Welcome to the first edition of the Lublin Central Europe Forum organized by the Institute of Central Europe in cooperation with numerous partners from Poland and Europe. In 2021, we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the events crucial to the region. Thirty years ago, in February 1991, the Visegrád Group was established as a structure integrating the central part of Europe. In December 1991, we watched as the Soviet Union disintegrated causing the collapse of the bipolar world order but also creating new perspectives for Central and Eastern Europe. In 1991, we also witnessed the process of the gradual dissolution of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. That is why, the leading theme of this year’s edition of the Lublin Central Europe Forum is “30 years after: Where are we now?”
We would like the event to become a meeting held annually in May to facilitate the discussion of issues vital for the region. This year, we are meeting virtually, but we hope that during the subsequent editions of the Lublin Central Europe Forum we will be able to meet in Lublin in person.
We cordially invite you to take part in the Lublin Central Europe Forum 2021, May 20th, 2021, Lublin (online).
Prof. Beata Surmacz, Prof. Tomasz Stępniewski
This year’s theme: 30 years after: where are we now?
· the Visegrad Group at 30
· 30 years after the dissolution of the Soviet Union
· 30 years after the dissolution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Opening remarks – 10:00 CET
prof. Beata Surmacz, Director of the Institute of Central Europe (IEŚ)
prof. Tomasz Stępniewski, Deputy Director of the Institute of Central Europe (IEŚ)
Panel I – Visegrad Group at 30: Achievements and Challenges – 10:10 CET
Chaired by:
dr Agata Tatarenko, IEŚ
Mr. Adam Reichardt, Editor-in-Chief of New Eastern Europe
Panelists:
dr Tomáš Strážay, Director of the Research Center of the Slovak Foreign Policy Association (RC SFPA) and one of the founders of the Think Visegrad – V4 Think Tank Platform, Bratislava, Slovakia
dr Vít Dostál, Director of the AMO Research Center in Prague, Czech Republic
Mr. Péter Galambos, Tihany Center for Political Analysis, Hungary
Mr. Wojciech Przybylski, Editor-in-Chief of Visegrad Insight and President of the Board at the Res Publica Foundation, Warsaw, Poland
Panel II – 30 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the future of the European Union’s Eastern Partnership – 11.00 CET
Chaired by:
dr Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik, IEŚ
dr Jakub Olchowski, IEŚ
Panelists:
prof. Kataryna Wolczuk, POLSIS/School of Government, University of Birmingham, UK
dr Stanislav Secrieru, Senior Analyst at the European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS), Paris, France
Mr. Iulian Groza, Director of the Institute for European Policies and Reforms, IPRE (former deputy minister of foreign affairs), Moldova
Mr. Vano Chkhikvadze, Head of EU Integration Field Manager of Open Society Georgia Foundation, OSGF, Tbilisi, Georgia
Discussant:
dr Ernest Wyciszkiewicz, Director of the Centre For Polish-Russian Dialogue and Understanding
Panel III – The 30th Anniversary of the Breakup of Yugoslavia: Dissolution and Its Consequences – 12.30 CET
Chaired by:
prof. Agata Domachowska, IEŚ
prof. Konrad Pawłowski, IEŚ
Panelists:
dr Ana-Maria Boromisa, Institute for Development and International Relations (IRMO); Centre for Development and Resources, Zagreb, Croatia
prof. Tvrtko Jakovina, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb; Centre for Democracy and Law Miko Tripalo, Zagreb, Croatia
prof. Silvana Mojsovska, Institute of Economics, The Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia
dr Marko Savković, Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence (BFPE), and in charge of the program of the Belgrade Security Forum, Belgrade, Serbia
LUBLIN CENTRAL EUROPE FORUM 2021 / May 20th