Agenda 2021
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
Moderator:
Olimpija Hristova Zaevska, Copenhagen Business School
Panelists:
Metodija Minoski, ProCredit Bank
Magdalena Soljakova, IFC, Belgrade (virtual)
Andi Aranitasi, EBRD Country Director, North Macedonia
Alvin Alicevic, Sparkasse Bank
Marco Camhis, CEO, FOS Asset Management, Switzerland
Q&A Session for Panel 6 from 16:30 to 16:45
Forum Closure from 16:45 to 17:00