadier General Aristeidis Iliopoulos SEEBRIG Commander delivered speeches during the ceremony. The officials highlighted in their speeches the importance of the initiative for maintaining the peace and stability in the region, establishing working solutions for the common challenges and the member states’ contribution to the cooperation in the region.

Sofia took over the SEDM Chairmanship on the 1st of July 2021, for a second time since the establishment of the Initiative.

Sofia Chairmanship Exhibition

On the 1st of July 2021, Sofia took over the rotational chairmanship of the South-Eastern Europe Defence Ministerial Process (SEDM) for the period 2021-2023. On the occasion of the present Chairmanship the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Bulgaria opened an exhibition. This exhibition in a retrospective highlights the contribution of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Ministry of Defence to the SEDM process. It also captures important moments from the previous Sofia Chairmanship term in 2009, as well as the active participation of the political and military leadership in different SEDM activities that are an integral part of this important for the regional security format.

Sofia Secretariat Inauguration Ceremony

From July 1, 2021, Bulgaria takes over the rotating chairmanship of the Southeast European Defense Ministers' Meeting (SEDM) process. Over the next two years, the Ministry of Defense will coordinate and organize activities within the framework of the multinational regional initiative.A  Secretariat within Bilateral and Regional Cooperation Department has been established to fulfill the commitments.

During the inauguration ceremony, Deputy Defense Minister Plamen YORDANOV, who will serve as Chairman of the Process, wished successful and fruitful work in implementing the upcoming tasks.

Bulgaria is an active participant in this forum and is chairing the Process for the second time, as the first term was fulfilled in the period 2009-2011. The official HO – TO ceremony will take place in Kumanovo(Republic of Northern Macedonia) at the end of August, when the 22nd anniversary of the Southeast Europe Brigade will be marked.

Visit of SEDM-CC/PMSC Albanian Chairmanship Secretariat to SEEBRIG HQ

On 15 June 2021, the Delegation of SEDM-CC/PMSC Secretariat, led by the Director of the SEDM-CC/PMSC Secretariat, Mr. Gjergji METHOXHA, visited SEEBRIG HQ in Camp “Boro Menkov” in Kumanovo, North Macedonia.

 

During the visit, the SEDM Secretariat had an Office Call with the Commander of SEEBRIG HQ, Brigadier General Aristeidis ILIOPOULOS. The focus of discussions was about SEEBRIG’s main current activities and the scheduled future activities, respectively the Official Ceremonies of the Hand Over – Take Over of South-East Europe Defense Ministerial Coordination Committee/ Political-Military Steering Committee (SEDM-CC/PMSC) Chairmanship and of the 22th SEEBRIG Anniversary, which will be held on 26th August 2021, in Kumanovo, North Macedonia.

The Delegation had a Tour in the working areas of SEEBRIG HQ to get insights on the Brigade’s daily battle rhythm, procedures and functions. They visited SEEBRIG HQ Tactical Operations Center, physical training facilities and other facilities of the Brigade.

The Director of the SEDM-CC/PMSC Secretariat, Mr. Gjergji METHOXHA expressed his appreciation to the Commander of SEEBRIG HQ, Brigadier General Aristeidis ILIOPOULOS and his team at SEEBRIG Headquarters for their tireless efforts to provide the most qualified and professional standards to all of our activities and for their immense efforts and splendid work to further the success story of SEEBRIG.

2021 DCHODs Meeting

The SEDM Deputy Chief of Defence/General Staff Meeting (DCHODs) 2021 Meeting has been performed on 10 June 2021, via Video-Teleconference.

The Deputy Chiefs of Defence/General Staff and Representatives from 14 SEDM member nations, SEEBRIG's Commander, the Director of RACVIAC and UNDP SEESAC Policy Expert attended the meeting, chaired by H.E. Mr.
Petro KOÇI, Chairman of the SEDM-CC/PMSC Secretariat/Deputy Minister of Defense.

The SEDM Chairman and Co-Chair, Deputy Chief of General Staff of Croatia, Lieutenant General Siniša JURKOVIĆ, as the Host Nation, opened the annual SEDM DCHOD's Meeting and delivered their welcoming remarks to the participants.

The purpose of this Meeting is to foster constructive regional political-military cooperation in Southeast Europe (SEE), in order to further strengthen peace, stability, trust, prosperity and security in the region.

The Deputy Chiefs of Defence/ General Staff stated that the SEDM Initiative has strengthened the relations between our nations and has contributed to their efforts towards a common Euro-Atlantic future. They welcomed the achievements of SEEBRIG Brigade and acknowledged the contribution of the Brigade to the regional peace, security and stability. They reiterated that all achievements and the outstanding results reached in all these years, present an imperative for us to make all necessary efforts, in order to continue on further strengthening our regional defense cooperation through increased cooperation between member nations.

Being the last SEDM Meeting under the Albanian Chairmanship, the SEDM Chairman expressed his appreciation and gratitude to all SEDM member Nations for their contribution to the SEDM Process and took the opportunity to extend best wishes to Sofia for a successful Chairmanship of the SEDM-CC/PMSC Secretariat in the next mandate.

At the end, the participants expressed their appreciation to Host Nation and SEDM Secretariat for their efforts in successfully preparing and conducting the annual DCHODs Meeting through Video-Teleconference.

The Joint statement is available by clicking here.

32nd IMIHO Technical Working Group Meeting

The 14th Interconnection of Military Hospitals (IMIHO) Users’ Meeting took place virtually on 25 May 2021, organized by Athens.

Mr. Petro KOÇI, SEDM-CC/PMSC Chairman opened the Meeting by emphasizing the importance of the Project and expressed his appreciation for tangible results and outputs, achieved so far, at no cost to nations.

The IMIHO Chairman, LtCol Theodoros Valsamidis expressed his appreciation for the invaluable support of SEDM-CC/PMSC Chairman and Secretariat . He also thanked all the Participants for their presence.

An IMIHO Awards Ceremony took place to honor individuals who distinguished themselves by providing valuable support and assistance to the activities of the Project.

A Webinar was executed via the IMIHO dedicated teleconference platform, that focused on Intensive Care, moderated by the IMIHO Chairman, composed of diverse and informational presentations. During the session, Nations presented their infrastructure and capabilities, as well as sharing their experiences and contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants from six Nations, as well as the SEDM Secretariat had the opportunity to exchange their expert opinions, views and experiences, as well as elaborate on lessons learned and way-ahead. Presentation recordings and slides will be published to the IMIHO Portal.

The 32nd IMIHO Technical Working Group Meeting took place virtually on 24 May 2021. During the event, the IMIHO Chairman elaborated on the significant progress and tangible outcomes achieved, as well as the planned way-ahead. A fruitful dialog produced several action items of common interest and benefits. Specific actions were decided, aiming at further enriching the IMIHO Portal, enhancing functions and services offered at no cost to users, including subprojects, webinars and online medical training, both theoretical and practical. Furthermore, a new version of the IMIHO website will be deployed in September 2021, based on best practices, lessons learned and user feedback.

We hope that these multinational activities will bring the national health care communities closer, provide an online medium for information and expertise exchange, while conducting training, fostering scientific and academic collaboration among professionals of the Health Care Institutions, serving Military personnel. Finally, it is our hope that the Webinar and future activities will help towards bringing soon an end to the ongoing pandemic situation.

More information and recorded material will be available at the IMIHO Portal soon.

31th IMIHO TWG - 13th Users Meetings

 

The 13th Interconnection of Military Hospitals (IMIHO) Users’ Meeting took place virtually on 17 December 2020, in collaboration with “Celio” Military Hospital in Rome. A Webinar was executed via IMIHO dedicated teleconference platform, that focused on the contributions, challenges and experiences of the Military health care personnel during the ongoing pandemic crisis.    

Participants from seven Nations, as well as the SEDM Secretariat had the opportunity to receive an extensive briefing, composed of diverse and informational presentations on COVID-19 related topics, such as national perspectives and military contribution, evacuation of patients, diagnosis, triage/bed allocation priority and software development.  The duration of the Webinar was extended, due to the enthusiastic willingness of Participants to engage into conversation and exchange their expert opinions, views and experiences, as well as elaborate on lessons learned and way-ahead.

The 31st IMIHO Technical Working Group Meeting took place virtually on 18 December 2020. During the event, the IMIHO Chairman elaborated on the significant progress and tangible outcomes achieved during the last months, as well as the planned way-ahead. A fruitful dialog produced several action items of common interest and benefits. Specific actions were decided, aiming at further enriching the IMIHO Portal, enhancing functions and services offered at no cost to users, including subprojects, webinars and online medical training, both theoretical and practical. Furthermore, a new version of the IMIHO website is under development, with substantial results, by utilizing new internet technologies, open-source software, mobile technologies and based on best practices, lessons learned and user feedback.

The participants would like to express their gratitude to “Celio” Hospital personnel for the excellent presentations and superb organization of the event. Also, special thanks to SEDM Secretariat for the support, as well as all participants for the cordial cooperation.

We hope that these multinational activities will bring the national health care communities closer, provide an online medium for information and expertise exchange, while conducting training, fostering scientific and academic collaboration among professionals of the Health Care Institutions, serving Military personnel. Finally, it is our hope that the Webinar and future activities will help towards bringing soon an end to the ongoing pandemic situation. 

More information and recorded material will be available at theat the IMIHO Portal soon.

 

FLSD Conference, Bucharest (VTC)

Bucharest, as host nation of Female Leaders in Security and Defence (FLSD) Project, organized on Thursday, 5 November 2020, the International Conference “Gender equality - 20 years after the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. The impact on the security and defence sector” in order to promote the gender dimension.

The event, organized via use of SEDM videoconference system, took place under the auspices of the Process of Meetings of Defence Ministers of Southeast Europe (SEDM) and was part of the set of actions undertaken by Bucharest, as a nation-leader, to further develop the project "Women Leader in the field of Security and Defence”. Our country is, after 2017, for the second time the host of an international conference dedicated to the promotion of gender equality.

,,This anniversary it happening in a year with a double significance – the 75th anniversary of the UN and its founding Charter and 65th anniversary of Romania’s accession to the organization”  said Secretary of State Simona Cojocaru, Head of the Department for Defence Policy, Planning and International Relations within the Ministry of National Defence.

The Secretary of State stated that, based on national legal framework, Romanian MoD  promotes and supports fair and balanced access at all hierarchical levels for men and women, military or civilian personnel, to both leading and executive positions, with the observance of complying with performance selection criteria.,, Therefore, there are no restrictions regarding women’s participation and selection for positions in the MoD, specific to permanent missions from the Military Representations of Romania to international organizations, or temporary missions specific to commanding or executive structures deployed abroad”, concluded the Head of the Department for Defence Policy, Planning and International Relations.

The conference was attended by experts from SEDM Member – Tirana, Sarajevo, Athens, Rome, Skopje, Podgorica, Ljubljana and Ankara, representatives of the UN, NATO and the Centre for Security Cooperation in South Eastern Europe (RACVIAC).

The event was also attended by representatives of public institutions that contributed to the development of programmatic documents on gender issues, namely the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the National Agency for Equal Opportunities between Women and Men, the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration, as well as representatives of civil society.

In the same context, of the activities organized at national level to mark the 20th anniversary of the adoption of UNSCR 1325, were released publicly the National Strategy and the National Action Plan on the implementation of UNSCR 1325 (2000), Women , Peace and Security, for the period 2020-2023, approved by Government Decision no. 561/2020.

At the Ministry of National Defence, the two decades since the adoption of the UN Resolution on Women, Peace and Security were marked on Wednesday, November 4, by naming "Smaranda Brăescu" (the first woman parachutist with a patent in Romania, European and world champion in parachuting) the conference room of the Department for Defence Policy, Planning and International Relations of the Ministry of National Defence.

The conference was an opportunity to reaffirm, at international level, the role of women in the prevention and resolution of military conflicts, in the promotion of peace and security, as well as in the political and military decision-making process.

2020 SEDM Ministerial Meeting

The South-Eastern Europe Defence Ministerial (SEDM) meeting has been performed on 14th October 2020, via Video Teleconference, using the SEDM Portal.

Deputy Ministers of Defence/representatives from 13 SEDM Nations, SEEBRIG Commander and representatives from RACVIAC, RCC and UNDP SEESAC participated in the Meeting, which was chaired by Deputy Minister of Defence of Albania/Chairman of SEDM-CC/PMSC Secretariat, H.E. Mr. Petro KOÇI and Deputy Minister of National Defense of Greece H.E. Mr. Alkiviadis STEFANIS.

The SEDM Chairman H.E. Mr. Petro KOÇI and H.E. Mr. Alkiviadis STEFANIS opened the Meeting and delivered their speeches underlining the importance of the moment.

In the beginning, SEDM Chairman addressed the impact and the challenges posed by COVID-19 virus as a global health crisis and expressed that our thoughts are with the loved ones of the victims, and with all those who suffers from the pandemic.

SEDM Chairman gave a rundown on the latest developments on SEDM-CC Projects and PMSC activities since the last SEDM Ministerial Meeting highlighting the achievements obtained within the SEDM process under the Albanian Chairmanship. 

COMSEEBRIG, Brigadier General Aristeidis ILIOPOULOS, gave an update on SEEBRIG’s activities since the last SEDM Ministerial meeting and presented the documents to be approved by Deputy Ministers of Defence of MPFSEE Nations.

Deputy Ministers of Defence and representatives from SEDM Nations welcomed the achievements of SEEBRIG Brigade and acknowledged the contribution of this Brigade as important tool for promoting regional security, stability, cooperation and fostering good neighborly relations among countries in the region.

SEDM nation’s representatives expressed their views on the future of SEDM Initiative and underlined that SEDM Initiative has strengthened the relations between the countries and has contributed to their efforts for a common European and Euro-Atlantic future.

The representatives reiterated their commitment to further strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of this initiative through increased co-operation between member nations and through specific projects within this initiative.

At the end, the Deputy Ministers of Defence/representatives approved the “Joint Statement” of the Ministers of Defense of the SEDM member nations.

Finally, the nations expressed their appreciation to Athens and SEDM Portal Technical Working and to the SEDM Secretariat for the tireless efforts in successfully preparing and conducting the annual SEDM Ministerial Meeting via Video Teleconference.

The full joint statement is available here.

44th PMSC- 43rd SEDM-CC Meetings

The 43rd SEDM-CC and 44th PMSC Meetings of the SEDM Initiative were held under the Albanian Chairmanship via videoconference on 23 and 24 September 2020, due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

Representatives from 13 SEDM member nations, SEEBRIG’s Commander and representatives from international and regional organizations such as NATO, UNDP SEESAC, RCC and RACVIAC participated in the meetings, chaired by H.E. Mr. Petro KOÇI, the Chairman of the SEDM-CC/PMSC Secretariat/ Deputy Minister of Defense.

The Chairman highlighted in his speech that during all these years, our cooperation has strengthened the relations among our nations and has contributed to the efforts towards a common Euro-Atlantic future. He underlined that the experience we gained so far it is significant in order to maintain the efficiency of the regional cooperation and increasing SEEBRIG’s potentials.

The 43rd SEDM-CC Meeting was focused on the developments of the projects as well on the achievements obtained within the SEDM process. Respectively the “Interconnection of Military Hospital (IMIHO)” project will further enhance the cooperation between military hospitals by enhancing the cooperation on topics of mutual interest and benefits; the promotion of Female Leaders in Security and Defence Project (FLSD), by supporting the implementation of UNSCR Resolution 1325; the promotion of transparent institutions by the implementation of the principles of transparency and integrity (Building Integrity in Defence project); as well as by the further development of the SEDM Portal (SEDM Portal project).

During the 44th PMSC meeting, SEEBRIG’s Commander Brigadier Aristeidis ILIOPOULOS presented an update on SEEBRIG activities and future activities, highlighted the main elements of SEEBRIG’S Annual Plan 2021, new timeline of the Exercise “Seven Stars-21”, went through the major points of the Budget Plan for the Fiscal Year 2021 and Medium-Term Financial Plan 2021-2023. COMSEEBRIG shared with PMSC his vision for the next 3-years and addressed some manning issues. PMSC endorsed SEEBRIG’s Annual Plan and Budget Plan 2021, which will be submitted to upcoming Defense Ministerial for its approval.

 

At the end, the participants expressed their appreciation to SEDM Secretariat and SEDM Portal Technical Working Group for their efforts in successfully preparing and conducting via VTC the SEDM-CC/PMSC Meetings.

SEEBRIG Triple Ceremony

On 26 August 2020, SEEBRIG HQ supported by Host Nation, North Macedonia, organized a triple ceremony in order to celebrate the activation of SEEBRIG, HO-TO of the Command and the 21 Anniversary of SEEBRIG in Kumanovo.

The ceremony was attended by the President of the Republic of North Macedonia, H.E. Mr. Stevo PENDAROVSKI, the Prime Minister H.E. Mr. Oliver SPAVOSKI, the Defense Minister Madame Radmila ŠEKERINSKA, SEDM-CC/PMSC Chairperson/Deputy Minister of Defense of the Republic of Albania, H.E. Mr. Petro KOÇI, the Chief of General Staff of North Macedonia, Lieutenant General Vasko GJURCHINOVSKI, Deputy Ministers of Defense and Deputy Chiefs of Defense from MPFSEE Nations, Ambassadors and Defense Attachés accredited in North Macedonia, local authorities’ representatives, SEEBRIG HQ personnel and their families where present at the event.

Host Nation Representative, Defense Minister Madame Radmila ŠEKERINSKA, SEDM-CC/PMSC Chairperson H.E. Mr. Petro KOÇI, the current COMSEEBRIG Brigadier General Tudorica PETRACHE and the new COMSEEBRIG Brigadier General Aristeidis ILIOPOULOS delivered their speeches underlining the importance of the moment.

On this occasion, the SEDM-CC/PMSC Chairman expressed his gratitude to Greece for the strong support given by the Greek civilian and military authorities to SEEBRIG HQ since 2011, which contributed greatly to the success of SEEBRIG achievements. In the same time, he conveyed his deep appreciation for the outstanding efforts made by the Republic of North Macedonia in hosting SEEBRIG Headquarters in Kumanovo, which will be the “home” of the Command of SEEBRIG for the next 6 years.

SEDM-CC/PMSC Chairman noted that after 21 years of existence SEEBRIG is a successful story, as since its establishment, proved to be an effective and important tool for promoting regional security, stability, cooperation and fostering good neighborly relations among countries in the region.

He expressed deepest appreciation to COMSEEBRIG, Brigadier General Tudorica PETRACHE and his team for their tireless efforts to provide the most qualified and professional standards of all their activities and for their outstanding work to further ensure the success story of SEEBRIG. He also expressed his confidence that the new COMSEEBRIG, Brigadier General Aristeidis ILIOPOULOS and his staff will also continue the efforts to reach great achievements and wished him success in the future for SEEBRIG activities.

During the ceremony, the Commander of SEEBRIG, Brigadier General Tudorica PETRACHE was awarded by the Chairman of SEDM-CC/PMSC H.E. Mr. Petro KOÇI, with “SEEBRIG Accomplishment Medal” for his outstanding performance during his Tour of Duty.

In accordance with MPFSEE Agreement, SEEBRIG was established and activated by seven participating Nations, on 31st of August 1999 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria (1999-2003) and was then hosted in Constanta, Romania (2003-2007), later in Istanbul, Turkey (2007-2011) and afterwards in Tyrnavos Larissa, Greece (2011-2020) and now is currently located in Kumanovo, North Macedonia (2020-2026).

SEEBRIG Farewell Ceremony

On 07 August 2020, SEEBRIG HQ supported by Host Nation, Greece, organized the Farewell Ceremony in order to celebrate completing of nine years Tour of Duty in Tyrnavos/Larissa, Greece.

SEDM-CC/PMSC Chairperson/Deputy Minister of Defense of the Republic of Albania, H.E. Mr. Petro KOÇI, Deputy Minister of the Hellenic Ministry of National Defense, H.E. Mr.  Alkiviadis STEFANIS, delegations from MPFSEE Nations, high ranking military officials from Host Nation, local authorities’ representatives, SEEBRIG HQ personnel and their families where present at the event.

Host Nation Representative, SEDM-CC/PMSC Chairperson and COMSEEBRIG delivered their speeches underlining the importance of the moment. On this occasion, the SEDM-CC/PMSC Chairman expressed his deep appreciation for the outstanding efforts made by Greece in hosting SEEBRIG Headquarters since 2011. He expressed deep gratitude to the Greek civilian and military authorities for the excellent infrastructure and working conditions, cooperation and strong support to SEEBRIG HQ during the past nine years. 

During the ceremony, SEEBRIG personnel were awarded with “SEEBRIG Accomplishment Medal” for their performance during their Tour of Duty. 

2020 DCHOD Video Teleconference Meeting

The Deputy Chief of Defence Meeting (DCHODs) 2020 meeting has been performed on 3rd June 2020, via video conference.

The Deputy Chiefs of Defence/General Staff and representatives from 14 SEDM member nations, SEEBRIG Commander and the Director of RACVIAC, attended the meeting, which was chaired by Deputy Minister of Defence Mr. Petro KOÇI, Chairman of the Albanian SEDM-CC/PMSC Secretariat.

The SEDM Chairman and the Deputy Chief of General Staff of Romania, Major General Vasile TOADER, as a host nation, kicked-off the DCHOD's meeting and delivered their welcoming opening remarks to the participants.

The purpose of this annual meeting is to foster constructive regional political-military cooperation in Southeast Europe (SEE), in order to further strengthen peace, stability, trust, prosperity and security in the region.

The Deputy Chiefs of Defence/ General Staff welcomed the achievements of the SEEBRIG Brigade and acknowledged the contribution of this Brigade to regional security and stability, becoming a unique platform for cooperation and mutual training.

The representatives reiterated their commitment to further strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of this initiative through increased co-operation between member nations.

The Deputy Chiefs of Defence/ General Staff stressed that the SEDM initiative has strengthened relations between the countries and has contributed to their efforts for a common European and Euro-Atlantic future.

Finally, the participants expressed their appreciation to the SEDM Secretariat and Bucharest for their efforts in successfully preparing and conducting the annual DCHODs Meeting and to the SEDM Portal Technical Working for the excellent support given in order to perform the DCHODs Meeting through video-conference.

The Joint statement is available by clicking here.

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