9th Vienna Economic Forum

• Regional Cooperation for European Integration
• Growth and Finance – Motors in New Frameworks. Infrastructure and Innovative Locations. The Fresh Wind
• The Danube Region – European Challenges. Energy, Transport, Logistics. Social Responsibility
• Ministerial Session: Quo vadis, Europe? Exchange of Ideas from the Southeast European Perspective

Former Vice Chancellor Dr. Erhard Busek, President ofVienna Economic Forum, and Secretary General Amb. Dr. Elena Kirtcheva were pleased to welcome on the Opening Day of the Forum H.E. Dr. Johannes Hahn, European Commissioner for Regional Policy as Speaker of Honour, Dr. Georg Pölzl, CEO of Österreichische Post AG, and also numerous partners and members of Vienna Economic Forum, with whom Vienna Economic Forum has also a Memorandum of Understanding:

• Ms. Müjgan SUVER, President of the EU and Human Rights Platform, Marmara Foundation, Turkey, Strategic Partner of Vienna Economic Forum
• Prof. Agni VLAVIANOS ARVANITIS, President and Founder, Biopolitics International Organization, Greece,  Strategic Partner of Vienna Economic Forum
• Mr. Rudi GURAZIU, Chief Executive, International Business and Diplomatic Exchange (IBDE), London, Strategic Partner of Vienna Economic Forum
• Amb.  Mr. Alain Brian BERGANT, Secretary General, Bled Strategic Forum, Strategic Partner of Vienna Economic Forum, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia
• Mr. Alex MUNTEANU, Managing Director Private Equity at Dragon Capital, Chairman,Business Advisory Council (BAC SEE), Thessaloniki, Strategic Partner of Vienna Economic Forum

It was a pleasure for President Dr. Erhard Busek, and Secretary General Dr. Elena Kirtcheva, to congratulate Dr. Georg Pölzl, CEO of Österreichische Post AG, to the Nomination of Österreichischen Post AG with the „Vienna Economic Forum Award for the Partner of the Year 2012“,  in the frame of the Opening Ceremony.

A Memorandum of Understanding with Strategic Partners of Vienna Economic Forum was signed with:

• Confederation of the Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria – CEIBG, Sofia
• International Business and Diplomatic Exchange – IBDE, London

On the second day of the Forum President Dr. Busek and Secretary General Dr. Kirtcheva welcomedH.E. Dr. Erwin Pröll, Governor of Lower Austria as Guest of Honour, who held a Welcome Statement in the First Opening Plenary Session.

It was an honour for Vienna Economic Forum to welcome H.E. Dr. Maria Fekter, Federal Minister of Finance of the Republic of Austria, with a Main Statement on the 9th  Vienna Economic Forum as a speaker with the topic „Growth and Finance – Motors in new Frameworks“.

In her Welcome Statement Dr. Elena Kirtcheva underlined the role of the 9th Vienna Economic Forum in the region Southeast Europe and gave an overview on the success story of Vienna Economic Forum.

Vienna Economic Forum received the Status as INTERNATIONAL NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATION in the year 2011 and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations accepted in its meeting of July 2012 the recommendation of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and granted to Vienna Economic Forum “Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations” .

Dr. Herbert Stepic, CEO of Raiffeisen Bank International AG and Member of the Board of Vienna Economic Forum pointed out the strong role of the banks in the region and underlined the good relations between Austria and Southeast Europe.

H.E. Mr. Werner Faymann, Federal Chancellor of the Republic of Austria and Patron of Vienna Economic Forum, took part in the Forum for the fourth time. He pronounced the importance of cooperation in the region and the role of Vienna Economic Forum .  The function of Austria and its neighbours in the heart of Europe was expressed with the words: “Austria is a reliable partner for its neighbours. The cooperation with the countries of Central and Southeastern Europe is a basis for the success. Also in economically difficult times.”, said Mr. Faymann.

The „Vienna Economic Forum Award 2012  – for his contribution to the economic development on the national and regional level in the countries of Vienna Economic Forum” was handed over in the frame of the Ministerial Session “Quo vadis, Europe? Exchange of Ideas from the Southeast European Perspective” to:

H.E. Mr. Werner Faymann, Federal Chancellor of the Republic of Austria and Patron of Vienna EconomicForum,

H.E. Mr. Igor Luksic, Prime Minister of Montenegro, Patron of Vienna Economic Forum, and

H.E. Ms. Mimoza Kusari-Lila, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry of Kosovo.

Further high-ranking guests were:

• H.E. Mr. Besim BEQAJ, Minister Economic Development of Kosovo
• Ms. Bernadette GIERLINGER, Vice Minister, Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth of the Republic of Austria
• Dr. Cristian DIACONESCU, Former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Romania, Presidential Adviser of the President of Romania
• Dr. Johann SOLLGRUBER, Representation of the European Commission in Austria, Head of political department

Besides the VIP guests, Prime Ministers, Deputy Prime Ministers and Ministers from the member states also the following partner organisations of Vienna Economic Forum were represented:

• Business Advisory Council for Southeast Europe (BAC), Thessaloniki,
• Bled Strategic Forum
• The Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEİK),
• EastEuroCo Executive Search Group, Budapest,
• European Center for Environmental Economy (ECEE), Sofia,
• Institut für den Donauraum und Mitteleuropa(IDM),
• Österreichische Industriellenvereinigung (IV),
• Marmara Foundation, Istanbul
• Organisation für Internationale Wirtschaftsbeziehungen (OiER),
• Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI)

The team of Vienna Economic Forum is pleased to announce the 10th Jubilee Vienna Economic Forum on 24-25 November 2013 in the wonderful location of Palais Niederösterreich in Vienna.

Vienna Economic Forum thanks all cooperation partners, members and partners of Vienna Economic Forum for the continuous support and also for the support of the 9th VEF: Post, Austrian Official Carrier, Novomatic, Sopharma, DenizBank AG, bmwfi Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft, Familie und Jugend, Bären Industrie Batterie GmbH, TJP Advisory & Management Services GmbH, Republic of Kosovo Embassy in Austria, Riskexperts, Kommunal Kredit.