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Agenda

9:15 - 9:30

Keynote Opening Address

ASSEN VASSILEV

Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria, for EU Funds and Minister of Finance

9:30 - 10:00

The World – post war in Ukraine: Mapping the new global & regional Security order

NATO, Russia - Ukraine conflict – ways ahead

YORDAN BOZHILOV

Deputy Minister of Defense
Republic of Bulgaria

NIKOS CHARDALIAS

Deputy Minister of National Defence
Hellenic Republic

DANIEL SMILOV

Program Director
Centre for Liberal Strategies

Chair

10:00 - 10:35

Reinventing the EU – A union fit for the challenges of tomorrow

EU in the global power competition – French Presidency – Reinventing the EU, EU coping with post covid – economy, green deals

COMMISSIONER OLIVER VARHELYI

European Commission

(Video message)

FLORENCE ROBINE

Ambassador of France to the Republic of Bulgaria

DIMITRIS CHRONOPOULOS

Ambassador Of the Greek Republic to the Republic of Bulgaria

EVA MAYDELL

Member of European Parliament

BASIL GAVALAS

Head of international relations at DIKTIO Network for Reform in Greece and Europe

Chair

10:35 - 11:30

Inflation, currency board and Eurozone candidacy: the 2022 context

Inflation in a currency board - economic and political challenges, Eurozone candidacy in turbulent times

PETIA DIMITROVA

CEO
Postbank

FLORIN DRAGU

Head of division Systemic Risk Monitoring Division Financial Stability Department National Bank of Romania

DEJAN SOSKIC

Professor
Faculty of Economics University of Belgrade

BASIL GAVALAS

Head of international relations at DIKTIO Network for Reform in Greece and Europe

Chair

11:30 - 12:00

Reinventing Business Strategies in an ESG environment

DIMITAR KOSTOV

Head of Consumer Experience and Commercial Operations
Philip Morris Bulgaria

MARINA STEFANOVA

Chairperson, Bulgarian Association of CSR professionals

Chair

12:00 - 12:15

Coffee Break

12:15 - 13:20

Beyond volatility: Geopolitical tensions and Energy transition

Balancing new industrialization with circular, green and digital economy - Gas and pipelines - FSRU – storage facilities - RES and hydrogen

ALEXANDER NIKOLOV

Minister of Energy
Republic of Bulgaria

OLIVIER MARQUETTE

President
American Chamber of Commerce, Bulgaria

GEORGE KREMLIS

Principal Advisor to the Greek PM, for Energy, Climate, Environment

VESELIN TODOROV

Chairman
Association of Traders and Producers of Natural Gas and Hydrogen

KAREL KRAL

CEO
Electrohold Bulgaria Group

VLADIMIR MALINOV

Executive Director
Bulgartransgaz

KRISTINA LAZAROVA

Chief Financial Officer
Tibiel Chair
Co-Founder at Platform Brown to Green

KALOYAN STAYKOV

Senior Economist, Energy Management Institute

Chair

13:20 - 14:10

Digital Transformation: Taking Government to the next level

Bulgaria’s digital transition plan, ways to enhance performance on digital skills, digitization of businesses and of public services, boosting development of Bulgaria's digital economy

BOZHIDAR BOZHANOV

Minister of e-Government
Republic of Bulgaria

IVAYLO IAYDJIEV

Deputy Minister of Finance
Republic of Bulgaria

CATALIN CRETU

General Manager România, Croatia, Bulgaria & Slovenia
VISA

GEORGI GANEV

Board Member AmCham, Country Manager IBM

BILIANA ZOLKOVA

Head of the Department for International Relations in IT and Communications at the Ministry of Transport and Communications

ANTON GERUNOV

Associate Professor, Sofia University, VP of Digital Transformation

Chair

14:10 - 15:20

Strategic Infrastructural Projects

Mobility – Connectivity

GROZDAN KARADJOV

Deputy Prime Minister for Regional Development and Public Works
Republic of Bulgaria

GEORGE KREMLIS

Principal Advisor to the Greek PM, for Energy, Climate, Environment

ALESSANDRO BRAGONZI

Head of Regional Representation for the Western Balkans
EIB

PROF. DR. CHRISTINA NIKOLOVA

Head of Department “Economics of Transport and Energetics” University for National and World Economics

DR. ENG. IVAN KATSAROV

Executive Director
Bulgarian Forum for Transport Infrastructure

Chair

14:10 - 15:20

The Transportation sector: The railway projects | Fireside Chat

NIKOLAY SABEV

Minister of Transport and Communications
Republic of Bulgaria

DR. ENG. IVAN KATSAROV

Executive Director
Bulgarian Forum for Transport Infrastructure

Chair

15:20 - 15:50

Light Lunch

15:50 - 16:30

The jobs market in Bulgaria: balancing efficiency and inclusivity

Labor market: A joint action by State and private sector.

THOMAS PURNELL

Administrative & HR Director, Etem Gestamp Extrusions & Automotive

NIKI GEORGIADOU

Secretary General
Hellenic Business Council in Bulgaria

DIMITAR DIMITROV

Chairman of the Committee
GBCIC

KRASIMIRA VELICHKOVA

Member of the Government Task Force on Refugees

RUZHA SMILOVA

Centre for Liberal Strategies

16:30 - 17:30

Developments in FDI & Regional Economic Clusters

Foreign Direct Investments as a catalyst for macro- and micro-economic growth in the Western Balkans - Changes in the landscape of FDI in Bulgaria, policies to boost international flows.

BOGDAN BOGDANOV

Executive Director
InvestBulgaria Agency

NIKOLINA ANGELKOVA

MP, Deputy Chair, Parliamentary Tourism Committee, National Assembly of Bulgaria, Minister of Tourism (2014-2020)

ROBERTO SANTORELLI

President
Confindustria Bulgaria

LIDIYA SHOULEVA

Founder and managing partner of Business Intellect Ltd.

GEORGE ROUSSELIS

Assistant Chief Financial Officer
Viohalco

LATCHEZAR BOGDANOV

Senior Economist
Institute for Market Economy

Chair

17:30

Closing remarks

20:00

Reception (by invitation only)

20:30

Reception (by invitation only)

Guest of Honor & Speaker

H.E. RUMEN RADEV

President of the Republic of Bulgaria