Romania and Bulgaria should monitor the Black Sea together, including by satellite, a Romanian official has proposed. George Constantin, deputy director general at Romania's Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests, made the proposal in Burgas at the international forum "Black Sea 2030: Security, Sustainability, Innovation".

Prof. Dr Milen Baltov, rector of Burgas Free University, told the same forum that it has been decided to set up a security hub at the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy in Varna. The hub will also work in Burgas. It grew out of joint work in the Marine Science Society, which Baltov chairs. He is also a member of the European Ocean Board. Baltov said universities and research bodies must work together to build a shared Black Sea capacity.

Constantin said the two countries could run joint projects on marine management and water monitoring, using existing infrastructure and satellite systems to track changes in the Black Sea and the Danube. This would improve monitoring of the sea and make risks in the region easier to manage. The same goes for assessing flood and drought risks and for protecting people, he added.

The remarks came during the discussion "Security: the Black Sea in the new security architecture". General Konstantin Popov, chairman of the board of the Centre for Development and Policies, led it. Environment and water minister Rositsa Karamfilova-Blagova was among the participants.

Savvas Karafilidis, chairman and founder of the Bulgarian-Greek Chamber of Commerce and Industry, spoke about partnership between business and public institutions. He believes military conflicts in the region make private investment harder and hurt the economy. Karafilidis said the EU should give more money to businesses in areas hit by uncertainty, mostly in transport, logistics and energy.

James Morrison, director of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, joined by video link. He said countries in the region should work more closely so that coastal communities can cope better and marine ecosystems are protected.

The European Commission has put €110m into the Black Sea plan and into restoring marine ecosystems. By 2030 it will also fund initiatives under the EU mission to restore oceans and waters.

In the coming months the Commission will present a new strategy with an integrated approach to managing marine resources and support for investment and innovation, Morrison said.