1st DAY – 24.09.2021
Opening greetings
– Makis Voridis, Minister of Internal Affairs, Athens
– Kostas Fragogiannis, Deputy Minister for Economic Diplomacy and Openness, Athens
– Georgios Georgantas, Deputy Minister for Digital Governance, Athens
– Christos Dimas, Deputy Minister for Development and Investments | Research, Innovation and Technology, Athens
– Ioannis Smirlis, Secretary General for International Economic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Athens
– Georgios Zervos, Special Secretary for European Regional Development Fund, Ministry of Development & Investments, Athens
– Rumen Alexandrov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sofia
– M.Sc. Josip Brkić, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sarajevo
– Luela Hajdaraga, Ambassador in Athens, Tirana
– Igor Popov, Ambassador, Director of the Directorate for Economic and Public Diplomacy at the MFA, Skopje
– Ana Vukadinović, Ambassador in Athens, Podgorica
– Dr. Stanislav Raščan, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ljubljana
– Andreja Metelko-Zgombić, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Zagreb
– Alexandru Ene, Political Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bucharest
1st Session: Cross – border green deal: green entrepreneurship, sustainable development, circular economy
Sub session 1.1
Moderator: George Kremlis, Principal Advisor to the Prime Minister for energy, climate, environment and circular economy, Honorary Director, European Commission, Mandated by DG ENV for Circular Economy and Insularity
– Hristina Odzaklieska, Deputy Minister of Environment and Physical Planning, Skopje
– Dr.Zlatko Lagumdzija, Academic, Professor of Sarajevo University Economics former Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Serajevo
– Olivera Vukajlović, Acting Director General of the Directorate for the promotion of the competitiveness, Ministry of Economic Development, Podgorica
Sub session 1.2
Moderator: Ioannis Mardikis, Director of Circular Economy and Climate Change Institute- Circular Economy Business expert
– Georgia Valatsou, Permanent Secretary General, Ministry of Interior, Athens
– George Kolyvas, Former advisor at the EU Commission, Research fellow at the University of Geneva, President of UEF, Athens
– Vivi Roumeliotou, Society for the Protection of Prespa, Prespes
– Konstantia Dimitrakoudi, Civil Engineer MSc, Ministry of Interior (sector Macedonia and Thrace), Thessaloniki
2nd DAY – 25.09.2021
Giorgos Emmanouil, Balkans’ Forum Coordinator and General Director of Ministry of Interior (sector Macedonia and Thrace) “Event Experience, synergies and Balkans’ Forum prospects”
2nd Session:
Smart practices in cross-border cooperation with tourism-agri-food and Development Footprint for the citizens of the Balkans
Moderator: Ignatiadis Spyros, General Director of Greek Exporters Association (SEVE)
– Dr. Athanasios Balermpas, General Secretary for Citizenship, Ministry of Interior, Athens
– Dr. Sebnem Sözer, Head of Department EU Programmes, Cross-border Cooperation, Directorate General for financial Cooperation and Project Implementation, Directorate for EU Affairs, Ankara
– Georgios Zalidis, Professor, School of Agriculture of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki
– Prof. Ruska Bozhkova, Chief assistant, Tourism Department Faculty of Economics SWU “Neofit Rilski”, Sofia
– Effie Lazaridou, Managing Director of “New Agriculture New Generation”, Thessaloniki
– Jean-Pierre Halkin, Head of unit for Macro-regions, Transnational/Interregional/External Cooperation, Enlargement at the session within Directorate-general for Regional and Urban Policy, Brussels
– Dr. Antonios Karvounis, EGTCs National Contact Point, Ministry Of Interior, Athens
– Carmen Rusu, Assist.Prof., PhD, Vice Dean of Faculty of Engineering “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati, Galati
– Theofilaktos Papadopoulos, Head of International Relations and Regional Policy Directorate of Ministry of Interior (sector Macedonia and Thrace), Thessaloniki
3rd Session:
The role of innovation and new technologies in the development of infrastructures and networks in the new programming period 2021-2027
Moderator: Nikos Katsiadakis, Electrical Engineer, MSc in Management of Production Systems, CERTH Extroversion Unit
– Stergios Kianas, ViceGovernor for Developmental Transition Planning in the Region of Western Macedonia, Kozani
– Domagoj Šarić, Head of Department for Economic Competitiveness, Croatian Chamber of Economy, Zagreb
– Nikos Eythhimiadis, Chairman & Ceo, Thess INTEC S.A., Thessaloniki
– Mihai Νiculescu, Director General, Intelligent Transport Systems, ITS Romania, Bucharest
– Dimitrios Tzovaras, Chairman and Director of Central Directorate CERTH, Thessaloniki
– Milica Vračarić, CEO at Regional Agency for the Development of SME Alma Mons Ltd, Novi Sad
– Aristotelis Spiliotis, Bank’s Secretary General, Black Sea Trade & Development Bank, Thessaloniki
– Orhideja Kaljoshevska, WBIF Country Manager, Skopje
4th Session:
New Perspectives and Policies of Cohesion and Development Tools for Strengthening the Interregional Cooperation in the Balkan area
Moderator: Prof. Agis M. Papadopoulos, Chairman of the Board EYATH S.A.
– Georgios Kavvathas, President GSEVEE, Hellenic Confederation of Professionals, Craftsmen & Merchants, Athens
– Teodora Polimerova, Director of directorate “Climate, energy and air quality”, Sofia Municipality, Sofia
– Athanasios Savvakis, President SBE, Federation of Industries of Greece, Thessaloniki
– Gentian Xhaxhiu, Programme and Legal Manager, Regional School of Public Administration (ReSPA), Tirana
– Dr. Kyriakos Pozrikidis, Managing Director HELEXPO, Thessaloniki
– Mjellma Mehmeti, f. state Counselor for European Integration, Ministry of Local Self Government, Skopje
– Dimitris Lakasas, Ex President of Greek Exporters Association (SEVE), Thessaloniki
– Gilles Kittel, IPA/EUSAIR/Accession negotiations Team Leader, Unit D1 – DG REGIO, Brussels