Greece’s membership in TSI – a platform of economic cooperation between Central European EU countries – is likely at the upcoming summit in Bucharest in September, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday at the Annual Reunion of Romanian Diplomacy.
Czech President Petr Pavel has expressed his desire for the Visegrad Group, a regional cooperation comprising Czechia, Slovakia, Poland, and Hungary, to remain as democratic and pro-European as it was when it was founded. Despite criticism of the Visegrad cooperation due to Hungary’s illiberal and pro-Russian behaviour, Pavel does not condemn regional cooperation formats. He is excited to welcome counterparts from the Visegrad Four countries to Prague Castle in November. Czechia holds the one-year rotating presidency of the Visegrad Group until July 2024, and high-level meetings are expected from the country. Pavel believes that in the long term, it is essential to ensure Visegrad remains true to its founding spirit of democratisation and pro-European cooperation.

Greece’s potential membership in the Three Seas Initiative (TSI) stands to enhance the initiative’s objectives and foster greater regional cooperation. The TSI, comprising Central and Eastern European countries, focuses on bolstering connectivity in the areas between the Baltic, Adriatic, and Black Seas. Greece’s strategic geographical location and robust infrastructure assets can bring unique advantages to the initiative.

Greece, with its extensive coastline and well-established ports, can serve as a vital maritime gateway, linking the Adriatic and Black Seas. Ports like Piraeus, a major Mediterranean hub, could act as a crucial node for increased trade, facilitating the movement of goods and fostering economic collaboration within the TSI region.

Greece also possesses important assets when it comes to Greek infrastructure, including the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and its liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities. These pieces of infrastructure a play a pivotal role in diversifying energy sources within the TSI. Access to these energy assets would help reduce the region’s dependence on any single energy supplier, enhance its energy security, and promote sustainable energy practices across the region.