Details

Burgas Connectivity Forum 2024:

Connecting nations

International Congress Center Burgas

Working languages: Bulgarian and English

31st of May Program

10:00 – 10:30

Registration and Welcome Coffee

10:30 – 11:00

Greetings and Opening

Norbert Beckmann-Dierkes,

Director of Konrad Adenauer Foundation Bulgaria

Klaus Fiesinger, /Video address/

Regional Director for Southeast Europe, Hanns Seidel Foundation

Irene Maria Plank,

Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bulgaria

Mariya Gabriel,

European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth

(2019-2023)

Dimitar Nikolov,

Mayor of Burgas

11:00 – 11:15

Setting the stage:

Connectivity as EU-Integration tool

Rosen Plevneliev,

4th President of the Republic of Bulgaria,

Minister of Regional development and public works (2009 -2011)

11:15 – 11:30

Setting the stage: Transport connectivity and Corridor 8

Georgi Gvozdeykov,

Minister of Transport and Communication of the Republic of Bulgaria                                                                                                                                                         

11:30 – 11:45

Inputs: Nuclear energy investments – regional cooperation and national security. The importance of the Nuclear Power Plant Kozloduy for energy resilience in Southeast Europe.

Valentin Nikolov,

Executive Director, Nuclear Power Plant Kozloduy

11:45 – 12:00

Inputs: EU Energy policy for energy independence. Trans-European Networks for Energy. Integrated EU energy market

Mariya Trifonova,

Chief Assistant Professor, Department of Industrial Economics and Management, Sofia University

Deputy-Director of Net-Zero Lab

12:00 – 12:15

Inputs: Connecting the nations in the Balkans - tool for improvement of the business environment and diplomacy

Matej Zakonjsek,

Director of Permanent Secretariat of Transport Community Treaty

12:15 – 13:00

Panel 1:

Connectivity dynamics in the Southeast Europe: The new geopolitical role of the Black Sea region

Focus: Development of the TEN-T Network and its impact on the connectivity landscape in the Southeast Europe. The involvement of municipalities in the process of building of critical infrastructure

Ardian Hackaj,

Coordinator of Tirana Connectivity Forum

Corridor VIII as a multi-layer connectivity vector in Southeast Europe

Bojan Stojanoski,

MP in the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia and Member of the Committee on Transport, Communications and Environment at the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia

Connectivity as a tool to resolve diplomatic disputes between Bulgaria and North Macedonia

Claudio Poliganano, /online/

Region of Puglia

Importance of Corridor 8 in regional development

Moderator: Daniel Shekerletov,

Third secretary: Transport, Intermodal Questions and Networks, Permanent Representation of the Republic Bulgaria in Brussels

13:00 – 13:30

Discussion

Discussants: Dimitar Stoyanov (CNC Kozloduy), Ivelin Zanev (Executive Director of Executive Agency Exploration and Maintenance of the Danube River, Robert Yanev (Konrad Adenauer Foundation North Macedonia)

13:30 – 14:30

Lunch break

14:30 – 15:00

Enhancing Road Connectivity in Southeast Europe –

presenting the regional study takeaways

Yasen Georgiev,

Executive Director, Economic Policy Institute

Marianna Trifonova,

Program Director and Senior Analyst, Economic Policy Institute

15:00 – 15:45

Panel 2:

Innovations in connectivity

Focus: Smart mobility and smart cities: better life quality and economic growth through innovation; How to transform the cities mobility though innovation? The trends transforming mobility’s future and the impact of the Green Deal. Innovative projects that will shape the understanding of connectivity

Anja Quiring,

Regional Director South Eastern Europe, Ost-Ausschuss der Deutschen Wirtschaft

New understanding of connectivity, business and innovation

Frank Quante,

CEO, Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD

The airport as a mobility hub - Imagining an intermodal transportation crossroads for digital innovation and economic growth

Stefan Hristozov,

Secretary, JEDA (Joint European Drone Associations)

Innovative Air Mobility and New Possibilities

Asen Asenov,

Dean of Faculty of Transport, University of Ruse

Decarbonization of the transport: innovative projects

Moderator: Asya Filipova,

Program coordinator, Center for Conflict Research

15:45 – 16:30

Discussion

Discussants: Martin Hoffmann (Director Strategy and Research, German Eastern Business Association), Ivo Barzov (Key account manager, Fraport Bulgaria), Volker Berresheim (Chairman of the German-Bulgarian Forum)

16:30 – 16:45

Coffee break

16:45 – 17:30

Panel 3: Revolutionising infrastructure and security in the Black Sea region

Dorian Istratii, /Video address/

MP, Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Economic Affairs, Budget and Finance, Parliament of the Republic of Moldova

Еvolution of connectivity needs in Moldova

Marius Ghincea,

Researcher, EUI, Florence

Security risks in the Black Sea region

Gábor Papp,

Research Fellow, Hungarian Institute of International Affairs

Geopolitics of infrastructure

Moderator: Rumyana Zheleva,

Researcher, Bulgarian Academy of Science

17:30 – 17:45

Discussion

Doru Dragomir (President of the Bilateral Chamber of Commerce Bulgaria-Romania),

Valentin Razvan Dan (Political analyst, University of Bucharest)

17:45 – 18:00

Coffee break

18:00 – 18:45

Panel 4:

Peacebuilding and reconciliation through connectivity

Focus: The new economic agenda of Southeast Europe and boosting of the competitiveness of the region. Paving the way for sustainable transport connections in Southeast Europe. Common regional market and free movement of people and goods

Danijela Gacevic,

Acting Director, CEFTA

Addressing regulatory and administrative bottlenecks to cross-border trade in the Western Balkans

Albert Hani,

Executive Director RYCO

Connectivity and Youth – the way to boost the reconciliation dynamics between the nations on the Balkans

Stephan Malerius,

Head of the Regional Program Political Dialogue South Caucasus, Konrad Adenauer Foundation

Connectivity and Disconnectivity in the South Caucasus

Simona Nikolova,

Research Director, RESECO Bulgaria

Connecting nations, connecting businesses – living and working together in Southeast Europe

Moderator: Yana Docheva,

Head of the International Cooperation Department, National Association of Municipalities in Bulgaria

18:45 – 19:00

Discussion

Discussants: Tzvetin Todorov (Chairman, Bulgarian National Freight Forwarding Association), Bojidar Yankov (Executive Agency Exploration and Maintenance of the Danube River)

Conference management:

Zlatozara Stoilova

Project coordinator Burgas Connectivity Forum and Moderation of the event,

Konrad Adenauer Foundation Bulgaria

Email: zlatozara.stoilova@kas.de

Phone: +359 898608598

Maria Tchakarova

Academic Researcher, Konrad Adenauer Foundation Bulgaria

Email: maria.tchakarova@kas.de

Phone: +359 877770589

Angelina Rasheva

Office Manager, Konrad Adenauer Foundation Bulgaria

Emai: angelina.rascheva@kas.de

Phone: +359 879120276

Ivanina Petrova

Finance manager, Konrad Adenauer Foundation Bulgaria

Email: ivanina.petrova@kas.de

Phone: +359 886761297

Mariana Hill and Sabrina Hill

Translator

Dafina Tshobanova

Conference assistant

Mirela Krondeva

Conference assistant

Deyan Merazov

Driver

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