The most representative element of the SEDM process is undoubtedly MPFSEE Initiative. MPFSE otherwise known as the Multinational Peace Force Southeastern Europe (SEEBRIG) consists of 7 member countries: Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Romania and Turkey and five observer countries are: USA, Ukraine, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Slovenia and Croatia. July 2009, was the first time that the Multinational Peacekeeping Brigade of Southeast Europe (SEEBRIG) was led by an Albanian General, Brigadier General Zyber Dushku, for a 2-year mandate (2009-2011). Currently this team is headed by Brigadier General Zdravko Popovski, from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
Member countries of MPFSEE: Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Macedonia, Romania, Turkey.
Believing that cooperation and dialogue among Eastern European countries need to be developed further and taking into consideration their engagement and contributions to regional security and stability, on 26 September 1998 in Skopje, Macedonia (FYROM), the Defence Ministers of 7 countries signed the Agreement for the establishment of the Multinational Peace Force Southeastern Europe (MPFSEE). In the beginning, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Macedonia, Romania and Turkey joined this initiative, whereas countries like Slovenia and later the U.S. and Croatia joined it as observing countries. Recently Ukraine and Bosnia-Hecegovina bearing the observer status are in the process of full membership in this initiative.
Purpose
The purpose of this initiative is to contribute to regional security and stability, mutual trust, strengthen good-neighborly relations between the countries of Southeast Europe in the context of the SEDM Process, Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) and Partnership for Peace program spirit (PfP). Under the MPFSEE, SEEBRIG will engage in conflict prevention operations or other operations in support of peace under an UN-mandated or OSCE, NATO-EU led missions.
South-Eastern Europe Brigade (SEEBRIG)
This Brigade is an infantry unit which includes all components of ground forces, an international staff of SEDM member countries, operational since 31 August 1999 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, and then based on arotation system it is deployed in Romania Constance 2003-2007, Istanbul, Turkey 2007-2011 and is currently deployed in Larissa, Greece until 2014.
Member Countries of the MPFSEE initiative appoint military personnel as part of the SEEBRIG Headquarters while the brigade operational structure includes military units prepared by these countries according to NATO standards. Political and military consultations are carried out in high level meetings of experts of Political-Military Steering Committee (PMSC).
Members of this committee are the aforementioned countries, while Croatia, Slovenia, USA and Bosnia-Hecegovina enjoy observer status. Other countries are in the approval process as observers.
Deployment and completion of the first mission of SEEBRIG in Afghanistan, February - August 2006, as part of ISAF, is unquestionably the greatest success of this force, achieved thanks to the everlasting great spirit of cooperation being generated and demonstrated by SEDM along its new history.
Some key moments in the history of SEEBRIG are:
• 31 August 1999 the first establishment in Plovdiv - Bulgaria.
• In 2000 Command-Staff training began with / without the participation of troops in operations in the Peace Support Operation "SEVEN STARS" which is still continuing.
• On 01 May 2001 was declared the operational readiness of the Brigade in operations led by the UN, OSCE and peacekeeping operations led by NATO.
• In April 2003, PMSC stated that SEEBRIG is ready to take part in Peacekeeping Operations (PSO) led by NATO and EU.
• In April and October 2004, the assessment team stated Initial Operational Capacity (IOC) and full operational capacity (FOC).
• 2003-2007 SEEBRIG was deployed in Constanta, Romania.
• In 2006 SEEBRIG took part in Peace Support Operations in Afghanistan.
• 2007-2011 SEEBRIG was deployed in Istanbul, Turkey
• 2011- SEEBRIG was deployed in Larissa, Greece.
SEEBRIG’s mission:
SEEBRI’s mission is and will continue to be deployment in Peacekeeping Operations (PSO) but also in various operations against natural and human disasters. SEEBRIG will be part of the possible structures as part of Peace Support Operations led by NATO or EU.
SEEBRIG’s participation in Afghanistan, "Negotiation and joint success".
SEEBRIG’s participation in Afghanistan was organized and directed in the function of stability and security operations in Kabul and assistance for the Government of Afghanistan (GOA) through the National Security Force of Afghanistan (ANSF) in strengthening and ensuring security.
Brigade mission was concluded with the project of restructuring the infrastructure and support for the Afghan population, while the most important operations undertaken by the Brigade were: the Joint Police Training, including the construction and organization of checkpoints and patrols, teaching police officers, how to respect human rights, training on how to control vehicles and individuals to protect security and stability in Kabul.
SEEBRIG is an important instrument for the participation of countries that generate security. Efforts to achieve full operational capacity by using common NATO standards, procedures and concepts have transformed SEEBRIG in a structure able to deploy and participate in different Peace Support and Natural and Human disaster Operations.
