КОНФЕРЕНЦИЯ „ЗАПАДНИ БАЛКАНИ“ организирана от Фондация New Direction, International Republican Institute (IRI) и дясна платформа Консерваторъ
Official opening of the Western Balkans Summit
Angel Dzhambazki MEP, Vice President of New Direction Foundation
Keynote speech
Mariya Gabriel – European Commissioner for Research, Innovation, Education, Culture and Youth
Panel I: Regional Cooperation and Security in the Western Balkans
The Balkans have always been at the crossroads of continents and prone to threats for the security in the region. The migration influx into the European Union that started in 2015 showed the flows in the security measures in the region allowing for thousands of illegal border crossings. Despite the efforts made by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency and the accession of Slovenia, Croatia, Albania, Montenegro and soon North Macedonia to NATO, problems and threats to security persist.
Speakers:
H.E. Nataliya Apostolova, EU Ambassador to Kosovo, European External Action Service
Robert Pszczel; Senior Officer for Russia and the Western Balkans, NATO
Vesselin Valkanov; Ambassador, Head of Liaison-Office in Brussels, Regional Cooperation Council
Nikolay Oblakoff; Founder and Chief Editor of the right-wing media platform “Conservative.bg”
Dita Nowicka; Senior Frontex Liaison Officer to Bulgaria
Moderator: Martin Filipov; European Conservatives and Reformists Group, European Parliament
Keynote speech
Neno Dimov – Minister of Environment and Water of the Republic of Bulgaria
Panel II: Strengthening Transatlantic (Re) Engagement in the Western Balkans
From investments, energy experts to information campaigns, authoritarian actors continue to engage in campaigns of influence that corrode the already fragile democracies of the Western Balkans. What is the transatlantic community doing to support the strengthening of the Western Balkans’ democracies, and what are the areas that require additional dynamism?
Speakers:
Tihomira Doncheva; Independent Researcher
Krasimir Bogdanov; Member of the Bulgarian National Assembly, VMRO-BND
Georgi Harizanov; Political Analyst and Member of the Institute for Right-wing Politics
Teodor Dimokenchev; Political Analyst and Columnist for the “Conservative.bg”
Moderator: Brady Hills; Senior Programme Officer, International Republican Institute
Keynote Speech
Nikolay Prodanov – Deputy Minister of Justice of the Republic of Bulgaria
Panel III: Exploiting Social Fissures in the Western Balkans
Despite being clichéd, the Western Balkans is the cross-roads of Europe where East, West, and South meet. This has created a dynamic region with rich social diversity that represents the breadth of European culture. However, the strength of this diversity can also be exploited with social inequality, nationalism, ethnic tensions, and other social fissures being used to promote divisive interests. The panel’s aim is to candidly discuss the existing social fissures and what is currently being done to address them.
Speakers:
Olga Deutsch; Vice-President, NGO Monitor
Gjergj Murra; Executive Director, Western Balkans Fund
Ruslan Stefanov; Director (Economic Programme); Centre for the Study of Democracy
Milen Mihov; Member of the Bulgarian National Assembly, VMRO-BND
Chris Kostov; International Relations Program Lead at Schiller International University Madrid
Moderator: Krystian Szkwarek; Political Analyst for the “Conservative.bg”, ECR Group
Keynote Speech
Ekaterina Zaharieva – Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria
Panel IV: Future of the Western Balkans: A Young Political Leader’s Roundtable
With continued challenges of emigration and brain-drain, talent-management and the empowerment of a future generation of leaders is essential for the success of the Western Balkan countries. This panel will bring together young political leaders and alumni of IRI programmes in the Western Balkans to discuss current challenges facing the region, and their visions for the future direction.
Speakers:
Malik Garabija; Minister (Sarajevo Cantonal Government), Social Democratic Party
Pedja Mitrovic; City of Belgrade Councillor, Freedom and Justice Party
Nemanja Radojevic; Member of the Serbian Parliament, Modern Serbia Party
Valbon Limani; Chief-of-Cabinet for the Mayor, Municipality of Gostivar, “Alliance for Albanians”
Toncho Kraevski; Political Analyst and editor for the “Conservative.bg”
Moderator: Igor Merheim-Eyre; Programme Officer, International Republican Institute
Closing Remarks
Angel Dzhambazki MEP, Vice President of New Direction Foundation
