Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ekaterina Zaharieva has held talks in Sofia with the new Secretary General of the Central European Initiative (CEI) Roberto Antonione. It was said that European integration of the Western Balkans was already an irreversible process and that the countries of the region were already participating in high-level EU meetings, working groups and important debates such as the one on Europe's future.

Mr. Antonioni congratulated the efforts of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of EU, which has sped up the European integration and perspective of the Western Balkans.

Established in 1989, CEI is the oldest regional forum in Central, Eastern and Southeast Europe. Bulgaria has been a full member since 1996, and today the initiative includes 17 countries, including EU Member States, Eastern Partnership countries and the Western Balkans.