Security Challenges in the Balkans, 18th June 2021 , The West University of Timisoara and New Strategy Center

The West University of Timisoara and New Strategy Center held the fifth edition of the international conference “Security challenges in the Balkans” on Friday, the 18th of June 2021, highlighting the region’s strategic importance and complexity. The conference was organised in a hybrid format and had multiple panels such as:

• Emergent Challenges in the Balkans
• Building Together a More Resilient Region in the Context of Pandemic Crisis
• Energy Security: New Opportunities to Enhance the Independence of South East Europe
• EU and NATO enlargement in the Western Balkans and the Impact of Post-Pandemic Challenges
• Why the Balkans Matter?
• A Comprehensive Approach  of the Challenges and Opportunities of the South East Europe
• Economic Development and Digitization in the Context of Pandemic Crisis.

Aside from the Head of ESDC, Mr. Dirk Dubois, senior participants attended different panels, such as the Romanian Minister of Interior – Mr. Lucian Bode, Romanian Minister of Defence – Mr. Nicolae Ciuca, President of the Institute for European Perspectives and Security, France – Mr. Emmanuel Dupuy.

The subject matter of this conference draw attention to the most pressing security challenges in the region, of interest not only for the Balkan countries and Romania, but also for Europe as a whole.  The Head of the ESDC had an active intervention focused on regional security challenges and EU challenges in the panel dedicated to EU and NATO enlargement in the Western Balkans and the Impact of Post-Pandemic Challenges. Among other speakers were: E.S. Ivo Josipovic, former Croatian President, Mr Stanislav Raščan, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Slovenia, Ms Iulia Matei, State Secretary for European Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ian Brzezinski, Senior Fellow, Sowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, Atlantic Council, USA.