Today we observe the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Day. On 1 July 2016, the Republic of Serbia will take its third semi-annual Chairmanship of BSECover from the Russian Federation andtransfer it to Turkey on 31 December 2016.

The Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation was established at the Summit Meeting of Heads of States or Governments of the eleven countries of the Black Sea Region, on 25 June 1992, in Istanbul. The founding Member States of the Organization are the Russian Federation, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Moldova, Greece, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia and Albania, while the Republic of Serbia continued the membership of Serbia and Montenegro, which joined in 2004.

The forthcoming Serbian Chairmanship of BSEC will present an opportunity for the further advancement of cooperation in the Black Sea Region, and a chance for the Republic of Serbia to additionally promote its economic and other potentials among the Organization's Member States.