Marshall Fund offering 20 million dollars for development of democracy in Black Sea region

The Marshall Fund of USA will finance democracy strengthening, good governing and development of regional civil society projects in the Black Sea region. The announcement was made at the Black Sea Forum for Dialogue and Partnership, which took place from June 5 to 6 in the capital of Romania, Bucharest. According to the Romanian press, the Marshall Fund offered 20 million dollars in order to launch the Black Sea Forum and started talks with the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the Government of Romania and other public and private donors from USA and Europe for supporting this initiative. ”The Black Sea region is vital for ensuring long-term stability, security and peace in Europe, USA and Euro-Atlantic Alliance. The Black Sea Forum will help ensuring the progress in the region at local, national and international level”, declared the president of the Marshall Fund, Craig Kennedy. According to the Romanian Foreign minister, the high level meeting of the Forum represents the start of an inflow of events destined to lead to an advanced interaction. According to the Romanian press, one of the expectations linked to this Forum is creating the most favorable auspices for settling regional conflicts. The Transnistrian problem will be discussed only after the Forum, when the president Traian Basescu intends to present to Moscow and Chisinau a 100% Romanian settlement plan. The Forum took place in June 5-6 in Bucharest. Heads of state and high officials from Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Bulgaria etc. and also NATO, OSCE and UN representatives participated at the Black Sea Forum for Dialogue and Partnership.