ecemseyran

Where: Hall 8, National Palace of Culture, Sofia When: Wednesday, 16 May 2018, 12.00 – 19.00

Creating a Region of Growth, Security and Connectivity on the Path to Europe On 16 May 2018,  the Bulgarian presidency, the EU institutions, governments from the Western Balkans and European Movement representatives will hold a forum for dialogue in Sofia, Bulgaria. With the European Commission’s new strategy for the Western Balkans,  the countries of the region were given a fresh perspective for joining the Union. The 2025 horizon is a new chance for the region to complete all the necessary reforms. The EU needs to start discussing and communicating this new opportunity not only to policymakers, but also with societies in the region and across the EU. Citizens have a role to play by motivating their governments to implement reforms in the next 5-7 years.  That is why one of the main tasks of the EU should be to start a vivid dialogue with the societies in the Western Balkans: media, analysts, NGO activists and opinion makers, and to facilitate their participation in the process. Agenda 12:00 – 13:00 Registration and working lunch 13:00- 14:10 Opening: Boyko Borissov, Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria (tbc) Andrej Plenkovic, Prime minister of Croatia (tbc) Manfred Weber, Chair of  the EPP Group in EP (tbc) Eva Maydell MEP, President of the European Movement International Mikuláš Dzurinda, WMCES President, former Prime Minister of Slovakia (1998-2006) 14:10 – 15:45 Roundtable I: EU Perspective for the Western Balkans Short impulses from : Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (tbc) Ekaterina Zaharieva, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria Nikola Dimitrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (tbc) Maja Bobic, European Movement, Serbia Active interactions from: Remzi Lani, Executive director of the Albanian Media Institute Alida Vracic, Executive Director of Think Tank Populari Jovan Teokarević, Director of the Belgrade Centre for European Integration, Open Society Foundation in Serbia Andreja Stojkovski, Media representative and political analyst, FYROM Nikolaos Tzifakis – Research Associate, Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies Sonja Licht, President of the Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence Moderator: Vessela Tcherneva, ECFR’s Deputy Director and Head of ECFR Sofia Office 15:45-16:00 Coffee Break 16:00 – 17:30 Roundtable II: EU-Western Balkans connectivity Short impulses from: Lіlуana Pavlova, Mіnіѕter for the Bulgarіan Preѕіdenсу of the Counсіl of the EU 2018 Rosen Pleveliev, President of Bulgaria (2012-2017) Erion Veliaj, Mayor of Tirana Fiona McIlwham, Western Balkans Director FCO Active interactions from: Filip Radunovic, GIZ Vesselin Valkanov, Head of RCC Brussels office Andi Dobrushi, Executive director OSF Albania Veton Latifi, Professor, South-east European University, Tetovo Moderator: Eva Maydell MEP, President of the European Movement International 17:30 – 17:40 Concluding remarks 19:00 Dinner This event receives financial support from the European Parliament.

The Program is as follows:

THE BALKANS IN THE EUROPEAN INTEGRATION – PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
16-17 May 2018
Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski

PROGRAMME (DRAFT)
15 May 2018, Main Building, Hall 1
18:30 Books Launch: Regional Studies Monographs. Series of the Center of Excellence in the Humanities “Alma Mater”

16 May 2018, Aula Magna
10:00 – 11:00 Registration
11:00 – 12:00 Opening
12:00 – 13:30 Lunch for the participants, Hotel “Crystal Palace Boutique“, 14, Shipka Str.
Conference Hall, North Wing, 2nd Floor

Panel 1: European Integration and Integration Processes in South-Eastern Europe
Chair: Prof. Ivan Ilchev (Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski)
13:30 – 13:45 Prof. Marie-Janine Calic (Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich)
The EU “Strategy for the Western Balkans”: Old Wine in New Bottles?

13:45 – 14:00 Prof. Paskal Milo (University of Tirana)
The New EU Enlargement Strategy for Western Balkans: Is it a New Vision for the Region?

14:00 – 14:15 Prof. Gül Günver Turan (The Turkey EU Association)
Prospect of EU Membership for Western Balkan Countries
14:15– 14:30 Discussion

14:30 – 15:00 Coffe Break
Panel 2: The Western Balkans as an Issue of the European Security
Session 1
Chair: Prof. Alexandar Kostov (Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Thracology, BAS)
15:00 – 15:15 Assoc. Prof. Daniel Smilov (Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski)
EU as Regional Integration
15:15 – 15:30 Prof. Inga Kawka (Pedagogical University of Kraków)
The EU Macro-Regional Strategies in the Western Balkans
15:30 – 15:45 Assist. Prof. Shefik Shehu, Assist. Prof. Faton Shabani (University of Tetovo)
PESCO and the Future of EU Security
15:45 – 16:00 Discussion
16:00 – 16:30 Break
Session 2
Chair: Prof. Wolfgang Höpken (University of Leipzig)
16:30 – 16:45 Assoc. Prof. Nikolaos Varsakelis (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) European Regional Convergence: Is the Technology that Matters
16:45 – 17:00 Prof. Veton Latifi (South East European University, Tetovo)
The Political Discourse of the Balkan Countries and Their EU Integration Pro-cess One Century since the First World War
17:00 – 17:15 Prof. Jordan Baev (G. S. Rakovski National Defense College, Sofia)
The Parallel Process of Bulgaria and Romania’s Integration into the Euro-Atlantic Security System as a Case Study for the Western Balkans
17:30 – 18:00 Discussion

19:00 Cocktail

17 May 2018, Conference Hall, North Wing, 2nd Floor
Panel 3: The Europeanisation of the Balkan Societies
Session 1
Chair: Prof. Ivan Parvev (Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski)
09:00 – 09:15 Assoc. Prof. Dobrinka Parusheva (University of Plovdiv/ Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Thracology, BAS)
Urbanisation as Europeanisation. Becoming “Modern” in the Balkans at the End of the Nineteenth Century
09:15 – 09:30 Prof. Roumiana Preshlenova (Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Thracol-ogy, BAS)
The Balkans as Europe: Drawing Upon Lessons from the Past
09:30 – 09:45 Assist. Prof. Lorand Madly (Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca)
From a Pre-modern Society to the European Union – The Paths of Romania and Central-Eastern Europe towards Modernization
09:45 – 10:00 Discussion
10:00 – 10:30 Coffee Break
Session 2
Chair: Assist. Prof. Maria Baramova (Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski)
10:30 – 10:45 Prof. Wolfgang Höpken (University of Leipzig)
Europe as a Hegemonic Concept: The German Idea of a ´New European Or-der´ and Southeastern Europe in the 1930s/40s
10:45 – 11:00 Prof. Iskra Baeva, Prof. Evgenia Kalinova (Sofia University St. Kliment Ohrid-ski)
The European Integration of the Former Socialist Countries of the Balkans af-ter the End of the Cold War – Successes and Problems
11:00 – 11:15 Prof. Gordana Djurović (University of Montenegro)
“C” Principles and Enlargement+
11: 15 – 11:30 Discussion
Panel 4: Religious and Ethnic Aspects of the European Integration in South-Eastern Europe
Chair: Assist. Prof. Hristo Berov (Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski)
11:30 – 11:45 Assoc. Prof. Naoum Kaytchev (Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski)
EU Integration of the (Former Yugoslav) Republic of Macedonia in Regional Comparative Perspective
11:45 – 12:00 Assist. Prof. Adnan Džafić (University of Sarajevo)
History and Future of Bosnian Identity
12:00 – 12:15 Assoc. Prof. Ekaterina Nikova (Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Thra-cology, BAS)
The European Union and the End of Balkan History
12:15 – 12:30 Discussion
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch for the participants, Hotel “Crystal Palace Boutique“, 14, Shipka Str.
Panel 5: Regional Aspects of the European integration in South-Eastern Europe
Session 1
Chair: Assoc. Prof. Naoum Kaytchev (Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski)
13:30 – 13:45 Assoc. Prof. Irina Ognyanova (Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Thracol-ogy, BAS)
Croatia’s “Long Journey” to the EU
13:45 – 14:00 Assist. Prof. Aneta Mihaylova (Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Thra-cology, BAS)
Romania after Its EU Accession: the Trials of the Membership
14:00 – 14:15 Prof. Žarko Korać (University of Belgrade)
Serbia EU Accession, Problems and Solutions
14:15 – 14:30 Prof. Vlado Buchkovski, Mr. Timco Mucunski, Prof. Goce Naumovski (Univer-sity of Skopje)
The Republic of Macedonia in the EU?
14:30 – 14:45 Discussion
14:45 – 15:15 Coffee break
Session 2
Chair: Assist. Prof. Yorgos Christidis (University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki)
15:15 – 15:30 Assist. Prof. Berat Aqifi, Assist. Prof. Ardian Emini, Assist. Prof. Naser Rugova (University Kadri Zeka, Gjilan)
Membership of Kosovo in International Organizations
15:30 – 15:45 Assoc. Prof. Bajram Kosumi, Assist. Prof. Dukagin Leka (University Kadri Zeka, Gjilan)
Kosovo and its Integration into the European Union
15:45 – 16:00 Assoc. Prof. Ulpian Hoti (Aleksandër Moisiu University of Durres), Assoc. Prof. Ersida Teliti (University of Tirana)
Consumer Protection as a Prerequisite for Economic Integration of Albania
16:00 – 16:15 Dr. Shkelqim Xeka (Aleksandër Moisiu University of Durres)
Social Perceptions in Interethnic Relations in Albania Today and Psychological Models for Resolving Ethnic Conflicts in the Balkan Peninsula
16:15 – 16:30 Discussion
16:30 – 17:00 Coffee break
Session 3
Chair: Assoc. Prof. Ekaterina Nikova (Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Thracology, BAS)
17:00 – 17:15 Assist. Prof. Yorgos Christidis (University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki)
The EU-led Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue: An Assessment
17:15 – 17:30 Dr. Kaloyan Metodiev (Institute for Strategies and Analysis, Sofia)
Serbia and the European Union
17:30 – 17:45 Assist. Prof. Ivaylo Nachev (Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Thracolo-gy, BAS)
Euroscepticism in Serbia on the Road to Accession
17:45 – 18:00 Discussion

We will be celebrating Europe Day with youth and professors from Denmark, Finland, France and the Netherlands who will meet students and professors from Bilgi, Bosphorus, İstanbul, Okan, Özyeğin and Yıldız Universities. Participation by invitation only.

PROGRAM: DIPLOMACY UNDER A FRIENDLY ROOF

Program :  Celebration of Europe Day  

May 9, 2018 (Divan Hotel, Elmadağ)

9:00-9:30  Breakfast and Registration at the Divan hotel

9:30-12:30 Morning Session

The event in the morning is organized as a “world café” event where 60 participants headed by moderators and discussants (names are below) will talk about issues also listed below. Each table will sit around 10 persons; they will rotate every 20 minutes so as to allow them to cover all 7 topics.

1^st table: EU and Migration (Deniz Şenol Sert and Dimitrov Bogoya)

2^nd table: Economic Relations (Dilara Akan, Çiğdem Nas and Emre Gönen)

3rd table: Fundamental rights, justice and freedoms (Erkut Emcioğlu and J.J. Jääskeläinen )

4^th table:  Security issues (Pesco) (Ilter Turan and Burç Beşgül)

5^th table: Gender related issues (Zeynep Alemdar, Imad Khillo and Miikka Keranen)

6^th table: Enlargement and the Balkans (Gül Turan and Dimitrov Bogoya)

7^th table: New visions for the EU (Haluk Tükel and Jean Marcou)

12:30-14:30 Lunch Our Guest speaker is Ümit Boyner (Mrs), (Boynergrup Board Member & Former President of Tusiad) who will be speaking on Gender Equality in Workplace

14:30-16:30

Opening speech: Bahadır Kaleağası (World, Europe, Turkey: History of the Near Future)

Panel:  Visionary Approaches for a Changing World

Fatih Ömür  (Vision and Mission of a Leading Airport Operator)

Emine Etili (Visionary Approach to Digital Experiences)

Charles Emir Richards (Becoming a Visionary Filmmaker)

Özge Samancı (Visionary Approach to Turkish Culinary Experiences)

Moderator: Gül Günver TURAN

16 :30 – 17 :00

Handing certificates and group photo

18:00- 21:30 Departure by Funicular from Taksim to Kabatas for a boat trip ( Kaptan Boran) and dinner on the Bosphorus

Bosphorus

Panel on “ Populism, Brexit and Visions for the EU”                                     

The Turkey European Union Association has organized a panel  to discuss the EU’s future directions. Europe is in the midst of intense debate at a time when the 2019 European elections  are approaching. Four issues will be discussed: new visions for the EU, Brexit, populism and impacts on Turkey – EU relations . 

AGENDA

11.00-11.15: Registration

11:15-11:25 Opening Remarks by Bahadır Kaleağası, Secretary General of Tusiad and Gabriel Munuera Vilnas, Minister Counsellor of the EU Delegation in Ankara

11:25- 13:00   Panel

Bertrand Buchwalter  – Consul General of France

Bart van Bolhuis – Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Petr_Mares – Consul General of the Czech Republic

Nicholas Cannon- Head of Economic & Prosperity Team

Moderator: Prof. Dr. Gül Günver Turan, President of Turabder.

12:30 – 13:00 :  Questions and Answers

13:00 – 14:00 : Refreshments

Date and Time : April 5,  2018 at 11:00

Place : Tusiad : Kamer Hatun Mahallesi, Meşrutiyet Cd. No:46, 34430 Beyoğlu/İstanbul

The Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation has invited Prof. Dr. Gül Günver Turan, president of  the Turkey EU Association to Stockholm,  Sweden for a round-table conference on developments in Turkey, on  March 14, 2018. The round-table meeting will take place at the Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation’s office  in the morning, and will be followed by a lunch. In the afternoon, the Foundation will arrange a meeting program with Swedish journalists and thereafter host a public seminar on Turkey, where some of the participants from the meeting will speak for a broader audience.. Invited to the conference are journalists, experts, civil society actors and policy makers from Turkey and Sweden. The discussions will be held in English and focus on current trends and challenges in Turkey with a special emphasis on the human rights situation as well as foreign policy challenges, including Turkey’s relationship with the European Union.

Turabder’s Gül Günver Turan was invited to participate to the the German Marshall Fund’s 13th annual Brussels Forum, a premier event where the transatlantic agenda is shaped and debated within a global context. The event will be held in Brussels, from March 8–10. Under the theme “Revise, Rebuild, Reboot: Strategies for a Time of Distrust”, GMF’s Brussels Forum 2018 is designed to encourage policymakers and experts to work together to directly confront the challenging world we find ourselves in today. The reasons for the breakdown of trust within and between societies will be analyzed so as to find  new ways to build strong partnerships and networks that support our societies’ democratic ideals. Discussions and conversations will be facilitated through interactive and solution-oriented formats.

Civil Society in EU-Turkey Relations: The Role of NGOs

The Center for International and European Studies (CIES), in partnership with the Corporate Social Responsibility Association of Turkey (CSR Turkey), and Asia Minor,will hold a panel discussion on “Civil Society in EU-Turkey Relations: The Role of NGOs”. The objective is to explore how NGOs have and can play a role in maintaining the relevance of relations between Turkey and the European Union in their capacity as civil society actors. The event will take place on Wednesday, 21 February between 13:30 and 15:30 at Kadir Has University’s Galata Hall.

The panelists include:

Bülent Özcan, Director of Project Implementation, EU Ministry of Turkey, Ankara

Tezcan Eralp Abay, Director, Civil Society Development Center, Ankara

Erdem Vardar, hairman, YUVA Association, Istanbul

Gül Günver Turan, President, Turkey-EU Association (TURABDER); European Movement-Turkey, Istanbul

Serdar Dinler, President, CSR Turkey, Istanbul (moderator)

The Event is open to the general public. Its proceedings will be held in Turkish.