10 Jun 2021 14:30 - 20:00 Europe/Athens

Balkans 2021: Fostering regional cooperation in the post-Covid era

The Vice President of the European Commission, incumbent and former Presidents, Prime Ministers, Foreign Ministers, Central Bankers and Ambassadors are brought together to discuss the challenges and opportunities for the Balkans, in the years to come.

Rule of law as driving force for stability and economic growth in the Western Balkans, the role of innovative ecosystems, public-private partnerships and bold investments in boosting the region’s competitiveness and the next steps for renewing the Euro-Atlantic integration of the Balkans are among the topics to be addressed.

Welcome Remarks

14:30 - 14:45 Europe/Athens

Irene Vantaraki

Chair, Greek House Davos

Konstantinos Foutzopoulos

Executive Advisor, Greek House Davos

Opening Keynote Speech

14:45 - 15:00 Europe/Athens

Margaritis Schinas

Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for Promoting our European Way of Life

EU values and lasting, in-depth and irreversible reforms: Rule of law as driving force for stability and economic growth in the Western Balkans.

15:00 - 16:15 Europe/Athens

Moderator

Vassilis Ntousas

Senior International Relations Policy Advisor, Foundation for European Progressive Studies; Academy Associate at Chatham House

Keynote Speakers

Albin Kurti

Prime Minister, Republic of Kosovo*

Ivo Josipović

f. President of the Republic of Croatia

Mladen Ivanic

f. Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina

Catalin Predoiu

f. Minister of Justice, Romania

Dora Bakoyannis

f. Minister of Foreign Affairs, MP, Hellenic Republic

Teuta Vodo

f. Deputy Minister of Justice, Albania

Jovan Ratković

Senior Fellow, Agora Strategy Group, Brussels

Keynote Video Speech

16:15 - 16:30 Europe/Athens

Edi Rama

Prime Minister of Albania

Working together to facilitate post-Covid economic recovery: How can innovative ecosystems, public-private partnerships and bold investments boost the region’s competitiveness?

16:30 - 18:00 Europe/Athens

Moderator

Basil Gavalas

Public Affairs Consultant; Executive Advisor, Greek House Davos

Keynote Speakers

Lilyana Pavlova

Vice - President, European Investment Bank

Kostas Fragoyiannis

Deputy Minister for Economic Diplomacy and Openness, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hellenic Republic

Ambassador Georgette Mosbacher

Co-Chair, Three Seas Initiative, Atlantic Council; f. US Ambassador to Poland and CEO, La Prairie

Ambassador Antonio Taquis Ochoa

f. Ambassador of Panama to Greece and Cyprus; General Director & Owner, Panama Shipping Agency & Services

Dr. Barbara Kolm

f. Vice President, Central Bank of Austria

Miloš Cvetanović

State Secretary, Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications, Serbia

Leonidas Christopoulos

Secretary General of Digital Governance and Simplification of Procedures, Hellenic Republic

Rebooting the Euro-Atlantic integration of the Balkans: The next steps for a renewed strategic relationship and an effective multilateral cooperation to tackle together today’s regional challenges.

18:00 - 20:00 Europe/Athens

Keynote Speakers

Djordje Radulovic

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Montenegro

Matthew Palmer

Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European & Eurasian Affairs, US Department of State, USA

Vessela Tcherneva

Deputy Director, European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), Head of ECFR Sofia

Ioannis Smyrlis

Chairman of Enterprise Greece

Odeta Barbullushi

Advisor to the Prime Minister & National Coordinator for Regional Economic Area, Albania

Ambassador Milica Ristovic Krstic

Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Greece

Ambassador Alexandros Mallias

f. Ambassador of Greece to Washington, Skopje and Tirana

* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244(1999) and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence