Migration Challenges in Central, East and Southeast Europe: Policy Solutions for Building a Strong and Free Europe

We are pleased to invite you to an international conference, which will bring together representatives of EU institutions, policy-makers, civil society organizations and state authorities, media professionals, academics, and students from the Southeast European and Balkan regions to discuss the challenges brought over by the increased migration. The participants will aim to elaborate viable policy recommendations and practical solutions, which respect human rights and contribute to building a strong and open European society. A policy paper, based on all findings and conclusions, will be elaborated shortly after the event and provided to all stakeholders on national and European level.

The conference will take place on the campus of the American University in Bulgaria in Blagoevgrad. 

The conference will be held in ENGLISH. Participation is FREE. Please email voiceinbulgaria@gmail.com to REGISTER. 

PROGRAMME

DAY 1, April 7, Thursday

13:00 – 14:00 Registration
14:00 – 14:15 Welcoming and opening remarks
Stratsimir Kulinski – President of AUBG
Rainer Adam – Regional Director of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation East and Southeast Europe

14:15 – 14:45 Keynote speech
Ognian Zlatev – Head of the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria (TBC)

14:45 – 16:15 Panel 1: Countries of Mass Transition – the “Western Balkans Route”
Zoran ?okovi? – OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
Dusan Gamser – Liberal Democratic Party, Serbia
Boris Blazekovic – Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats
Jasmina Golubovska – Open Society Foundation, Macedonia
Nikolaus Scherak – Vice President of NEOS Party Austria, Spokesman for asylum, integration, justice, human rights, constitution, and ethnic groups
Moderator: Prof. Emilia Zankina – Chair, Political Science dept., AUBG

16:15 – 16:45 Coffee Break
16:45 – 18:15 Workshops 1 & 2 (concurrent)

Workshop 1: Borders, Smuggling, and Trafficking
Elena Petreska – International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), Macedonia
Dobryana Petkova – National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Bulgaria
AnnaStiina Kallius – Migszol, Hungary

Workshop 2: Media and the migration “crisis”
Istvan Szekeres – Journalist, Hungary
Maria Cheresheva – Journalist and Vice-President of the Association of European Journalists Bulgaria
Zornitsa Stoilova – Kapital newspaper, Bulgaria

DAY 2, April 8, Friday

09:00 – 09:30 Recap of previous day
09:30 – 09:45 Opening speech: TBD

09:45 - 11:15 Panel 2: South-East Europe as the EU’s “Buffer zone”
Representative of UNHCR – Bulgaria
Philip Gunev – Deputy Minister of Interior of Bulgaria (TBC)
Representative of FRONTEX  
Hakan Ataman – Helsinki Citizens' Assembly, Turkey
Kamelia Dimitrova – Acting Secretary General, Bulgarian National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings 
Sandy Protogerou – Greek Council of Refugees
Moderator: Prof. Anna Krasteva – CERMES, New Bulgarian University

11:15 – 11:30 Coffee Break
11:30 – 13:00 Workshops 3 & 4 (concurrent)

Workshop 3: The role of civil society: volunteerism, humanitarianism, political action
Gordana Gruji?i? – Group 484, Serbia
Lilla Zentai – Mened?k, Hungary
Tzvetko Tzankovski – Refugee Support Group, Bulgaria

Workshop 4: Addressing the hate speech, hate crimes, and the rise of far right attitudes
Orhan Ceca – Liberal Alternative Institute, Macedonia
Bobby Phillips – Professor of Political Science, AUBG
Margarita Ilieva – Director of Legal Programme, Bulgarian Helsinki Committee
Moderator: Radostina Pavlova – Center for Legal Aid – Voice in Bulgaria

13:00 – 14:00 Lunch (at the university)
14:00 – 15:00 Presentation of the findings from the workshops, open discussion, and policy proposals
15:00 – 15:45 Adoption of Declaration for policy proposals

15:45 – 16:00 Closing remarks
Daniel Kaddik – Project Director of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation Southeast Europe
Radostina Pavlova – Center for Legal Aid – Voice in Bulgaria

16:00 End of the event 

The conference is organized by the American University in Bulgaria(AUBG), the Regional Office of FNF East and Southeast Europe, the Center for Legal Aid "Voice in Bulgaria", and the Refugee Support Group.