SARAJEVO – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biscevic, sent a letter today to the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, conveying greatest concerns in South East Europe (SEE) over the present gas supply cut-off and urging Prime Minister Putin to consider looming humanitarian catastrophe in the Balkans.

“I have conveyed to Prime Minister Putin our gravest concerns regarding the humanitarian situation in many SEE countries, as the living conditions are worsening and general public is increasingly affected”, said Biscevic.

The RCC Secretary General proposed an exemption of the SEE region from the present practice until a lasting solution is found in a tripartite format with Ukraine and the EU.

“My concern is also that slowing down of economic activities may have additional repercussion on the overall social situation and stability in SEE. This vulnerable part of Europe, after two decades of conflicts, and with the evident spill-over consequences of a recent economic recession and financial crisis must not be let to slip into additional instability.”

In a separate letter to the Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, the RCC Secretary General also urged that all necessary measures are taken to provide for the re-establishment of the natural gas supply to the countries of South East Europe.

Secretary General Biscevic underlined that the situation, affecting mostly the supply of the population at large and households, is particularly difficult in those SEE countries that rely solely on the import of natural gas and have no alternatives.

“It is in the interest of all to spare no efforts to remedy the current situation and re-establish normal living conditions and functioning of economies”, concluded Biscevic.