Conference in Burgas: European Integration and Statistics

Following the Bulgarian chairmanship of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), the city of Burgas hosted a key two-day conference focused on regional cooperation and European integration. The event, which took place on September 11 and 12, 2025, brought together high-ranking representatives from the national statistical institutes of countries in the region, highlighting Bulgaria"s commitment to the European future of its neighbors.

The forum gathered the heads of statistical institutes from candidate and potential candidate countries for membership in the European Union. In addition, their colleagues from EU member states located in Southeast Europe also took part, which provided a comprehensive exchange of experience and good practices. The visible presence of so many officials from different countries testified to the seriousness of the topic and its regional significance.

The conference, co-organized by the National Statistical Institute (NSI) in the person of its president, Mr. Atanas Atanasov, and "Eurostat", represented by the director-general Mrs. Mariana Kotseva, aimed to strengthen ties and encourage dialogue in the region. This joint commitment on the part of the European statistical service emphasizes the central role of statistical data in the process of European integration.

Support for the European perspective

In his address to the delegates, Deputy Minister Nikolay Pavlov highlighted Bulgaria"s firm support for the European perspective of all participants in the SEECP. He pointed out the importance of promoting dialogue, carrying out comprehensive reforms, and strengthening the region"s shared aspiration for its European future. Mr. Pavlov"s message was clear: reliable and comparable official statistics are a fundamental element for the development of effective policies within the framework of regional cooperation. He emphasized that these very statistics are key to realizing the European vision that unites the capitals of Southeast Europe.

<2>The second day of the conference was entirely dedicated to the topic of the South-East European Cooperation Process. In this panel, Ivaylo Yordanov, head of the "Regional Cooperation" department in the "Southeast Europe" directorate, presented the priorities set in Sofia_q_s chairmanship. His presentation gave a detailed insight into the specific steps that the Bulgarian government is taking to deepen regional ties and strengthen European integration in Southeast Europe.