BSEC-URTA Visits the BSEC General Secretariat: Regional Connectivity and Road Transport Priorities Discussed
The BSEC-URTA International Secretariat paid a visit to H.E. Ambassador Lazar Comanescu, Secretary General of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), to exchange views on strengthening regional transport connectivity, current challenges facing international road transport, and BSEC-URTA’s ongoing efforts to contribute to the development of regional transport cooperation.
During the meeting, BSEC-URTA Secretary General Mehmet Uylukçu briefed H.E. Ambassador Lazar Comanescu on BSEC-URTA’s activities aimed at advancing regional road transport and highlighted key priority issues requiring further attention to strengthen transport connectivity across the BSEC region.
A significant part of the discussion focused on the mobility of professional drivers, which is critical to ensuring the uninterrupted operation of international road transport. In this context, visa procedures and, in particular, the 90/180-day stay rule were discussed with regard to the practical challenges they create for professional drivers and international road transport operations.
BSEC-URTA underlined that these challenges should be considered not only from the perspective of drivers’ mobility, but also in terms of their broader impact on the continuity of transport operations, trade flows, the predictability of logistics chains, and the effectiveness of regional connectivity.
A Common Agenda for Strengthening Regional Connectivity
The meeting also addressed the importance of strengthening transport and trade links across the BSEC region, facilitating border crossings, and enhancing the efficiency of regional transport corridors.
BSEC-URTA Secretary General Mehmet Uylukçu emphasised that regional connectivity can be strengthened not only through physical infrastructure, but through a comprehensive approach addressing the mobility of professional drivers without visa-related obstacles, border procedures, digital solutions, and operational coordination in an integrated manner.
The BSEC-URTA International Secretariat was represented by Secretary General Mehmet Uylukçu and BSEC-URTA Experts Elif Nuhoğlu and Şadiye Nuhoğlu. The BSEC General Secretariat was represented by H.E. Ambassador Lazar Comanescu, Executive Manager Sergii Kravchenko, and Executive Manager Tabriz Garayev.
BSEC-URTA will continue to further strengthen its cooperation with the BSEC General Secretariat and contribute to joint efforts aimed at enhancing transport connectivity between the Black Sea, the Caucasus, Europe and Central Asia, while supporting more efficient, predictable and seamless regional trade flows.
The BSEC-URTA International Secretariat expresses its sincere appreciation to H.E. Ambassador Lazar Comanescu, Secretary General of BSEC, Executive Manager Sergii Kravchenko, and Executive Manager Tabriz Garayev for their kind hospitality and constructive exchange of views.
