Agenda 2021

MEF 2021 Agenda

Monday, 13 September, 2021

Registration of participants From 09:00 to 09:30

09:30-09:55

Forum opening:

Agim Selami, Director, ZIP Institute

Opening remarks:

Zoran Zaev, Prime Minister, Government of the Republic of North Macedonia

HE Kate Marie Byrnes, Ambassador, US Embassy to North Macedonia

HE David Geer, Ambassador, Delegation of the European Union to North Macedonia (c)

Family Photo From 09:55 to 10:00

10:00-11:15

Key note address:

Kurt Donnally, Bureau of Energy Resources, US Department of State (virtual)

Florian Ermacora, Head of Unit Neighbourhood Policies and International Relations in DG ENER, European Commission. (virtual)

Panel 1: Western Balkans Contribution Towards EU Green Deal

Moderator:

Viktor Andonov, Energy Advisor, Prime Minister’s Office, North Macedonia

Panelists:

Kreshnik Bekteshi, Minister of Economy, North Macedonia (c)

Zoran Mihajlovic, Minister for Energy, Development and Environmental Protection, Republic of Serbia

Ilir Bejtja, Deputy Minister for Infrastructure and Energy, Republic of Albania

Janez Kopac, Director, Energy Community Secretariat (c)

Q&A Session for Panel 1 From 11:15 to 11:30

11:30-11:45

Special address:

Dukagjin Lipa, Hyperloop Global Ambassador, Faraday Future and Founder of Sunny Hill Festival “Music Industry Going Green”

Moderated by Ilina Mangova, International Republican Institute, North Macedonia

Coffee Break From 11:45 to 12:00

12:00-13:15

Panel 2: Just Transition: Comprehensive Approach Towards Clean Energy Transition

Key note address:

Dr. Steven S. Burns, USAID Chief of Energy and Infrastructure for Europe and Eurasia (Virtual)

Dr. Heinz Hetmeier, Head of Department for EU Economic Policy, German Ministry for Economy and Energy (virtual)

Moderator:

Aleksandar Dedinec, MANU

Panelists:

Vasko Kovachevski, General Director, AD ESM (c)

Jonathan Walters, “Just Transition Diagnostic”- project/ Delegation of the European Union

Kushtrim Ramadani, General Manager, AD MEPSO (c)

Stefan Peter, General Manager, EVN (c)

Elodie Salle, Head of the Secretariat for the Initiative for Coal Regions in Transition in the Western Balkans and Ukraine, Ecorys (virtual)

Q&A Session for Panel 2 from 13:15 to 13:30

Lunch from 13:30 to 15:00

15:00 - 16:15

Panel 3: Natural Gas as Transitional Fuel Towards Implementing EU Green Deal

Keynote address:

Rikard Scoufias, Non-Executive Chairman and Senior Energy and Extractives Leader (c)

Moderator:

Jordan Damcevski, Embassy of the US, North Macedonia (c)

Panelists:

Sarah Olmstead, Country Director, MCC Mission in Kosovo (c).

Christof van Agt, International Energy Forum (c) (virtual)

Bajram Rexhepi, National Energy Resources, North Macedonia

Yannis Kirkinezis, Director Operations Albania and Project Coordinator TAP, HILL International (c)

Dr. Aristofanis Stefatos, CEO, Hellenic Hydrocarbon Resources, Greece

Q&A Session for Panel 3 from16:15 to 16:30

Official reception/Dinner (Co-hosted by FORTIS ENERJI) 19:00 - 21:00

Tuesday, 14 September, 2021

09:00-09:15

Key note address: Naser Nuredini, Minister of Environment and Physical Planning “Climate change resilience and the fulfillment of the SDG 7 targets” (c)

09:15-10:30

Panel 4: Local Governments as Drivers of Climate Resilience

Key note address: Tunç Soyer, Mayor of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, Republic of Turkey (virtual)

Key note address: HE Cyrille Baumgartner, Ambassador of France to North Macedonia

Moderator:

Shqipe Neziri Vela, Project Management Specialist, U.S Embassy Pristina

Panelists:

Anuela Ristani, Deputy Mayor of Tirana, Republic of Albania

Carsten Rothballer, Secretariat for the Initiative for Coal Regions in Transition in the Western Balkans and Ukraine (virtual)

Elena Gavrilova Dimitrovska, Project Coordinator, GIZ, Skopje

Dushica Perishic, Executive Director, Association of Local Self-government Units – ZELS

Prof. Thomas Garbe, Volkswagen AG (virtual)

Q&A Session for Panel 4 from 10:30 to 10:45

Coffee Break From 10:45 to 11:00

11:00-12:15

Panel 5: Future Development of Renewable Energy Sources in the Region

Keynote: Prof. D-r Neven Duic, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Zagreb

Moderator:

Nikola Bitrak, Kolenko

Panelists:

Blagoj Gajdardziski, Manager for Investments and Development, AD ESM

Sercan Bravo, Fortis Enerji

Miloš Golubović, HILL International, Senior Energy Project Manager within the WBIF – IPF7 Regional Project

Dragica Ustapetrova, Project Manager, Infinity Energy & ITSS, Infinity Group

Yuri Katanov, Solarpro, Bulgaria

Zoran Obradovic, Managing Director, wpd Adria, Croatia

Q&A Session for Panel 5 from 12:15 to 12:30

Break-out Session – Sponsors’ Space: Hyrije Abazi, Southeast European University: Energy, Economy, and Environment Study Program Ana Kolevska, Attorney at Law, APOSTOLSKA ALEKSANDROVSKI & PARTNERS Fernando Mendes, Project & Business Development Manager, FujiFilm Miroslav Kodžoman, Head of Sales, Kaldera Company From 12:30 to 13:45

Lunch from 13:45 to 15:15

15:15-16:30

Panel 6: Green Finance and Available Funding Instruments (powered by ProCredit Bank)

Keynote address: Abdylmenaf Bexheti, Rector, Southeast European University, North Macedonia