Concluding his visit at Skopje today (20.2.2014) and after meeting with FYROM’s political leaders, during his tour of Western Balkan capitals, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos, addressed a press conference and took questions from the media.
In his capacity as the current President of the Council of the EU, Minister Venizelos stated, inter alia, the following:
An extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council regarding the situation in Ukraine took place in Brussels today (20.2.2014) chaired by Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
The Greek Presidency expresses its full satisfaction regarding the agreement reached with the European Parliament on a draft regulation establishing rules for the surveillance of the external sea borders in the context of operational cooperation coordinated by the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the member states of the EU (FRONTEX).
The Competitiveness Council of Ministers of the European Union, chaired by Kostis Hatzidakis, Minister for Development and Competitiveness of the Hellenic Republic, met in Brussels, on 20 February. The main item on the agenda of the Council was the competitiveness of European industry.
Greek Alternate Minister of Finance, Christos Staikouras presented today (20.02), before the Committee on the Budgetary Control of the European Parliament, the Council Recommendation on the Discharge of the European Commission with regard to the execution of the EU Budget 2012.
In view of the situation in Ukraine, an extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council has been scheduled to take place in Brussels today. The meeting starts at 15:00 (CET) and will be chaired by Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The Council will be exclusively dedicated to an in-depth discussion of recent events in Ukraine and the EU's reaction. For more information go to the Council’s website.
Τhe first Competitiveness Council (COMPET) under the Greek Presidency, chaired by Development & Competitiveness minister, Kostis Hatzidakis, is taking place in Brussels, on 20-21 February.