The seminar was devoted to the topic “Legal status and political functions of inter-parliamentary organisations”, and experts from the international law field and representatives of inter-parliamentary organisations had presentations on that.

During the seminar, within separate sessions, the following was discussed: parliamentary democracy, improvement of parliamentary dimension of cooperation within international and regional organisations, legal status of inter-parliamentary institutions with special reference to Inter-parliamentary Union (IPU), defining of regional priorities as well as participation of broader public in activities of inter-parliamentary organisations.

Chair of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria Mr Mihal Milkov opened the seminar.

In his addressing to the participants, Mr Milkov welcomed the initiative of the Regional Secretariat for Parliamentary Cooperation in South-East Europe (RSPCSEE) for organising the seminar and emphasised the importance of the moment of holding the seminar, having on mind that the Working group of the South-East European Cooperation Process Parliamentary dimension (SEECP PD) was entering the final phase of its activities and preparations for inaugural sitting of the SEECP Parliamentary Assembly.

Mr Milkov also said that the exchange of views and experiences with leading experts from the international law field and representatives of the European Parliament, Inter-parliamentary Union and Parliamentary conference of Baltic Sea would enable members of the SEECP PD Working group to become familiar with forms of political functioning and solution of the legal status of inter-parliamentary organisations.

The seminar was an opportunity for members of the Working group of the South-East European Cooperation Process Parliamentary dimension (SEECP PD), prior to 11^th meeting of this body, which will be held in the period 15-16 November in Bucharest, within Romania presidency of this initiative, to meet with functioning of other inter-parliamentary organisations and exchange views on future framework that the SEECP Parliamentary dimension will act.