On 18 December 2025, Secretary General of Vienna Economic Forum (VEF), Ambassador Dr. Elena Kirtcheva, received President of Europa-Forum Wachau (EFW), Ambassador Dr. Michael Linhart, for a working and future-oriented discussion at the VEF Office in Vienna.

The delegation of President of Europa-Forum Wachau (EFW), Ambassador Dr. Michael Linhart, also included Managing Director of Europa-Forum Wachau (EFW), Mr. Benedikt Schmidinger, and Project Manager of Europa-Forum Wachau (EFW), Mr. Max Filipsky, B.Sc. Secretary General of Vienna Economic Forum (VEF), Ambassador a.D. Dr. Elena Kirtcheva, was accompanied by Senior Project Manager and Deputy Secretary General of Vienna Economic Forum (VEF), Mag. Niko Petković.

The discussion focused on future cooperation between Vienna Economic Forum and Europa-Forum Wachau. Particular attention was given to the upcoming Europa-Forum Wachau, which will take place from 18 to 22 May 2026 in the Wachau under the Motto “The Next 30”, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Europa-Forum Wachau. Furthermore, selected activities of Vienna Economic Forum were discussed, including the planned 25th Jubilee Garden Party of Vienna Economic Forum – “Culinary and Musical Journey through the Member Countries of Vienna Economic Forum”, scheduled for June 2026.

Another potential area of cooperation addressed during the meeting was the “League of Universities from the Region of the Vienna Economic Forum – From the Adriatic to the Black Sea”, newly established by Vienna Economic Forum in June 2025.

This VEF initiative, in line with the widely recognised European and international role of future-oriented education, underlines Vienna’s role as a place of encounter between education, economy, and politics, particularly within the Vienna Economic Forum Region from the Adriatic to the Black Sea. This thematic focus corresponds closely with the committed and diverse exchange of Europa-Forum Wachau with students from the region.

The shared emphasis on strengthening cooperation between academic institutions, representatives of economy, and political decision-makers formed an integral part of the discussion, during which concrete approaches and projects for cooperation were also explored.

Both sides agreed to continue the initiated dialogue and to examine further steps towards deeper cooperation. Secretary General of Vienna Economic Forum (VEF), Ambassador a.D. Dr. Elena Kirtcheva, thanked President of Europa-Forum Wachau (EFW), Ambassador Dr. Michael Linhart, for the visit and the constructive exchange, and reaffirmed Vienna Economic Forum’s readiness to actively continue the dialogue in the future.