VEF Annual Brochure 2008 – 5 years VEF Jubilee Brochure

Our aim in October 2004 was to support from the basis Vienna the economic development of the countries from the Adriatic to the Black Sea – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine. The countries of the region had a different economic development and a different time frame regarding EU membership, and still have. We wanted to take the challenge to make these countries a special place in the process of a future European region. The melting pot of all their different forms was the basis for supporting the whole economic development in the region.

And we can say that we have successfully brought together decision makers and investors from Austria and other countries with the member countries of Vienna Economic Forum, thus giving impulses and supporting common projects and concrete activities.

After five years we already have a history as the Vienna Economic Forum, and traditionally we are holding one meeting in fall in Vienna and we are moving the other meetings to our regions. In the last five years we were happy to have been in Bucharest and Belgrade, in Ohrid in Macedonia, in Istanbul, in Chisinau, in Becici in Montenegro, in Tirana. So far our meetings have been a great success, the number of participants has been increasing from meeting to meeting, and the international response tells us that we are on the right way.

In the last years we were focussing on many precise subjects like investment, energy, transport, the regional infrastructure system, ecology, communication and technology, legal security etc. This is giving the best overview, which has already improved in the recent years and which topics still have to be discussed. We pushed forward also governments of the region to move on the one or the other subject, creating opportunities for investment. And that is the real task of the Vienna Economic Forum.

Today we want to thank first of all our founding Members, all our Patrons, the Prime Ministers of our Member Countries, the Ambassadors Committee, our Honorary Members and Members of Vienna Economic Forum for all their support and intense exchange we received in the years since the founding of Vienna Economic Forum. Many thanks to all our co-operations Partners. With your help we are creating many opportunities for further cooperation.

Thank you very much to all of you who have supported the Vienna Economic Forum in the last years to make it a renowned place of exchange and experience!

Dr. Erhard Busek                                                                                             Amb. Dr. Elena Kirtcheva
President                                                                                                           Secretary General