Green Transition Forum 6.0

Registration and Networking Coffee

Opening Remarks by the Organisers

Welcome Address by Monika Stanisheva, Founder of GTF and President of BD, Dir.bg and Savvas Karafyllidis, President, BHCCI

Welcome Address: H.E. Iliana Iotova, President of the Republic of Bulgaria

High-Level Panel: Europe’s Strategic Autonomy and Competitiveness in a Turbulent World

Participants: Petar Vitanov, Member of Parliament, Bulgaria; Dan Nica, S&D Coordinator in the ITRE Committee, European Parliament; Notis Mitarachi, Member of Parliament, Hellenic Republic; Prof. Manyu Moravenov, CEO, Bulgarian Stock Exchange; Industry Stakeholders Closing Remarks: Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General, OECD

Coffee Break

Prime Ministers’ Visionary Dialogue (tbc)

Rumen Radev, Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic

Coffee Break

Spotlighted Fireside Chat: Three Seas Initiative: A Bridge to the Future — From the Adriatic, the Baltic and the Black Sea to Asia

Participants: Beata Daszynska-Muzyczka, President of the Three Seas Business Council; Pawel Nierada, Co-founder of the Three Seas Business Council

Keynote: The New Economic Geography of Southeast Europe Panagiotis Theodorikakos, Minister of Development, Hellenic Republic

High-Level Panel: Building Southeast Europe’s Connectivity at Speed

Participants: Georgi Peev, Minister of Transport and Communications, Bulgaria; Christos Dimas, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Hellenic Republic; Mario Mauro, European Coordinator, Baltic Sea – Black Sea – Aegean Sea European Transport Corridor, DG MOVE, European Commission; Jason Pellmar, Country Manager Bulgaria, World Bank Group; Jesus Caballero, CEO, SOF Connect; Todor Ivandjikov, President, Bulgarian Aviation Industry Association; Lazăr Comănescu, Secretary General, Organisation of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation

Lunch Break

Ministerial Panel: Energy Security Pillars in the Context of Current Geopolitical Challenges

Participants: Iva Petrova, Minister of Energy, Bulgaria; Stavros Papastavrou, Minister of Energy, Hellenic Republic; Miłosz Motyka, Minister of Energy, Poland (tbc); Klaus-Dieter Borchardt, European Coordinator, CESEC and Deputy Director-General, DG ENER, European Commission (2019 - 2020); Sebastian Burduja, Member of Parliament, Romania; Assen Christov, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Eurohold Bulgaria AD; Munir Hassan, CMS Global Head of Energy

Panel Discussion: Energy Connectivity and the EU Grids Package – Aligning Regulation, Investment and Implementation

Participants: Tahir Kapetanovic, Vice Chair of the Board, ENTSO-E; Tsvetelina Penkova, MEP, Vice-Chair, ITRE; Dimitar Zarchev, Director, Directorate National Dispatching Centre, Electricity System Operator; Dominik Jarmer, Chairman of the BD, EVN Bulgaria; Frank Neel, member of the OMV Petrom Executive Board, responsible with Gas & Power; Frank Hajdinjak, VP, Romanian Energy Center; Kaloyan Staykov, Chair of the Management Board of EMI

Panel Discussion: Renewables – Build Faster or Fall Behind

Participants: Eng. Martin Georgiev, COO and member of the Board of Directors of Electrohold Trade; Alastair Hammond, CEO at Rezolv; Dimitar Enchev, Co-founder and Member of the Board of Directors, CWP; ZCS Azzurro; Stéphane Aver, President, Transitions Foundation; Nicolas Guignard, Associate, HACE

Strategic Exchange with Prof. Klaus-Dieter Borchardt: Addressing the Structural Challenges of Europe’s Energy Sector

Participants: Leading industry stakeholders, energy operators, utilities, grid and transmission system operators, energy companies across the value chain

Panel Discussion: Nuclear Energy and Innovation – Europe’s Low-Carbon Power Test

Participants: Joanna Drake, Deputy Director-General, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission; Petyo Ivanov, Executive Director of “Kozloduy NPP - New Build”; Kim Daesung, Hyundai Engineering & Construction; Ivan Pironkov, Managing Director - Westinghouse Bulgaria ICS Customer Solutions Manager; Thomas Forner, CEO and Co-Founder, Focused Energy; Olga Bakardzhieva, EU Director, Fusion Industry Association; Bogomil Manchev, Chairman of the Bulgarian Atomic Forum

Lunch Break

Panel Discussion: Electrifying Mobility – Where We Are and Where We’re Going

Participants: Tomasz Lipiński, EV Supply Equipment Division Manager at Photomate; Denyu Bostandzhiev, CEO, Porsche BG; Mario De Martino, CEO, Porsche Inter Auto BG; Lucien Mathieu, Cars director, Transport & Environment (T&E); Blagoi Burdin, Institute of Electrochemistry and Energy Systems (IEES-BAS); Raphael Héliot, Senior Policy Manager, E-Mobility Europe; Aleksander Rajch, LIFeHDV project

Spotlight Session: Rethinking Gas – Strengthening Energy Autonomy, Connectivity and Trading Networks

Participants: Kiril Temelkov, Deputy Minister of Energy, Bulgaria (tbc); Leszek Wiwała, PhD, President and Director General, The Polish Petroleum Industry and Trade Organisation; Vladimir Malinov, CEO Bulgartransgaz; Daniel Apostol, Director General, Energy Employers’ Federation (FPE), Romania (tbc); Svetoslav Benchev, Chairman of the Bulgarian petroleum and gas association

Interactive Discussion: The Energy Focus on South Eastern Europe

Participants: Plamen Mladenovski, Chairperson, Energy and Water Regulatory Commission, Bulgaria; Bogdan-Gruia Ivan, Member of Parliament, Minister of Energy, Romania (2025 - 2026); Carolina Novac, State Secretary, Ministry of Energy, Moldova; Veselin Todorov, VVT Engineering; Damir Miljević, Member of MB, Center for Sustainable Energy Transition – RESET; Corneliu Coteț, Affiliate Expert at Europuls, Policy Advisor at EBRD & UNDP; Hyundai Engineering & Construction; Slavtcho Neykov, Energy Policy Expert, SEE Region

Official Opening of the International Scientific Conference “ The New Social Contract” Co-organised in partnership with OZON Agency

Roundtable: Hydrogen Strategy – Driving South Eastern Europe’s Energy Security, Competitiveness, and Industrial Leadership

Participants: Mirela Atanasiu, Head of Unit Operations and Communication, Clean Hydrogen Partnership; Dr. Aivars Starikovs, Member of BD, Hydrogen Europe, Chairman of the Board, Latvian Hydrogen Association; Rumen Radev, Chairman of the Government Board, BICA; Ivan Delibasic, Director, Advocacy Hydrogen Europe; Bozidar Dedus, Co-Founder, Croatian Association for the Development and Application of Hydrogen Fuel Cells; Prof. Daria Vladikova, Sci.Coordinator of H2start CoE – Trakia University; Nicolas Guignard, Associate, HACE; Industry Representatives; Hydrogen Europe Research; European Hydrogen Association (EHA); Bulgarian Hydrogen Association (BGH2A)

Lunch Break

Panel Discussion: Ports as Strategic Gateways for Connectivity and Sustainable Development

Participants: Manuela Nessl, Head of EBRD Bulgaria; Peter Kirov, Head of Department, EU Maritime Safety Agency; Stanislav Yordanov, DG, State Enterprise “Port Infrastructure”, Bulgaria (tbc); Ivaylo Gavrailov, CEO, Port of Varna EAD (tbc); Nikolaos Fokas, Commercial Director, Thessaloniki Port Authority (THPA S.A.) (tbc); Dr. Angelos Vlachos, CEO, Kavala Port Authority S.A.

Panel Discussion: Accelerating Pan-European Transport Corridors: Rail, Multimodal Integration and Freight Flows

Participants: eng. Lubomir Kachamakov, President, Bulgarian Construction Chamber (tbc); Roumen Markov, GM, Large Infrastructure Projects; Dimitar Dimitrov, Chief executive officer of the Chamber of the Bulgarian Road Hauliers, Volodia Kirov, PhD, General Director of AEBTRI; Corneliu Coteț, Affiliate Expert at Europuls, Policy Advisor at EBRD & UNDP

Coffee Break

Featured Thematic Segment: Building Europe’s Low-Altitude Economy

Interlinked Sessions:

The Low-Altitude Economy – Europe’s Next Growth Frontier?

Participants: Song (tbc); Travis Zhang, Chief Customer Officer, Hollyway Company

Coffee Break

Governing the Skies Below: Trust, Regulation and Infrastructure

Participants: Gergana Aneva, Managing Director, Rud Pedersen Public Affairs

Urban Air Mobility: Are Air Taxis Ready for European Cities?

Participants: Nikolay Nikolov, CEO, Niki Rotor Aviation; Yordan Yordanov, Operations Manager, Hades Defense Systems (tbc)

Small Airports, Big Impact: Balancing Sustainable Connectivity, Economic Resilience, and Regional Growth

Participants: Pencho Milkov, Mayor of Ruse Municipality; Nikolay Rashkov, Mayor of Gorna Oryahovitsa Municipality; arch. Veselin Berov, CEO, VEBER Ltd.

Exclusive VIP Welcome Dinner (Invitation only)

To request attendance, please contact the organizer Venue: Hilton Hotel, MUSALA Hall, 1 Bulgaria Blvd, Sofia Keynote Speakers:HE Rumen Radev, Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria (tbc) Honorary Guests:HE Iva Petrova, Minister of Energy, Bulgaria; HE Stavros Papastavrou, Minister of Energy, Hellenic RepublicHE Georgi Peev, Minister of Transport and Communications, Bulgaria HE Christos Dimas, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Hellenic Republic Hosts: Monika Stanisheva, Founder of the Green Transition Forum and President of BD, Dir.bg Savvas Karafyllidis, President of the Hellenic-Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Registration and Networking Coffee

Opening Remarks by the Organisers

High-Level Panel Discussion: Global Risks and Barriers to Europe’s Competitiveness

Participants: Aleksandar Pulev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Investments and Industry, Republic of Bulgaria; Iliyana Tsanova, Chief Risk Officer, European Commission; George Gerapetritis, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic (tbc); Andriana Sukova, Deputy DG, DG EMPL, European Commission; Ivan Mihaylov, CEO, AmCham Bulgaria; Lukas Bertram, Programme Lead: Economics, Green and Just Transition, ZOE Institute for Future-fit Economies

High-Level Panel Discussion: Sustainable Production and Industrial Acceleration

Participants: Prof. Christiaan Vermorken, Managing Director, Carrières du Hainaut; Anelia Stefanova, Energy Transformation Strategic Area Leader, CEE Bankwatch Network; Mihnea Cătuți, Executive Director, EPG; Suzana Carp, Co-Founder, Cleantech for CEE & Cleantech for SEE

Coffee Break

Unlocking Economic Potential through Smart Simplification and Market Integration

Participants: Radan Kanev, MEP, ENVI; Andrea Bogoni, Research Fellow, Blue Europe; Prof. Antonios Nestoras, Founding Director, European Policy Innovation Council; Nadejda Myashkova, CEO, PPS; Maria Marinova, Director and Board Member, BVCA

Lunch Break

High-Level Panel Discussion: Building a European Defence and Security Union

Participants: Yordan Bozhilov, Founder and President of the Sofia Security Forum; Dimitris Avramopoulos, European Commissioner for Migration (2014 - 2019), and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece (2012-2013); Adam Sturmer, Managing Director - Space Projects, Marsh Speciality; Piotr Wójcik, Blue Europe Fellow

Panel Discussion: Dual-Use Industry – Bridging Civilian and Defense Technologies to Boost Resilience and Competitiveness

Participants: Borislav Bankov, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Innovation and Growth, Bulgaria; Dobroslav Dimitrov, Co-Founder, Raisen Technology; Advisory Board Member, BASCOM; Advisory Board Member, BRAIT; Svilen Rangelov, Co-Founder & CEO at Dronamics; Nicolas Guignard, Associate, HACE; Gregory Lipich, Chief Commercial Officer, FIXAR; Colonel Dr. Anton Bankov, Deputy Commandant for Administration and Logistics, Rakovski National Defence College

Coffee Break

Panel Discussion: Competitiveness in a Changing Economy – How to Help SMEs Grow, Innovate, and Stay Resilient

Participants: Dobri Mitrev, President, Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA) (tbc); Florin Jianu, President, National Council of Small and Medium Private Enterprises in Romania (CNIPMMR) (tbc); Lou Kaiser, Head of ESG, EUPD Group; Chamber of Commerce Representative; Innovation Hub or Accelerator Director; Bogdan Ivanov, Director Corporate Clients at UniCredit Bulbank; Boris Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Strategic Development Manager in Renewable energy; Kamen Iliev, Technology Transfer Officе-RST, Director-Center for National Security and Defence Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (CNSDR-BAS)

Responsible Business Conduct - Beyond Compliancе. 50th Anniversary of the OECD MNE Guidelines

Participants: Zornitsa Rusinova, Chair of the Economic and Social Council of the Republic of Bulgaria; Velislava Deltcheva, Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria (tbc); Yordanka Chobanova, Head of the Representation of the EC in Bulgaria (tbc); Amaryllis Verhoeven, Head of Unit for Responsible Business Conduct, DG GROW, European Commission; Sophie Lavaud, Policy Analyst and Environmental Expert, OECD Centre for Responsible Business Conduct; Stefan Chaykov, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors, Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association (BICA); Stanislav Popdonchev, Vice President, CFO, Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA); Ognyan Atanasov, Vice President, Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (KNSB)/ Todor Kapitanov, Vice President, Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (KNSB) (tbc)

Spotlight Discussion: Cybersecurity and Digital Infrastructure in an Era of Constant Turbulence – Insights from Institutions and Industry leaders

Participants: Simeon Kartselyanski, CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) at Information Services JSC; Hristian Daskalov, Cybersecurity & Digital Infrastructure Expert; Contributor to EC initiatives on NIS2, CRA, EUDI Wallet and internet standards; Angel Angelov, CTO, Plainsea; Margarita Kirilova, Business Development Manager, Cyber One; Boris Goncharov, Chief Strategy Officer, AMATAS (tbc)

Sustainable and Economic Diplomacy: Strengthening Cooperation in Times of Division

Participants: Meglena Kuneva, European Commissioner for Consumer Protection (2007 - 2010); H.E. Irene Maria Plank, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Bulgaria; H.E. Pierre Hagmann, Ambassador of Switzerland to Bulgaria; H.E. Elmar Eldar Oglu Mammadov, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Bulgaria; H.E. Mehmet Sait Uyanik, Ambassador of Turkey to Bulgaria; Ambassadors and leading stakeholders

Lunch Break

Interlinked Panel Discussions: EU Enlargement and the Western Balkans

Co-organised in partnership with Balkan Economic Forum (BEF) Opening Keynote: Mathieu Bousquet, Director, Enlargement Coordination, Strategy & Investments, EC

Sub-panel 1: From Accession Perspective to Economic Convergence: Unlocking Growth through Enlargement

Participants: Antonios Nestoras, Founding Director, European Policy Innovation Council; Sasho Kjosev, PhD, President of BEF (presenting the Balkan Socio-Economic Integration); Borislav Kostadinov, Fund Director at Finance in Motion GmbH, GGF’s Fund Manager or AIFM

Sub-panel 2: Connecting Before Acceding: Infrastructure as the Backbone of Enlargement

Participants: Prof. Klaus-Dieter Borchardt, European Coordinator, CESEC and Deputy Director-General, DG ENER, European Commission (2019 - 2020); Elvin Guri, Founder of Empower Capital, Entrepreneur and Investor; Andrej Lepavcov, President of the Engineering Institution of Macedonia; Dinko Eror, Vice President EMEA Central Europe, Red Hat, Member of Advisory Board, BEF

Sub-panel 3: Green by Accession: Aligning Enlargement with Europe’s Climate Agenda

Participants: Andrea Bogoni, Research Fellow, Blue Europe; Andrijana Nelkova - Chuchuk, Energy Regulators Regional Association (ERRA) Chair; Head of Economic Department; Ivana Vojinović, Director of the Centre for Climate Change, Natural Resources and Energy at UDG; World Bank representative (tbc)

Roundtable Discussion: Forging Competitiveness, Simplifying Regulation, Unlocking Innovation and Investment for SME

Participants: Ivaylo Marinov, PhD, Counselor and Head of Economic and Commercial Department, Bulgarian Embassy in Romania; Branko Azeski, President, Economic Chamber of North Macedonia; Emmanouil Vlachogiannis, Honorary President, Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI); Plamen Penev, Managing Director, Kuehne+Nagel Romania; Vasilis Satslis, Managing Director, Alumil, Bulgaria; Efstathios Sideris, Country Manager Greece Econergy Group; Konstantina Kalpakidou, CFO, Robovision Greece; Anastasios Karikis, Chief Commercial Officer, Karlos Enterprises, Greece

High-Level Discussion: Labour Market, Social Transition and Europe’s Talent Agenda – Skills, Mobility and Competitiveness

Participants: Nataliya Efremova, Minister of Labour and Social Policy; Andriana Sukova, Deputy DG, DG EMPL, European Commission; Ivailo Kalfin, Executive Director, Eurofound; Prof. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, Princesa de Asturias Professor & Professor of Economic Geography, Director of the Cañada Blanch Centre; Martina Grigorova, Executive Director, SIS Credit; Nadezhda Vasileva, Country Operations Head of Adecco Bulgaria; Francesca Cristea, Head of Policy and Programs at Europuls

Closing Ceremony of the International Scientific Conference “ The New Social Contract”

Co-organised in partnership with OZON Agency Smilen Valov, Executive Director, Employment Agency of Bulgaria;

Innovation Norway: Unlocking New Funding for Innovation and Green Growth – The Next Programme Period

Co-organised in partnership with Innovation Norway

Lunch Break

Interactive Discussion: Navigating the MFF 2028 - 2034: Regional Competitiveness and Strategic Cohesion

Co-organised in partnership with Europuls – Centre of European Expertise

Exclusive VIP Dinner (Invitation only)

To request attendance, please contact the organizer Venue: East Plaza Hotel, 28 Tsarigradsko Shose Blvd., Sofia Honorary Guests:HE Iliana Iotova, President of the Republic of BulgariaProf. Philippe Aghion, Nobel Prize Laureate for 2025 in Economic ScienceHE Panagiotis Theodorikakos, Minister of Development, Hellenic Republic HE Marie Dumoulin, Ambassador of the French Republic to the Republic of Bulgaria Host:HE Sergei Stanishev, Member of the Strategic Foresight Committee of the Green Transition Forum, Prime Minister of Bulgaria (2005– 2009)

Business Breakfast with Prof. Philippe Aghion: The Competitiveness Playbook

Roundtable Discussion: CBAM in Action – Ensuring Fair Competition While Decarbonising Global Trade

Participants: Mette Quinn, Deputy DG, DG CLIMA, European Commission; Radan Kanev, MEP, ENVI; Philippe Rombaut, Co-Owner, Chairman of the Board, Agropolychim AD; Konstantin Stamenov, Director of Strategic Planning and Investments at Stomana Industry AD; Mihnea Cătuți, Executive Director, EPG; Zdravko Bikov, Chairman of the Management Board, Bulgarian Association of Recycling; Titan Zlatna Panega (tbc); Solvay Sodi (tbc); Gopettrans (tbc); Konstantin Stamenov, BFIEC; TEC Bobovdol; Rossen Papazov, CEO, Holcim; CEOs of Leading Industries

Interactive Discussion: Low-Carbon Industrial Transformation: Greening Supply Chains to Secure Europe’s Competitiveness

Participants: Traycho Traykov, Minister of Energy, Bulgaria (2026); Yvon Slingenberg, Director for Strategy, Analysis and Planning, DG CLIMA, European Commission (tbc); Eduard Tsvetanov, Public Policy and Industrial Advocacy Manager, Solvay; Marius Koeppen, Senior Analyst, Energy and Climate Program, CSD

Lunch Break

Interactive Discussion: RESourcEU – Securing Industrial Autonomy, Critical Raw Materials, Reducing Dependencies, and Strengthening Competitiveness

Participants: Jan Moström, President, Euromines; prof. Ivaylo Koprev, Rector, University of Mining and Geology, “Sv. Ivan Rilski”; Vedrana Lemor, Head of Corporate Sustainability, Aurubis AG, Ivailo Georgiev, Sustainability and Public Affairs Manager, Aurubis Bulgaria; Dominic Hamers, Executive Director of Geotechmin OOD; Irena Tsakova, General Manager, DPM Krumovgrad EAD; Rumen Radev, Chairperson of the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association; Nicola Rangelov, Chair of the Board of Directors, BAMI; Christian Kühne, MD, Think Tank for Industrial Resource Strategies; Ivan Mitev, CEO, Bulgarian Chamber of Mining and Geology; Georgios Karakatsanis, Founder and Director, EVOTROPIA; Boyan Rashev, Founder, MindYourFuture.org

Interactive Discussion: Turning EU Budget Allocations into Real Economic Growth – Unlocking MFF Funding to Strengthen National Competitiveness in Bulgaria

Participants: Atanas Pekanov, Deputy Prime Minister for European Funds, Republic of Bulgaria; Yavor Gechev, Member of the National Assembly, Republic of Bulgaria; Metodi Metodiev, Deputy Minister of Finance, Republic of Bulgaria; Ivan Ivanov, Director, Central Coordination Unit Directorate, Council of Ministers (tbc); Zornitsa Rusinova, President, ESC of the Republic of Bulgaria; Mihaela Toader, Secretary of State at the Ministry of European Funds, Romania (2018 - 2019); Anelia Stefanova, Energy Transformation Strategic Area Leader, CEE Bankwatch Network; Karina Angelieva, Executive Director, International Science and Technology Center (ISTC)

Registration and Networking Coffee

Welcome Address by the Organisers

FLAGSHIP SESSION: From Stagnation to Dynamism – Rethinking Growth in an Era of Global Challenges

Participants: Iliya Garkov, COO and EVP, DPM Metals; Rumen Radev, Chairperson of the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association; Sasha Bezuhanova, Founder of MOVE.BG & Co-founder of SCION

Untitled Session

Participants: Andriana Sukova, Deputy DG, DG EMPL, European Commission; Ruben Vermeeren, Deputy Head of Unit CLIMA B1, European Commission; Vedrana Lemor, Head of Corporate Sustainability, Aurubis AG; Konstantin Bojinov, ANRAV Project Manager, Heidelberg Materials Devnya; Maya Stefanova, Director Environmental Affairs&Climate Action, Agropolychim AD; Hans Grünfeld, President, IFIEC Europe

Coffee Break

High-Level Panel Discussion: Europe’s €2 Trillion Question: What Is the EU Budget Actually For?

Participants: Atanas Pekanov, Deputy Prime Minister for European Funds, Republic of Bulgaria; Valere Moutarlier, Deputy DG, DG GROW, European Commission; Metodi Metodiev, Deputy Minister of Finance, Bulgaria; Marek Mora, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank; Tsanko Arabadzhiev, Board Member and Executive Director, BDBank; Adelina Dabu, Director of EU and International Affairs, Concordia Employers Confederation

Panel Discussion: Banks at the Frontline: Climate Risks, Industrial Resilience, and Sustainable Finance

Participants: Theodora Antonakaki, Director of the Climate Change and Sustainability Centre (CCSC), Bank of Greece; Galena Koleva, FI Banker, EBRD; Borislav Kostadinov, Fund Director, Finance in Motion GmbH; Claudia Marcusson, Managing Partner, Zero Emissions Fund; Ivan Paspaldzhiev, Senior Manager at EY denkstatt

Lunch Break

Panel Discussion: Rethinking Financial System for Greater Access, Less Bureaucracy, and More Innovation

Participants: Vasil Golemanski, Chair of the Financial Supervisory Commission; Alexandru Petrescu, President, Romanian Financial Supervisory Authority (tbc); Antonio García Del Riego, Member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC); Martin Gikov, Country Officer Bulgaria, International Finance Corporation (IFC); George Marinos, Innovation & Digital Partnerships, National Bank of Greece; Brian Fabregue, President, Blue Europe

Panel Discussion: From Savings to Scale – Mobilizing Pension and Institutional Capital for Venture and Competitiveness

Participants: Diana Yordanova, Deputy chair, Financial Supervisory Commission; PAC Doverie; Evgeni Angelov, Chairman, Bulgarian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association; Svetla Nestorova, Chief Executive Officer of PAC Doverie; Svetoslav Velinov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the PIC “DSK-Rodina” AD and Head of the “Global Markets” Division at “DSK Bank” AD; Edward Randolph, Investment Director, Amber Infrastructure; Bozhidar Vidinov, Head of Strategic Development, The Revenues Factory

Coffee Break

Panel Discussion: Circular Economy at Scale – From Waste Streams to Strategic Resources

Participants: Paolo Campanella, Secretary General, European Waste Management Association (FEAD) (tbc); Dr. Xiao Lin, Chairman and CEO, Botree Recycling Technologies; Prof. Maria Petrova, PhD, Associate Professor, American University in Bulgaria; Vihren Mitev, Founder and Director of ManEco Foundation

Europe's Catalytic Transformation Moment: How the CEE and SEE Regions are Powering our Common Clean European futures

Participants: Malgorzata Bugajska, Managing Partner, Luma Ventures, Switzerland/Poland; Angelina Bintoudi, CEO & Co-founder, Optimems, Hellenic Republic; Krassen Dimitrov, President, Voltera Bulgaria; Max Gurvits, Managing Partner, Vitosha Ventures, Bulgaria

FLAGSHIP SESSION: 5 Skills You Need to Survive the AI Revolution

Public Lecture by Mo Gawdat, Futurist and Former Google X Executive (Followed by Q&A Session – additional registration required!) I

Interactive Discussion: Resilience as a Driver of Competitiveness – From Risk to Readiness and Economic Security

Participants: Valere Moutarlier, Deputy-DG, DG GROW, European Commission (tbc); Maryna Saprykina, Founder of Ukrainian Women-Enterpreneurs Hub; Prof. Hristo Pimpirev, Chairman, Bulgarian Antarctic Institute

Lunch Break

Mobilising Capital for Europe’s Coal Regions: From Strategy to Investment Pipeline Co-organised in partnership with Stara Zagora Regional Economic Development Agency

Europe’s coal regions are entering a new phase: the challenge is no longer strategy, but investment. The COALition Investment Road Show at Green Transition Forum 2026 will bring together regions, investors and financial actors from Bulgaria, Greece and Romania to discuss how transition priorities can evolve into real investment opportunities. The session will present emerging investment concepts in energy, industrial transformation and circular economy, positioning coal regions as the next frontier for sustainable growth and innovation.

Registration and Networking Coffeе

High-Level Discussion: Circular Industry, Climate Action and Water Resilience – Driving Europe’s Competitive Transition

Participants: Jessika Roswall, European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy; Kata Tüttő, President of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR); Institutional and Industry Stakeholders; Rositsa Karamfilova, Minister of Environment and Water, Republic of Bulgaria; Konstantin Stamenov, Chairman of the Management Board, BFIEC; Rossen Papazov, CEO, Holcim Bulgaria; George Kremlis, Ambassador of EPLO for Bulgaria; Solvay

High-Level Panel: Much More Than a Market – Two Years Later: Europe’s Competitiveness Agenda Participants: Enrico Letta, President of Jacques Delors Institute, Author of The EU Single Market and Competitiveness Report; Atanas Pekanov, Deputy Prime Minister for European Funds, Republic of Bulgaria; Svetoslav Tsenov, Senior Executive and Global Transformation Lead, Astellas Pharma; Philippe Rombaut, Co-Owner and Chairman of the Board, Agropolychim AD; Dan Stratan, CEO, RCI Holding; Moderator: Sergei Stanishev, Member of the Strategic Foresight Committee of the Green Transition Forum, Prime Minister of Bulgaria (2005 - 2009)

High-Level Panel: Cohesion Policy as Strategic Catalyst – Bridging Growth, Innovation and Resilience

Participants: Raffaele Fitto, European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms; Ivan Shishkov, Minister of Regional Development, Republic of Bulgaria (tbc); Andrey Novakov, MEP, Committee on REGI; Tanya Hristova, Mayor of Gabrovo; Emil Boc, Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Andreas Von Busch, Head of Unit for DG Regio E3, European Commission

Panel Discussion: Building the Cities of Tomorrow – Best Practices in Sustainability and Resilience

Participants: Vasil Terziev, Mayor of Sofia; Tomislav Tomašević, Mayor of Zagreb; Dušan Raičević, Mayor of Bar, Montenegro; Anar Guliyev, Chairman of the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture, Azerbaijan (tbc); Iva Petkova, Director Department “Development, Green Financing and Communications”, Fund FLAG; Sofia Papadogiannaki, LIFE SIRIUS project

Lunch Break

Ministerial Panel: Scaling Sustainable Growth through Environmental Policy and the Blue Economy

Participants: Ministers of Environment and Water from South-Eastern Europe; Ivelina Vasileva, Member of the Mission Board “Restore our Ocean and Waters”, European Commission; Anar Guliyev, Chairman of the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture, Azerbaijan (tbc); Walid Oueslati, Head of the Climate, Biodiversity and Water Division, Environment Directorate, OECD; Geneviève Pons, DG and President of Europe Jacques Delors

Panel Discussion: The EU Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Chapter – Energy Efficiency, Investment and Innovation

Participants: Dragomir Tsanev, CEO, Center for Energy Efficiency EnEffect; National Trust EcoFund; Joanna Masic, Lead Urban Specialist and Global Lead for Urban, Disaster Risk Management and Land Global Practice, World Bank (tbc); Damir Staničić, LIFE Care4Climate project

Coffee Break

Panel Discussion: The Future of European Agriculture: Innovation, Sustainability and the Next MFF

Participants: Plamen Abrovski, Minister of Agriculture and Food, Republic of Bulgaria; Natasha Santos, Head of Sustainability & Strategic Engagement, Vice President, Bayer; Stoyan Tchoukanov, President, Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, EESC (tbc); Oscar Rey, LIFE ACCLIMATE project; Boyan Zahariev, Co-Founder and CEO of ExSeed

Interactive Discussion: Innovation and Digitalisation in Agriculture – From Data to Impact

Participants: Blagoja Mukanov, Consultant, AgFutura Technologies; Georgios Karakatsanis, Founder and Director, EVOTROPIA; Sonsoles Jiménez Pérez, Managing Director of Alberizas, PhD in Economics and Business, University of Málaga; Veselina Stoyanova, Co-founder, Mealprot; Ivan Dragoev, Founder & CEO, Ondo Solutions

Closed Ministerial Meeting of Ministers of Environment and Water within the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP): A Shared Vision for Sustainable Growth and Regional Cooperation

Co-organised in partnership with Ministry of Environment and Water of the Republic of Bulgaria

High-Level Working Group Sessions: Green Deal Going Local Initiative

Hosted by the European Committee of the Regions

Meeting of the Green Deal Going Local Working Group (Closed-door session)

Homegrown energy – from a local transition to European impact Participants: Members of the European Committee of the Regions: Yonnec Polet, Member of the Berchem-Sainte-Agathe Municipal Council, Belgium; Mirja Vehkaperä, Member of the Oulu City Council, Finland; Attila Kiss, Member of the Hajdú-Bihar County Council, Hungary; Henna Partanen, Member of the Espoo City Council, Finland Tanya Hristova, Mayor of Gabrovo, Bulgaria; Kalin Kamenov, Mayor of Vratsa, Bulgaria; Apostol Dyankov, Head of Climate and Energy Department, Sofia Municipality, Bulgaria Moderator: Markku Markkula, Member of the Espoo City Council, Finland, Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions

Roundtable Discussion: Smart Renovation: Public and Private Capital for Europe’s Homes Participants: Yordan Zdravkov, Project coordinator of INSPIRenov project, Cleantech Bulgaria; Representative of Fund of Funds, Bulgaria; Dragomir Tsanev, CEO, Center for Energy Efficiency EnEffect; Åsa Agren Wikström, County Council Västerbotten Region (SE) and Member of the European Committee of the Regions; Marta Aguirre, Sigtuna Municipal Council (SE) and Member of the European Committee of the Regions Moderator: Mariyana Hamanova, Executive director, Cleantech Bulgaria

Action Lab: Social Innovation for a Just and Resilient Green Transition Co-organised in partnership with WISE - Women in Solidarity for Energy Moderator: Milena Stateva, Founder and Scientific Director, Orion Grid

Panel Discussion: Water – When Scarcity Becomes Systemic

Participants: Toni Popovski, Consultant, Energy Regulators Regional Association

Fireside Chat: Innovative Water Technologies – Securing Urban Supply and Modernizing Infrastructure

Participants: Sally Levy, CEO of Meniv Rishon Ltd.

EU Funding Opportunities - Info Session by LIFE Programme

Registration and Networking Coffee

Welcome Address by the Organisers

High-Level Discussion: Funding the Future – How CEE Can Win Big with EU Innovation Programs (Followed by Ask-Me-Anything session for invited participants)

Participants: Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation; Ivan Vasilev, Minister of Innovation and Digital Transformation, Republic of Bulgaria (tbc); Marjut Falkstedt, CEO, EIF; Cristian Bușoi, Secretary of State, Ministry of Energy, Romania, MEP (2007 - 2013, 2014 - 2024); Chair of ITRE (2019 - 2024)

High-Level Discussion: Tourism, Connectivity and Regional Growth Participants: Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism (tbc); Ilin Dimitrov, Minister of Tourism, Bulgaria (tbc); Olga Kefalogianni, Minister of Tourism, Hellenic Republic (tbc); Moderator: Martin Zahariev, Deputy Chairman of the National Board of Tourism (tbc)

Coffee Break

Panel Discussion: Education of the Future – Teaching for a World That Doesn’t Yet Exist

Participants: Victor Negrescu, Vice President, European Parliament; Prof. Georgi Valchev, Minister of Education and Science, Republic of Bulgaria; Barbara Nowacka, Minister of Education, Republic of Poland; Antoaneta Angelova-Krasteva, Director, Innovation, Digital Education and International Cooperation, DG EAC, European Commission; Andreas Schleicher, Director, Education and Skills, OECD (Founder of PISA); Emily Sargent Beasley, President, The American College of Sofia; Miglena Temelkova, PhD, Chairwoman, Council of Rectors, Republic of Bulgaria; Prof. Stamatis Aggelopoulos, Rector, International Hellenic University; Prof. Miroslav Karabaliev, Rector, Trakia University

Lunch Break

Panel Discussion: Health Innovations for Social Impact

Participants: Kristian Vigenin, Member of the European Parliament; Dr. Claus Runge, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Public Affairs, Sustainability & Internal Engagement and Chief Health Equity Officer, Bayer; Milla Filipova, Product Manager at Information Services; Pavel Naydenov, CEO, Omega Group; Kristina Polianyi, Assoc Director, Public Affairs, Novo Nordisk; Luka Chichov, CEO, Haelan – Integrated Healthcare

Fireside Chat: Digital Sovereignty vs. Global Platforms – Who Controls the Future?

Participants: Brando Benifei, MEP, Committee on International Trade (INTA); Tsvetan Alexiev, CEO, Sirma Group Holding JSC; Desislava Wallner, Head of IoT Connectivity, A1 Digital Austria

Coffee Break

Hacking Attention: The Human in the Cybersecurity Loop - Cyber Behavior, Education and Resilience in the Age of Digital Risk Participants: Anton Puliyski, Security Researcher & Community Manager, CyberCLUB; Adi Konedareva, Educational Expert & Entrepreneur; Alexander Klassanov, Country Chief Information Security Officer and Head of Information Security Unit at UBB Bank, DZI Companies; Krasimir Traykov, Security Awareness & Culture Lead

Interlinked Conversations

Participants: Luis Bravo Martins, VP, XR Safety Intelligence – Europe, Emerging Tech Advisor, Author and Speaker; Joanna Pilch, Director of Business Development AI, AI Strategic Partnerships, AI Strategy, Ethics, and Compliance UK & EMEA; Manijeh Motaghy, Founder and Researcher, UCLA MARC and Perfectly Here; Stephanie Camarena, PhD, Australia, Founder, Source Transitions

Spotlighted Interview: AI Index CEE 2026 Co-organised in partnership with The Recursive

Panel Discussion: The Reality of Developing and Implementing AI

Participants: Tomasz Snazyk, CEO AI Chamber; Europe Cloud

Lunch Break

Interactive Discussion: Innovation Bridges – Building a Connected Tech and Startup Ecosystem in South East Europe

Participants: Alliance of Science and Technology Parks and Innovative Ecosystems in South-East Europe; Regional Innovation Leaders; Sofia Tech Park (co-organiser)

Can Europe Innovate Fast Enough?

Participants: Robin Teurlings, Managing Partner, Zero Emission Fund; VC Representatives, Leading Innovators; Anne-Charlotte Joubert, Founder, SCALE’HER Accelerator; Alexander Nutsov, CEO, BESCO; Stoyan Nedin, Managing Partner, Vitosha Venture Partners

Prep Session: Youth Policy Dialogue Closed-door meeting, EC Representation in Bulgaria