Day 1
27 Jun 2023

WELCOME

Symeon G. Tsomokos, Delphi Economic Forum
Symeon G. Tsomokos

KEYNOTE OPENING ADDRESS

Nikolay Denkov, Prime Minister, Republic of Bulgaria
Nikolay Denkov

THE IMPACT OF RUSSIA’S INVASION OF UKRAINE IN BULGARIA’S GEOPOLITICAL STANDING

Rosen Plevneliev, President of the Republic of Bulgaria (2012-2017)
Kenneth Merten, US Ambassador to the Republic of Bulgaria
Irene Plank, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Republic of Bulgaria
Andrea Ikic-Böhm, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to the Republic of Bulgaria
Olesya Ilashchuk, Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Bulgaria
Chair: Solomon Passy, Founding President, Atlantic Club of Bulgaria
Rosen Plevneliev
Kenneth Merten
Irene Maria Plank
Andrea Ikic-Böhm
Olesya Ilashchuk
Solomon Passy

KEYNOTE SPEECH

Rosista Kirova, Vice President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria
Rositsa Kirova

EU ENLARGEMENT: THE NEW GROWTH PLAN FOR THE WESTERN BALKANS – WHAT WE CAN EXPECT FROM THE BERLIN INITIATIVE 16/10

Olivér Várhelyi, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement (video message)
Alexios Marios Lyberopoulos, Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic to the Republic of Bulgaria
Yordan Bozhilov, President, Sofia Security Forum
Chair: Symeon Tsomokos, Delphi Economic Forum
Olivér Várhelyi
Alexios Marios Lyberopoulos
Yordan Bozhilov
Symeon G. Tsomokos

FIRESIDE CHAT

Assen Vassilev, Minister of Finance, Republic of Bulgaria
Chair: Latchezar Bogdanov, Chief Economist, Institute for Market Economics
Assen Vassilev
Latchezar Bogdanov
12.00

Networking break

DEVELOPMENTS IN SE EUROPE: ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE

Lazăr Comănescu, Secretary General, Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation
Chair: Elena Poptodorova, Vice President, Atlantic Club of Bulgaria
Lazăr Comănescu
Elena Poptodorova

THE BANKING SECTOR AND THE GREEN FINANCING CHALLENGES

Lilyana Pavlova, Vice President, European Investment Bank, Luxembourg
Chair: Latchezar Bogdanov, Chief Economist, Institute of Market Economics
Lilyana Pavlova
Latchezar Bogdanov

THE ACCESSION OF BULGARIA TO SCHENGEN: A SPACE WITHOUT BORDERS

Meglena Kuneva, Ambassador of the European Union to the Council of Europe (2018-2022)
Chair: Elena Poptodorova, Vice President, Atlantic Club of Bulgaria
Meglena Kuneva
Elena Poptodorova
13.20

NETWORKING LUNCH BREAK

ENERGY TRANSITION AND CARBON NEUTRALITY IN THE REGION

Iva Petrova, Deputy Minister of Energy, Republic of Bulgaria
Vladimir Malinov, Executive Director, Bulgartransgaz
Teodora Georgieva, Executive Officer, ICGB, Bulgaria
Karel Kral, CEO, Electrohold Group Bulgaria
Mario De Martino, Managing  Director, Porsche Bulgaria 
Maria Aram Merdzhanova, Head of Sales EE, UK and Nordics, Jinko Solar
Chair: Kostantsa Rangelova, Senior Analyst, Energy and Climate Program, Center for the Study of Democracy
Iva Petrova
Vladimir Malinov
Teodora Georgieva
Karel Kral
Mario De Martino
Maria Aram Merdzhanova

ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND FOREIGN INVESTMENTS IN THE REGION

Kalin Peshov, Chairman of the Management Board, Glavbolgarstroy Holding AD
Ivan Mihaylov, CEO, American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria
Plamen Panchev, CEO, Trakia Economic Zone
Florian Pupeter, Managing Director, Porsche Bulgaria
Emmanouil Fountoukis, General Manager, Etem Gestamp; Chairman of the BoD, Automotive Cluster Bulgaria
George Satlas, Executive Director, ICGB
Chair: Basil Gavalas, Managing Partner, Milhous Associâtes Consultancy and Development Corporation
Kalin Peshov
Ivan Mihaylov
Plamen Panchev
Florian Pupeter
Emmanouil Fountoukis
George Satlas
Basil Gavalas

TRANSFORMING THE REGION BRICK BY BRICK: LARGE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

Julian Popov, Minister of Environment & Water, Republic of Bulgaria
Georgi Gvozdeykov, Minister of Transport and Communications, Republic of Bulgaria
Ivaylo Staykov, Deputy Minister of Regional Development & Public Works, Republic of Bulgaria
Ioannis Kirkinezis, Vice President and Managing Director, Balkans, Hill International
Chair: George Kremlis, Member of the Board, EPLO; Honorary President Circular Economy & Climate Change Institute, Greece
Julian Popov
Georgi Gvozdeykov
Ioannis Kirkinezis
GEORGE KREMLIS

EU INTEGRATION 2.0: BULGARIA’S EUROZONE HOPES AMID A TURBULENT WORLD ECONOMY

Kalin Hristov, Deputy Governor, Bulgarian National Bank
Cătălin Creţu, General Manager, Romania, Croatia, Slovenia and Bulgaria, Visa
Dimitar Bechev, Lecturer, Oxford School of Global and Area Studies, UK
Chair: Petar Ganev, Senior Researcher, Institute for Market Economics
Kalin Hristov
Dimitar Bechev
Catalin Cretu
Petar Ganev

PRESENTATION: TAX POLICIES FOR IMPROVING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND HUMAN HEALTH

Mihail Kalapchiev, Manager, Indirect Taxes, EY Bulgaria
Mihail Kalapchiev

CIRCULAR ECONOMY, CLIMATE CHANGE AND WASTE MANAGEMENT

Julian Popov, Minister of Environment & Water, Republic of Bulgaria
Dimitris Kontaxis, General Manager, Waste Management Division, Motor Oil, Greece
Demian Pintos, General Manager, Philip Morris Bulgaria
Borislav Malinov, Chairman of the Management Board, Bulgarian Association of Recycling 
Lin Sun, Head of Sustainability Development, Jinko Solar
Arno Behrens, Senior Environmental Economist, World Bank Group
Yavor Vassilev, Director, Envirometrics
Chair: George Kremlis, Member of the Board, EPLO; Honorary President Circular Economy & Climate Change Institute, Greece
Julian Popov
Dimitrios Kontaxis
Demian Pintos
Borislav Malinov
Lin Sun
Arno Behrens
Yavor Vassilev
GEORGE KREMLIS

FIRESIDE CHAT

Charlina Vitcheva, Director General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Union
Chair: George Kremlis, Member of the Board, EPLO; Honorary President Circular Economy & Climate Change Institute, Greece
Charlina Vitcheva
GEORGE KREMLIS

TOURISM IN THE REGION

Nikolina Angelkova, Minister of Tourism (2014-2020), Republic of Bulgaria
Mariela Modeva, Advisor to the Minister of Tourism, Republic of Bulgaria
Roumen Markov, General Manager, Large Infrastructure Projects LLC, Bulgaria
Ambassador (a.h.) Michael Christides, Secretary General BSEC PERMIS (2015-2021)
Bulut Bagci, President, World Tourism Forum Institute
Chair: Dimitrina Goranova, Chairman, Association of Bulgarian Tour operators and Travel Agents
Nikolina Angelkova
Mariela Modeva
Roumen Markov
Michael Christides
Bulut Bagci
Dimitrina Goranova
19.00

END OF SOFIA ECONOMIC FORUM IV

Official Dinner (by invitation only)

Guest of Honour and Speaker
Iliana Iotova, Vice President of the Republic of Bulgaria
Iliana Iotova