BSTDB Secretary General Joins the Meeting of the BSEC Council of Foreign Ministers

BSTDB Secretary General Joins the Meeting of the BSEC Council of Foreign Ministers

News | 19-Dec-2025

Secretary General Reports Strong Operational Results and Marks New Milestones

The Secretary General of the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB), Mr. Asterios Tsoukalas, joined the Meeting of the BSEC Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, chaired by the Republic of Bulgaria, which currently holds the Organization's Chairmanship-in-Office.

In his address, Mr. Tsoukalas outlined the Bank's strong institutional and operational progress, presenting key achievements and highlighting expanded regional financing, strengthened partnerships, and the inauguration of the Bank's new sustainable headquarters.

The BSTDB Secretary General reported that the Bank has directed its financing toward new operations supporting SMEs, renewable energy, climate-resilient infrastructure, regional trade, and private-sector competitiveness across all member countries. Key investments included SME financing facilities in Armenia and Georgia; credit lines in Azerbaijan and Moldova; energy and renewable projects in Bulgaria; transport and education infrastructure in Greece; agricultural financing in Romania; and sustainability-linked operations in Türkiye.

"As we conclude Bulgaria's successful Chairmanship-in-Office and look ahead to Georgia's leadership, I extend my gratitude to the Foreign Ministers of our member states for their continued support. BSTDB remains a trusted development partner for every member country, and our focus is unwavering: delivering impactful, sustainable financing that advances the region's long-term development," Mr. Tsoukalas said.

Looking ahead, BSTDB emphasized its determination to scale up its development impact through targeted investments, innovative financial instruments, and closer collaboration with public and private partners. The Bank reiterated that sustained regional progress will depend on collective action and that coordinated regional efforts will be key to unlocking new opportunities and ensuring long-term prosperity for all Black Sea countries.

The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) is an international financial institution established by Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Türkiye, and Ukraine. The BSTDB headquarters are in Thessaloniki, Greece. BSTDB supports economic development and regional cooperation by providing loans, credit lines, equity and guarantees for projects and trade financing in the public and private sectors in its member countries. The authorized capital of the Bank is EUR 3.45 billion. For information on BSTDB, visit www.bstdb.org.

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