The 13th edition of the Balkan Countries CHOD's Forum will take place on Wednesday, September 4th, in Bucharest, at Marriott Hotel.

The activity will consist in the participation of the nine member delegations of the initiative - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Turkey and the Croat and Slovenian delegations, as observers.

The special invitees of the event are Air Chief Marshal Stuart Peach, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Lieutenant General Omer Lavoie, Deputy Commander of Allied Joint Force Command Naples, Lieutenant General Carlos Humberto Loitey, the United Nations Military Adviser for Peacekeeping Operations, as well as Brigadier General Fernando Paglialunga, the EU representative.

At the end of the working sessions, around 14.30, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Nicolae Ciuca, and the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Air Chief Marshal Stuart Peach, will make press statements.

The mass-media representatives are asked to take part in the introductory session and at the presentation of the Activity report on joint cooperation.

The journalists willing to attend the event are requested to send their identification data (name, surname, series and ID number and the press ID as well as the institution they represent) by Tuesday, September 3rd, 14.00, at relatiipublice.smap@mapn.ro email address.

The accredited journalists are expected on Wednesday, September 4th, between 8.10-08.40, at the Marriott Hotel entrance. The access will be made based on the ID card and press badge.

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The objectives of the conference are: development of regional military cooperation, increase of security and ensuring a stability climate in the Balkans area, identification and development of a regional crises management mechanism as well as increase of interoperability among the armed forces in the region with a view of jointly participating in various exercises and missions.

The annual reunion of the Balkan countries CHODs is a regional initiative which was established in 2007. The main goal of this forum is to increase military cooperation at all levels and improve relevant capabilities of the states in the region so that these can adequately respond to the potential asymmetric threats and non-military crises.

Point of contact: Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Nistor, cell phone 0737346876.

The Press Office