The Congress Preparation Meeting of the Balkan Military Medical Committee was held in Istanbul, Turkey. The meeting was attended by delegations of the BMMC permanent member states: Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Serbia and Turkey. Our delegation was represented by Col. Prof. Dr. Đoko Maksić and Maj. Assist. Prof. Dr. Boban Đorđević. The attendees to the meeting reviewed the detailed plan for organizing the 14th BMMC Congress to be held on May 10-14, 2009, in Burgas, Bulgaria

The main topic of the Congress would relate to the multinational military medical cooperation of Balkan countries in peacekeeping missions. The Congress activities would include three round table sessions to address the issues of PTSD and the role of medical technicians within the framework of the Armed Forces’ Medical Services.

The need for more intensified expert exchange, sharing of knowledge and experiences of Balkans countries’ Medical Services for the betterment of regional military medical cooperation was especially stressed. To that aim, the MMA Regional Training Center would take the initiative to organize a Course on Emergency Military Medicine until the end of 2009. That Course would be intended for physicians and medical technicians from all Balkan countries. It was also agreed to extend that activity to include courses on Hyperbaric, Diving and Aviation Medicine, which would be hosted by the other BMMC member states.

FYR of Macedonia and Moldavia were nominated next BMMC membership candidate states.