02 July 2011, 10:13
On Saturday, Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, President of PABSEC, passed the PABSEC Presidency from Ukraine to Albania.
Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, President of PABSEC, passed the PABSEC Presidency to Jozefina Topalli, Speaker of the Albanian Parliament, at the Thirty Seventh Plenary Session of the PABSEC General Assembly.
In his speech, V.Lytvyn thanked the national delegations for the fruitful, open and profound dialogue in the spirit of mutual understanding and meaningfulness. He also appreciated discussion of topical issues that will determine the future of the Black Sea region and every BSEC member state.
He also informed that organizational matters were tackled: four Deputy Presidents of the Assembly and Heads of the International PABSEC Secretariate were elected. V.Lytvyn also thanked PABSEC Secretary General Alexey Kudriavtsev who has devoted almost 20 years to the establishment, consolidation and development of the Assembly. "I am convinced that experience of such work is much sought-after to guarantee further productive work," he declared.
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine presented Mr Kudriavtsev with a letter of gratitude from the parliament, and a valuable gift a watch.
V.Lytvyn informed about the resolution of the PABSEC Standing Committee to present Serhii Podhornyi, member of the Ukrainian delegation, deputy chairman of the PABSEC Committee on Legal and Political Affairs, with a PABSEC Honorary Diploma for Personal Contribution into the PABSEC Activity.
Jozefina Topalli, Speaker of the Albanian Parliament, thanked V.Lytvyn for ‘hospitality and perfect organization´ of the Assembly session. She highly appreciated Ukraine´s presidency over the PABSEC, having characterized it as ‘loyalty to the organization.´
Ms Topalli assured that presiding over the PABSEC, Albania would be devoted to this organization, strengthen stable development and security of the Black Sea region, and increase the role of BSEC and its parliamentary assembly.
She called for implementing structural reforms in the Assembly to harmonize it with the PACE structure. Ms Topalli stated that the Black Sea region is of prime importance for Europe, and the Assembly intends to foster cooperation with the European Union.
As reported, the PABSEC General Assembly convenes twice a year in ordinary plenary session (spring and autumn sessions). A session consists of meetings of the Bureau and the Standing Committee in the first day, and the plenary meeting of the General Assembly in the next two days. The venue of the General Assembly is the country of the President of the Assembly, who is the speaker of the parliament of a member country by rotation for a period of six months.
Under clause 4, item 1 of the Standing Orders of the Assembly, the Parliament of the Republic of Albania will preside over the PABSEC since the adjournment of the current plenary session.