23 June 2022
BREC Director, Nadezda Kokotovic took part in the 11th Annual International Seminar on Energy and Climate Diplomacy in Sofia. The seminar has been traditionally hosted by the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute. The 5-day seminar was opened by Mrs. Tanya Mihailova, Director of DI, and Mr. Alexander Nikolov, Minister of Energy. The event gathers participants from the Western Balkans and the Black Sea region, as well as from EU member states. It is implemented through the Official Development Assistance of the Republic of Bulgaria, and its main recipients are the countries of the Western Balkans and the Black Sea region. This year, a total of 34 participants from 16 countries took part in the seminar.
During the opening part, the relevance and importance of the topic were emphasized, against the background of geopolitical upheavals related to the war in Ukraine, rising inflation and energy prices, as well as the steps taken by the EU to reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports and ensure the energy security of the Union.
The seminar included speakers from the European External Action Service, NATO, the Center for Analysis of International Relations in Baku, the Brussels Energy Club, and others. The event ended with the traditional study visit to the Kozloduy nuclear power plant.
This year’s topics of discussion were focused on Russian-Ukrainian War Repercussions on European Energy and Climate Policies, the balance between sustainability, affordability, and security, Energy connectivity and project development in SEEe, and Regional Energy Security and Climate Diplomacy.
Every year the organizers publish a magazine devoted to energy and climate diplomacy. This year’s edition includes articles from Alexander Nikolov, Minister of Energy of the Republic of Bulgaria, Arthur Lorkowski, Director of the Energy Community, Kostantsa Rangelova and Martin Vladimirov, Center for the Study of Democracy Energy Security in Southeast Europe, Prof. Atanas Georgiev from Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Victoria Petrova, and Yonka Duneva from the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Olivier Marquette, President for AES Bulgaria, and others. The magazine was edited by Slavtcho Neykov Member of the National Consultative Council of the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute, president of the Bulgarian Institute for Energy Management, and a former director of Energy Community.
One of the authors is BREC Director, Nadezda Kokotovic, with her paper on „Policy processes and policymaking in the energy transition in the Western Balkans“. You can read her paper and the magazine here.
