Participation of Mr. Asaf Hajiyev, PABSEC Secretary General, in the 20th PAM Plenary Session, 6-8 May 2026, Budva, Montenegro
Mr. Asaf Hajiyev, PABSEC Secretary General, participated in the 20th Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), held on 6-8 May 2026 in Budva, Montenegro.
The 20th Plenary Session of PAM brought together Speakers and Presidents of Parliament, Secretaries General, parliamentarians, and representatives of international parliamentary organizations from PAM Member and Partner States.
The Session consisted of the 5th Meeting of Secretaries General of PAM Member and Partner Parliaments, the 1st Summit of Speakers and Presidents of Parliament of PAM Members and Partners, and the 20th PAM Plenary Session. The Summit focused on the topic: “Parliamentary diplomacy as a resilience stronghold of democratic institutions.” The meetings provided an opportunity for discussions on issues of common interest and for strengthening cooperation among parliamentary assemblies.
During his intervention at the 5th Meeting of the Secretaries General of the Member and Partner Parliaments of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), Mr. Asaf Hajiyev underlined the important work carried out by the International Secretariats, particularly in the organization of General Assemblies and other major parliamentary events. He emphasized that, in the current international environment, numerous issues require continuous dialogue and the exchange of experiences among the parliamentary assemblies. In this regard, he highlighted topics such as artificial intelligence, digitalization, and energy security, particularly within the framework of the ongoing situation concerning Iran.
Mr. Hajiyev noted that the rapid development of artificial intelligence and digital technologies requires more frequent consultations and coordination among parliamentary institutions. Therefore, he proposed organizing additional meetings of the Secretaries General each year and expressed readiness the PABSEC to host a future meeting of the Secretaries General, stressing that such initiatives would contribute positively to future work and cooperation among the parliamentary assemblies.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Mr. Hajiyev also met with Mr. Ramil Hasan, Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TurkPA). During the meeting, Mr. Hasan extended an invitation to Mr. Hajiyev to participate in the upcoming TurkPA General Assembly, scheduled to take place in Kyrgyzstan in October 2026.
Within the framework of the PAM Plenary Session, Mr. Asaf Hajiyev met with Mr. Shalva Papuashvili, PABSEC President and Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia. During the meeting, Mr. Hajiyev informed the PABSEC President about the preparatory work for the 67th PABSEC General Assembly, scheduled to be held in Georgia from 29 June to 1 July 2026, and expressed gratitude for the continued support of the Parliament of Georgia and the Georgian delegation to PABSEC’s activities. Mr. Papuashvili reaffirmed Georgia’s support for the work of PABSEC and emphasized the importance of further strengthening parliamentary cooperation within the Black Sea region.