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MUNICIPALITY

Agenda International Conference

First Part: Regional cooperation of local authorities: key factors for economic growth and sustainable development of local economies

Second Part: Regional funding programs dedicated to help entrepreneurs

25th April 2014, Svishtov,

Supported by:

Co-Operation Partners:

Initiator of the

Initiator of the conference:

Nadezhda Neynsky, MEP  President of SME  Member in Parliamentary Committee of Budget

Honourable Guests:

Dr. Wolfgang Streitenberger  Adviser in Directorate General "Regional and Urban Policy”, European Commission  Lecturer in European Integration at Hogeschool Universiteit Brussels

Dr. Erhard Busek  Chairman of the Institute for the Danube and Central Europe  Co-ordinator of the Southeast European Co- operative Initiative (SECI), a project created in 1996 to enhance stability in Southeastern Europe through the development of economic and environmental co-operation  Former Vice Chancelor of the Republic of , 1991 - 1995

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Official guests:

Johannes Hahn, Commissioner on Regional Policy, Honorary President of SME Europe, represented by Wolfgang Streitenberger, Adviser in Directorate General "Regional and Urban Policy”, European Commission

Nadezhda Neynsky, Member of the , President of SME Europe

Erhard Busek, Chairman Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, former Vice Chancellor of Austria

Jovana Majstorovic, Acting Director of the Association of Serbian Employers

Janković Milan, President of Chambers of Commerce

Svetoslav Piralkov, Head of Micro Business Department, Raiffeisenbank

Stephan Gebeshuber, Commercial Attaché and representative of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber in Bulgaria (Advantage Austria)

Horst Heitz, Ambassador and Senator of the European Economic Senate

Stephan Rauhut, Spokesman East-West Business Club Bavaria

Balázs Barta, Managing Director of PBN, Pannon Business Network Association

Michael Jäger, General Secretary of Taxpayer Association of Europe (TAE)

Julia Keil, Project Manager and Consultant for EU funding for the emcra GmbH,

Stanislav Blagov, Mayor of city of Svishtov, Bulgaria

Petre Parvu, Mayor of city of Zimnich,

Victor Dragusin, Mayor of city of Alexandria, Romania

Adrian Gadea, President of

Svetla Georgieva, Chairman of the Municipality council, Svishtov, Bulgaria

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Programme

24th April: First Day

19:30 – 22:30 Roundtable Dinner with official guests

 Erhard Busek, Chairman Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, former Vice Chancellor of Austria

 Nadezhda Neynsky, Member of the European Parliament, President of SME Europe

 Milan Janković, President of Belgrade Chambers of Commerce

 Horst Heitz, Ambassador and Senator of the European Economic Senate

 Jovana Majstorovic, Acting Director of the Association of Serbian Employers

 Stephan Rauhut, Spokesman of East-West Business Club Bavaria

25th April: Second Day

09:45 – 10:30 Registration

10:30 – 11:15 Welcome & Opening

 Stanislav Blagov, Mayor of city of Svishtov, Bulgaria

 Nadezhda Neynsky, Member of the European Parliament from the EPP group, President of SME Europe of the EPP

 VIDEO Message of Paul Rübig, Member of the European Parliament from the EPP group, Honorary President of SME Europe of the EPP

 Horst Heitz, Ambassador and Senator of the European Economic Senate

11:15 – 11:45 Keynote Speech

 VIDEO Message of Johannes Hahn, Commissioner on regional policy, Honorary President of SME Europe

 Erhard Busek, Chairman Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, former Vice Chancellor of Austria

 Wolfgang Streitenberger, Adviser in Directorate General "Regional and Urban Policy“, European Commission

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First panel: Regional cooperation of Danube local authorities - key factor for economic growth and sustainable development of local economies Moderator - Ergin Emin, Executive Director of Bulgarian association of cities and Regions

11:45 - 12:00 Svetla Georgieva, Chairman of the Municipality council, Svishtov, Bulgaria

12:00 - 12:15 Milan Janković, President of Belgrade Chambers of Commerce

12:15 - 12:30 Stephan Rauhut, Spokesman of East-West Business Club Bavaria

12:30 - 12:45 Balázs Barta, Managing Director of PBN, Pannon Business Network Association

12:45 - 13:00 Victor Dragusin, Mayor of city of Alexandria, Romania

13:00 - 13:15 Adrian Gadea, President of Teleorman County

13:15 – 14:00 Working lunch

14:00 - 14:15 Jovana Majstorovic, Acting Director of the Association of Serbian Employers

14:15 - 14:30 Petre Parvu, Mayor of city of Zimnich, Romania

14:30 - 14:45 Wolfgang Streitenberger, Adviser in Directorate General "Regional and Urban Policy”, European Commission

14:45 – 15:00 Erhard Busek, Chairman Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, former Vice Chancellor of Austria

15:00 – 15:15 Discussion Second panel: Regional funding programs dedicated to help entrepreneurs – best practices

Moderator - Ergin Emin, Executive Director of Bulgarian association of cities and Regions

15:15 – 15:30 Michael Jäger, General Secretary of Taxpayer Association of Europe (TAE)

15:30 – 15:45 Julia Keil, Project Manager and Consultant for EU funding for the emcra GmbH, Germany

15:45 – 16:00 Stephan Gebeshuber, Commercial Attaché and representative of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber in Bulgaria (Advantage Austria)

16:00 – 16:15 Petre Parvu, Mayor of city of Zimnich, Romania

16:15 – 16:30 Stoian Parashkevov, Director European funding,

16:30 - 16:45 Svetoslav Piralkov, Head of Micro Business Department, Raiffeisenbank

16:45- 17:00 Victor Dragusin, Mayor of city of Alexandria, Romania

17:00 Closing Stanislav Blagov, Mayor of city of Svishtov, Bulgaria

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Schedule:

 Arrival April 24th between 11 – 13:00 at Airport  Organized transport to the city of Velika Tarnovo (200km, 2h)  Gala Dinner at the Hotel for international speakers at 20:00

 Transport in the morning April 25th to Svishtov (60km, 1h)  First Panel  Second Panel  Transport back to Velika Tarnovo, free evening

 Morning April 26th, transport back to Sofia Airport

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Veliko Tarnovo

Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgarian: Велико Търново) is a city in north central Bulgaria and the administrative centre of Veliko Tarnovo Province.

Often referred to as the "City of the Tsars", Veliko Tarnovo is located on the River and is famous as the historical capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, attracting many tourists with its unique architecture. The old part of the city is situated on the three hills Tsarevets, Trapezitsa, and Sveta Gora rising amidst the meanders of the Yantra. On Tsarevets are the palaces of the Bulgarian emperors and the Patriarchate, the Patriarchal Cathedral, as well as a number of administrative and residential edifices surrounded by thick walls. Trapezitsa is known for its many churches and as the former main residence of the nobility.

In the Middle Ages, the city was among the main European centres of culture and gave its name to the architecture of the Tarnovo Artistic School, painting of the Tarnovo Artistic School and literature.

Veliko Tarnovo is an important administrative, economic, educational, and cultural centre of Northern Bulgaria.

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Contact

Your contact for eupag European Political Analysis Group

Stefan Knoflach – Consultant eupag, Rue de Pascale 22, 1047 Brussels

Phone: +32 (0) 2 588 29 75

E-Mail: [email protected]

Web: http://www.eupag.eu

Your contact for SME EUROPE

Horst Heitz – Executive Director

SME EUROPE of the EPP, Rue de Pascale 22, 1047 Brussels

Mobil: +49 163- 80 35 747

E-Mail: [email protected] Web: www.smeeurope.eu

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