On 12 of November, the conference ” Securing the Future: Economic Stability, Defense and Ukraine Reconstruction ” was held, organized by the Atlantic Club of Bulgaria in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy and Industry as the event took place in Еuropean Commission Representation in Bulgaria.
The event was opened by Dr. Solomon Passy, President of the Atlantic Club of Bulgaria, who invited our official guests to deliver their opening remarks: Rosen Plevneliev, President of the Republic of Bulgaria (2012-2017), Her Excellency Olesya Ilashchuk, Ambassador of Ukraine, Dr. Petko Nikolov, Minister of Ecomony and Industry and Yordanka Chobanova, Head of the Representation of the European Commission in Bulgaria. All expressed their concern and opinion about the importance of the issue of the reconstruction of Ukraine, from which we will all benefit, expressing positive feelings about the fact that these plans begin even before the end of the war – something that gives us faith in the pleasant end of the war in Ukraine.
In panel 1, led by Amb. Elena Poptodorova, Vice-president of the Atlantic club of Bulgaria, speakers in the panel were gen. Atanas Zapryanov, Minister of Defense, His Excellency Kenneth Merten, US Ambassador to Bulgaria and Adelina Nikolova, Deputy Minister of Defense. The theme of the panel was about „The needs of NATO and the Bulgarian Defense Industry“ and we spoke about the modernization of Bulgarian military equipment, the problems and needs of the Bulgarian army, cooperation with the US and NATO and what measures Ukraine should take to gradually rebuild its military sector without affecting it in other areas.
In panel 2, speakers were Serhiy Derkach, Deputy Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, Thorsten Geissler, Director ‘’Regional Cooperation‘’ in the Atlantic club of Bulgaria, Dr. David Sukalinski, Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry and Dr. Ivan Hinovski, Chairman of the Bulgarian Energy and Mining Forum. The theme about the Restoration of Ukraine stressed the importance of helping Ukraine, both after the war and before the end of the war, because defending Ukraine is self-defence for us.
In panel 3, аmbassadors and experts spoke about the topic „The world and the Russian Invasion of Ukraine“ voicing public international opinion and expressing hopes for an early end with a victory of the democratic world with speaker His Excellency Nathaniel Copsey, British Ambassador to Bulgaria, His Excellency Hisashi Michigami, Ambassador of Japan to Bulgaria, Tsvetan Simeonov, Chairman of the Board of BCCI and Ivan Mihaylov, CEO of AmCham Bulgaria.