PRELIMINARY PROGRAMME*

09:30-10:00 REGISTRATION & WELCOME COFFEE

10:00-11:00 OPENING SESSION: FOSTERING SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT 

Invited participations:  
Lilyana Pavlova, Vice President, European Investment Bank
Iliana Tsanova, Deputy Director General of the Directorate General for Budget, European Commission
Borislav Sandov, Deputy Prime Minister for Climate Policy and Minister of Environment and Water
Iva Petrova, Deputy Minister of Energy
Adriana Popova, Deputy Minister, Ministry of e-Government
Borislav Gutsanov, Chairman of the Committee on Transport and Communications
Yordan Terziiski, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Regional Policy, Public Works and Local Self-Government
Moderator: Lubo Georgiev, Association for Urban Policies

11:30-12:30 SESSION 1: ENERGY AND CLIMATE 
In the context of the ambition for climate neutrality, as well as the geopolitical risks associated with energy dependence, the issues of decentralized production, local renewable energy sources, smart grids and a liberalized market are becoming increasingly important in the energy sector. Their implementation in the Bulgarian context requires serious efforts, as for the most part our existing energy system is difficult to reconcile with such concepts. How can these issues become a reality in Bulgaria? Where to start? What are the key drivers in this process?

Invited participations: 
Kari Punkka, Managerial Advisor PJ/Energy, European Investment Bank
Victor Minchev, Free Energy Market Association
Anton Ivanov, Deputy Chairman of the Bulgarian Energy and Mining Forum
Representative of Electrohold
Nikola Gazdov, Association for Production, Storage and Trade in Electricity
Teodora Georgieva, Executive Director, ICGB
Representative of Aurubis

12:30-13:30 Lunch break/ Exclusive video content

13:30-15:00 SESSION 2: TRANSPORT 
For many years, the transport infrastructure in Bulgaria was connected almost exclusively with roads. Recently, there has been increasing talk about the railway network, ports and airports. What is the state of networks and key sites in transport infrastructure? What are the priority sites for construction or renovation? How to complement different networks? And how can their quality construction and professional support be financed?

Invited participations: 
Martin Georgiev, Head of the Programming Department at MTS
Prof. Dr. Eng. Stoyan Bratoev, Executive Director, Metropolitan 
Angel Stoyanov, Executive Director, BDZ
Representative of Agency Road Infrastructure
Representative of National Railway Infrastructure Company
Jesus Cabayero, Executive Director, SOF Connect (Sofia Airport)
Asen Antov, Senior Transport Specialist, Regional Transport Advisory, European Investment Bank 
Dean Bezlov, Business Development Manager, Myx robotics
Moderator: Kaloyan Karamitov, Association for Urban Policies

15:15-16:00 SESSION 3: IT INFRASTRUCTURE (FOCUS - 5G network, digital infrastructure, data centers, cybersecurity)
IT infrastructure is one of the most flexible and "light" infrastructures. The ambition for complete connectivity, real-time communication and automation make it a field of constant innovation and strong competition. IT infrastructure is becoming increasingly key to the well-functioning of many other infrastructures. Big data and artificial intelligence, in turn, enable the introduction of new types of management and resource trading. What are the ambitions of technology companies operating in Bulgaria? What is the direction that the state wants to set? To what extent can IT infrastructure help achieve an environmentally friendly lifestyle?

Invited participations: 
Prof. Silvia Ilieva, Director of the GATE Institute
Andres Gavira Etzel, Lead Engineer, Digital Infrastructure, European Investment Bank
Vasil Velichkov, head of the cabinet of Minister Konstantinova

* Programme is subject to change
* The official language of the forum is Bulgarian.