Programme
Tuesday,
July 2
17:15 – 17:40 Western Balkans’s Road to the European Union.
Ms. Iliana Iotova, Vice President of the Republic of Bulgaria
17:40 – 18:00 Discussion
18:00 – 18:30 Ice-breaking game and Introduction of the participants
18:30 – 19:00 Official Opening of the Western Balkan`s Regional Academy “European perspective of
the Western Balkans”
Ms. Ekaterina Zaharieva, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ms. Rumyana Grozeva, Acting Executive Director, Bulgarian school of Politics “Dimitry Panitza”
19:00 – 19:45 Small group work - Forming the Groups
19:45 – 20:15 Large group work
Wednesday, July 3
09.00 – 09.30 EU Enlargement Process in Historical Context. Current Attitudes of the European Citizens towards
the Eastern Enlargement.
Moderator: Martina Kostova, Program Coordinator, Bulgarian school of Politics “Dimitry Panitza”
Prof. Ingrid Shikova, Professor in EU Policies at Sofia University “St.Kliment Ohridski”
09:30 – 10.00 Discussion
10.00 – 10.15 Coffee Break
10:15 – 12:15 Simulation game – “Decision-making in the EU”
12:15 – 12:30 Feedback on the simulation game
12.30– 13.30 Lunch
13.30 – 14:30 Bulgaria's Road to the European Union. Successes and Failures in the Negotiation Process.
Moderator: Mr. Valentin Tonchev, Advisor at the European parliament, Alumnus of the BSoP
Mr. Ivaylo Kalfin, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs (2005-2009)
Mr. Stanimir Ilchev, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee (2001-2003)
14.30 – 15.30 Discussion
15:30 – 15:45 Coffee Break
15:45 – 17:00 Academy Lab - work on the final analytical product, case study “Problem Tree”
17:00 – 17:45 12 years Bulgaria in the European Union: Benefits and Challenges.
Moderator: Ms. Gergana Rakovska, Executive Director of the “Business for education” Foundation,
Alumnus of the BSoP
Mr. Georgi Ganev, Economist, Program Director at the Centre for the Liberal Strategies
Mr. Ognyan Minchev, Director of the Institute for Regional and International Studies
17:45 – 18:30 Discussion
18:40 – 19:30 Meeting with Ms. Diana Kovatcheva, Deputy Ombudsman
Thursday, July 4
9.00 – 10.15 Challenges to Democracy in the Western Balkans Region – Rule of Law, Protection of
Human Rights and Stakeholders Engagement in the Integration Process.
Moderator: Ms. Elisaveta Petrova, Master in European Policy, Alumnus of the BSoP
Ms. Vessela Tcherneva, Deputy Director of the European Council on Foreign Relations and Head of
the Sofia office
Mr. Marin Lessenski, Program Director, European Policies Initiative, Open Society Institute, Sofia
10.15 – 11.00 Discussion
11.00 – 11.15 Coffee breaks
11.15 – 12.30 Academy Lab - work on the final analytical product, case study “Stakeholder Analysis”
12.30 – 13.30 Lunch
13.30 – 14.00 Media Freedom and Democracy. How to Combat Fake News?
Moderator: Martina Kostova, Program Coordinator, Bulgarian school of Politics “Dimitry Panitza”
Mr. Boyko Vasilev, Journalist, Presenter of the Panorama Current Affair Program,
Bulgarian National Television
14.00 – 14.30 Discussion
14.30 – 15.30 Small group work – case study on public speaking and debating
15:30 – 15:45 Coffee Break
15.45– 16.15 Simulation of a TV debate
16.15 – 16.45 Feedback on the simulation
16.45 – 18:30 Academy Lab - work on the final analytical product, case study “Solution Tree”
Friday, July 5
08:15 Departure from the hotel to the National Assembly
09.30 – 10.30 Meeting with Ms. Tzveta Karayancheva, Chair of the National Assembly
10.30 – 11.30 Tour of the National Assembly
12.00 – 13.00 Meeting with Ms. Yordanka Fandakova, Mayor of the Sofia Municipality
13.00 – 15.00 Lunch
15.00 – 16.00 Meeting with Mr. Tomislav Donchev, Deputy Prime Minister
16:00 – 17:30 Cultural tour of Sofia
Saturday, July 6
9.00 – 09:30 Academy Lab - work on the presentations of the final analytical product
09:30 – 10:00 Academy Lab - presentation of the final analytical product
10:00 – 10:15 Coffee Break
10:15 – 11:00 Closing of the small groups and feedback session
11.00 – 12.00 Ceremony for awarding the certificates
Mr. Andrey Kovatchev, Member of the European Parliament
12.00 – 12.15 Family photo
17:15 – 17:40 Western Balkans’s Road to the European Union.
Ms. Iliana Iotova, Vice President of the Republic of Bulgaria
17:40 – 18:00 Discussion
18:00 – 18:30 Ice-breaking game and Introduction of the participants
18:30 – 19:00 Official Opening of the Western Balkan`s Regional Academy “European perspective of
the Western Balkans”
Ms. Ekaterina Zaharieva, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ms. Rumyana Grozeva, Acting Executive Director, Bulgarian school of Politics “Dimitry Panitza”
19:00 – 19:45 Small group work - Forming the Groups
19:45 – 20:15 Large group work
Wednesday, July 3
09.00 – 09.30 EU Enlargement Process in Historical Context. Current Attitudes of the European Citizens towards
the Eastern Enlargement.
Moderator: Martina Kostova, Program Coordinator, Bulgarian school of Politics “Dimitry Panitza”
Prof. Ingrid Shikova, Professor in EU Policies at Sofia University “St.Kliment Ohridski”
09:30 – 10.00 Discussion
10.00 – 10.15 Coffee Break
10:15 – 12:15 Simulation game – “Decision-making in the EU”
12:15 – 12:30 Feedback on the simulation game
12.30– 13.30 Lunch
13.30 – 14:30 Bulgaria's Road to the European Union. Successes and Failures in the Negotiation Process.
Moderator: Mr. Valentin Tonchev, Advisor at the European parliament, Alumnus of the BSoP
Mr. Ivaylo Kalfin, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs (2005-2009)
Mr. Stanimir Ilchev, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee (2001-2003)
14.30 – 15.30 Discussion
15:30 – 15:45 Coffee Break
15:45 – 17:00 Academy Lab - work on the final analytical product, case study “Problem Tree”
17:00 – 17:45 12 years Bulgaria in the European Union: Benefits and Challenges.
Moderator: Ms. Gergana Rakovska, Executive Director of the “Business for education” Foundation,
Alumnus of the BSoP
Mr. Georgi Ganev, Economist, Program Director at the Centre for the Liberal Strategies
Mr. Ognyan Minchev, Director of the Institute for Regional and International Studies
17:45 – 18:30 Discussion
18:40 – 19:30 Meeting with Ms. Diana Kovatcheva, Deputy Ombudsman
Thursday, July 4
9.00 – 10.15 Challenges to Democracy in the Western Balkans Region – Rule of Law, Protection of
Human Rights and Stakeholders Engagement in the Integration Process.
Moderator: Ms. Elisaveta Petrova, Master in European Policy, Alumnus of the BSoP
Ms. Vessela Tcherneva, Deputy Director of the European Council on Foreign Relations and Head of
the Sofia office
Mr. Marin Lessenski, Program Director, European Policies Initiative, Open Society Institute, Sofia
10.15 – 11.00 Discussion
11.00 – 11.15 Coffee breaks
11.15 – 12.30 Academy Lab - work on the final analytical product, case study “Stakeholder Analysis”
12.30 – 13.30 Lunch
13.30 – 14.00 Media Freedom and Democracy. How to Combat Fake News?
Moderator: Martina Kostova, Program Coordinator, Bulgarian school of Politics “Dimitry Panitza”
Mr. Boyko Vasilev, Journalist, Presenter of the Panorama Current Affair Program,
Bulgarian National Television
14.00 – 14.30 Discussion
14.30 – 15.30 Small group work – case study on public speaking and debating
15:30 – 15:45 Coffee Break
15.45– 16.15 Simulation of a TV debate
16.15 – 16.45 Feedback on the simulation
16.45 – 18:30 Academy Lab - work on the final analytical product, case study “Solution Tree”
Friday, July 5
08:15 Departure from the hotel to the National Assembly
09.30 – 10.30 Meeting with Ms. Tzveta Karayancheva, Chair of the National Assembly
10.30 – 11.30 Tour of the National Assembly
12.00 – 13.00 Meeting with Ms. Yordanka Fandakova, Mayor of the Sofia Municipality
13.00 – 15.00 Lunch
15.00 – 16.00 Meeting with Mr. Tomislav Donchev, Deputy Prime Minister
16:00 – 17:30 Cultural tour of Sofia
Saturday, July 6
9.00 – 09:30 Academy Lab - work on the presentations of the final analytical product
09:30 – 10:00 Academy Lab - presentation of the final analytical product
10:00 – 10:15 Coffee Break
10:15 – 11:00 Closing of the small groups and feedback session
11.00 – 12.00 Ceremony for awarding the certificates
Mr. Andrey Kovatchev, Member of the European Parliament
12.00 – 12.15 Family photo