As of July 1, 2021, Bulgaria will become the rotating chair of the SEDM process (South East Europe Defence Ministerial). In preparation for the adoption of the mandate, representatives of the current President of the Republic of Albania are visiting Sofia until 18 June.

Talks are focused on deepening security and defence co-operation, as well as on difficulties in holding regular meetings due to the pandemic. 

The organization of the ceremony for handing over and accepting the presidency is also specified.  It will be held on August 27, 2021 in the town of Kumanovo, in North Macedonia, where the Headquarters of the Southeast Europe Multinational Brigade are located.

The main objective of the SEDM is promoting understanding and intensifying political and military cooperation in Southeastern Europe in order to strengthen stability and security in the region.

SEDM member states include the U.S., Greece, Italy, Turkey, Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Albania, Ukraine, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia, while Georgia and Moldova have the status of observer countries.

SEDM has no permanent structure, i.e. no founding charter or permanent secretariat. Mechanisms of cooperation within SEDM are ministerial meetings, meetings of the Coordination Committee (SEDM–CC), the meetings of the Political-Military Steering Committee (PMSC) and SEDM Deputy Chiefs of Defence Meetings.

The deputy defence ministerial forum is currently suspended. Decisions reached at the meetings of SEDM defence ministers serve as guidelines for future work within this Initiative, and up to date they have generated various consultations, exercises and projects, which helped with building efficient cooperation among SEE countries in the field of defence and strengthening interoperability of partner armed forces with NATO.

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