The Presidency of the Balkan Cities’ Network for 2004 is held by the Municipality of Piraeus, where the 5th Mayors’ Summit was held from April 1 to 3, 2005.

During this Summit, there was discussion on issues concerning the Network, its operational and communicational needs, twinning between cities and the role such twinnings can play within a global competitive society even among major cities.

Furthermore, there was discussion on issues concerning the impending enlargement of the European Union with the accession of Bulgaria and Romania as regular Member-States in 2007 and Turkey receiving, within 2005 and under certain conditions, a date for the initiation of accession negotiations.

The shaping of the new regional developmental policy of the European Union in view of the 4th Community Support Framework is very important for major Balkan Cities, while institutional focus on the first European Constitution is leading to new circumstances in the broader region and, thus, higher expectations