On 18 January 2021 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria Ekaterina Zaharieva had a video conversation with Poland's government coordinator for the Three Seas Initiative, (3SI) Pavel Jablonski. Bulgaria took over from Estonia the coordinating role of the 3SI in October 2020.
"Our main goals are to continue the process of regional cooperation and develop transport, energy and digital connectivity, to further consolidate and expand the achievements of the Initiative, as well as to host a successful and productive Summit in 2021, accompanied by a business forum, which will connect companies from the region with strategic foreign investors, "said Zaharieva, who has been appointed by the Council of Ministers as National Coordinator of the Three Seas Initiative.
During the conversation, Zaharieva and Jablonski discussed topical points related to the Initiative, such as the priorities of Bulgaria as a host country, the need to ensure continuity between the annual hosts of the 3SI, the prospects for institutionalization of the process by establishing a Secretariat, and the possibility for opening the Initiative to external partners by involving them in specific projects of key importance.
Ekaterina Zaharieva briefed Pavel Jablonski, who is also Poland's Deputy Foreign Minister about planned events: a forthcoming "Sherpas' Group" meeting on 28 January, a videoconference of national coordinators and foreign ministers in February, followed by an Energy forum organized by the Bulgarian Ministry of Energy and later on - a meeting of ministers of economy in preparation for the Business Forum."
