DAY 1, Monday, September 6, 2021

11:30-12:00

Registration

12:00-12:30

Opening

Mr. Fatmir Besimi – Minister of Finance of the Republic of North Macedonia

Mr. Zoran Zaev – Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia

12:30-14:00

Panel 1: Global and Regional Challenges and Prospects of Recovery and Growth

Global Global growth prospects remain highly uncertain even in 2021. International financial institutions forecast divergent recoveries across the globe. The anticipated vaccine-driven recovery is likely to lift personal consumption and investment in the second half of 2021. What are the scars from the pandemic-induced recession? Which policies limit economic scarring? What are the global and regional prospects of recovery and growth for 2022? How can policies best support growth? What are the main challenges for maintaining security in a changing world?

Speakers

Ms. Anna Bjerde – Vice President, Europe and Central Asia, World Bank

Mr. Artan Grubi – First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Political System and Relations between Communities

Mr. Haoliang Xu – Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP

Ms. Radmila Sekerinska – Minister of Defense

Ms. H.E. Kate Marie Byrnes – Ambassador of the United States of America

Ms. Majlinda Bregu – RCC Secretary General

Mr. Andrew White –Associate Dean for External Relations, Said Business School, Oxford University

Moderator: Mr. Walter Deffaa, Economic Policy Advisor for the Prime Minister’s Office Discussion

Written summary by: Academic Abdulmenaf Bexheti, Rector of South East European University

14:00-15:00

Lunch

Special address by:

Parliamentary Finances and Budget Comittee

Mr. Timco Mucunski

Mr. Arber Ademi

Mr. Elmi Aziri

Mr. Dare Velkovski

15:00-16:30

Panel 2: Macroeconomic policies and public finances in post-pandemic times

Fiscal and monetary policies were and still are essential in addressing the crisis and paving the economic recovery. Which types of fiscal and monetary interventions helped businesses and jobs? What are the risks associated with a premature withdrawal of fiscal stimulus measures? How can countries balance the need of supporting the economy in the post-pandemic world with rebuilding fiscal buffers? What are the main challenges for the monetary authorities? How can central banks balance the need to stabilize markets with the potential for moral hazard? Is the recent increase in inflation driven by global factors and only temporary? Will central banks be confronted with a rise of non-performing loans? Can structural and institutional reforms regain dominance in near future?

Speakers

Mr. Fatmir Besimi – Minister of Finance

Mr. Hekuran Murati – Minister of Finance, Labor and Transfer

Mr. Milojko Spajic – Minister of Finance and Social Welfare

Mr. Besart Kadia – Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance

Mr. Alfred Kammer – European Department Director, IMF

Ms. Linda Van Gelder – WB Regional Director for Western Balkans

Ms. Anita Angelovska Bezoska – Governor

Mr. Timco Mucunski – Member of Parliament

Moderator: Mr. Freek Janmaat, Head of Section for Economic Issues, Institution Building and CBC, DEU

Written summary by: Mr. Dimitar Kovachevski, Deputy Minister of Finance

16:30-17:00

Coffee break

17:00-18:30

Panel 3: Good Governance and Social Cohesion
Apart from the health-crisis response, the speed of recovery and economic growth also depends on the pace of structural and institutional reforms. How can the governance framework and the institutional capacity be improved? What are the main challenges in the areas of rule of law, control of corruption, and political stability? Which policies to be implemented to ensure social cohesion and inclusive prosperity? How to increase the extent of trust in government and within society? How to focus on shared values and commonalities that bind the society across internal lines of division?
Speakers

Mr. Ljupco Nikolovski – Vice President for Anti-Corruption and Crime, Sustainable Development and Human Resources

Mr. Koen Davidse – Executive Director, World Bank Group

Mr. Oliver Spasovski – Minister of Internal Affairs

Mr. Bojan Marichic – Minister of Justice

Ms. Barbara Kolm – President of the Hayek Institute, Director of the Austrian Economics Center and Vice President of the Austrian Central Bank

H.E. Mr. David Geer – Head of Delegation of the European Union

H.E. Ms. Rachel Galloway – British Ambassador to North Macedonia

Moderator: Mr. Dragan Tilev, State Counsellor, Secretariat for European Affairs

Written summary by: Mr. Nikola Popovski, FON University

DAY 2, Tuesday, September 7, 2021

09:00-09:20

Registration

09:20-09:40

Opening

Mr. Petre Shilegov – Mayor of Skopje

Presidential address

Mr. Stevo Pendarovski – President of the Republic of North Macedonia

09:40-11:10

Panel 4: Public and Private Investments and Competitiveness

Modern governments recognize that public investment, public guarantee schemes, and publicly available funds from official creditors can stimulate larger investment demand. The financing of recovery and growth would be faster and more resilient if the private capital is mobilized. What are the main enables of private investment? What about private investment in climate adaptation and resilience through removing barriers to investment and blueprint for action? The European Green Deal for instance is very ambitious. It would not be fair to put the burden only on the Government expenditure, especially considering the strain on budgets from the pandemic and the guidance to stay within the parameters of the Maastricht criteria. What are the possibilities for greater private sector involvement?

Speakers

Mr. Fatmir Bytyqi – Deputy Prime Minister in charge of economic affairs, coordination of economic departments and investments

Мr. Jürgen Rigterink – EBRD First VP and Head of Client Services Group

Мs. Lilyana Pavlova – VP of the European Investment Bank

Mr. Kreshnik Bekteshi – Minister of Economy

Mr. Blagoj Bochvarski – Minister of Transport and Communications

Mr. Ary Naim – Regional Manager, Central and Southeast Europe, IFC

Mr. Branko Azeski – President of the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia

Ms. Danela Arsovska – President of the Macedonian Chambers of Commerce

Mr. Nebi Hoxha – President of ECHNWM

Moderator: Mr. Aris Vlahos, Chairman of the Hellenic Business Association in North Macedonia

Written summary by: Mr. Trajko Slaveski, University of “St. Cyril and Methodius”

11:10-11:30

Coffee break

11:30-13:00

Panel 5: Smart and Green Economy
Many businesses will recover, but can the recovery be steered towards a green economy? How can societies speed up digitization? Which environmental-related investment would be attractive in near future? How can businesses support the Green Agenda and climate resilience? Which tax regimes or Government expenditure programs could speed up the digitization and greening of the economies? What structural reforms are necessary to attract more private investments? Is there a greater role to be played by the international donors? How can we increase the absorption capacity of donor-financed investments in the two areas? Are Public-Private Partnerships a viable solution? What are the expectations of domestic and foreign private investors on legislative frameworks, challenges to making PPPs work etc.? Which sectors could be attractive for PPPs (health, transport, energy…)?
Speakers

Mr. Paolo Gentiloni – European Commissioner for Economy

Mr. Paul Hilbers – Executive director, International Monetary Fund

Mr. Massimiliano Paolucci – World Bank, Country Manager for Kosovo and North Macedonia

Mr. Naser Nuredini – Minister of Environment and Physical Planning

Mr. Jeton Shaqiri – Minister of Information Society and Administration

Mr. Arjanit Hoxha – Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management

Ms. Olga Sclovscaia – Regional Head, Europe and Central Asia, MIGA 

Ms. Narine Sahakyan – Resident Representative UNDP North Macedonia

Moderator: Mr. Iraj Hashi, Staffordshire University

Written summary by: Mr. Gligor Bishev, PhD, CEO, Sparkasse Bank

13:00-14:00

Lunch

Special address by:

Foreign Chamber of Commerce

Ms. Maja Filipceva – AmCham

Mr. Stefan Peter – Foreign Investors Council

Mr. Ajdovan Ademoski – Macedonia Turkey Chamber of Commerce, MATTO

Ms.Maja Stevkova Shterieva – Macedonian Banking Association

Mr. Patrick Martens – German Industry and Commerce in North Macedonia

14:00-15:30

Panel 6: Human capital and Inclusive growth
Human capital is key for development and growth. How can we accelerate growth, end poverty and create more inclusive societies by boosting human capital? How to overcome the learning losses after COVID? How to strengthen education and health system? How critical role has public finance in restoring and building human capital as a central element in a green, resilient, and inclusive recovery?
Speakers

Mr. Rolf Wenzel – Governor of the Council of Europe Development Bank

Mr. Bujar Osmani – Minister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Venko Filipce – Minister of Health

Ms. Mila Carovska – Minister of Education and Science

Mr. Goran Milevski –Minister of Local Self-Government

Ms. Irena Stefoska – Minister of Culture

Mr. Harry Patrinos – Practice Manager for Education-Europa and Central Asia, World Bank

Mr. Jamele Rigolini  – Program Leader for Human Development – Western Balkans (presentation)

Moderator: Ms. Nina Fiti, Adviser to the Prime Minister of Republic of North Macedonia

Written summary by: Mr. Zoran Jovanovski, VP, Economic Chamber of North Macedonia

Closing remarks
Speakers

Mr. Fatmir Besimi – Minister of Finance

Mr. Dimitar Kovacevski – Deputy Minister of Finance

Ms. Jelena Tast – State Secretary

Academic Abdulmenaf Bexheti – Rector of South East European University

Mr. Nikola Popovski – FON University

Mr. Trajko Slaveski – University “St. Cyril and Methodius”

Mr. Gligor Bishev – CEO, Sparkasse Bank

Mr. Zoran Jovanovski – VP, Economic Chamber of North Macedonia

Mr. Vladimir Gligorov – WIIW