Institute for Public Affairs in cooperation with International Visegrad Fund and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung organized an international conference "Visegrad Elections: Domestic Impact and European Consequences".
The event was held on September 27, 2006 in Hotel Tatra, Bratislava. Distinguished speakers accepted the invitation to participate, among them experts - Jacques Rupnik, Ivan Gabal, Andras Bozoki; diplomats and politicians - Ivan Mikloš, Karel Schwarzenberg, Karel Kovanda as well as journalists and analysts - Edward Lucas (The Economist), Ján Oravec, Robin Shepherd.
About 80 experts, diplomats and journalists participated in the conference.
Information about the conference (PDF document)
Program of the conference (PDF document)
The participants of the first panel discussed the domestic impact of general elections. Ivan Gabal (Prague), Soňa Szomolányi, (Bratislava) moderator Martin Bútora (IVO), Pál Tamás (Budapest), Jacek Kucharczyk (Warszawa) and commentator Grigorij Mesežnikov (IVO).
The audience listens carefully, in front Dr. Stefan Gehrold, Director of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung.
Second panel tackled the issue of populism in new and old Europe. Participants: Kai-Olaf Lang (Berlin)
Jacques Rupnik (Paris), Kevin Deegan Krause (Wayne State University, Detroit). As moderator - Oľga Gyárfášová, (IVO) and as discussant Peter Učeň (IRI, Bratislava).
In the afternoon – interesting and hor debate about „Visegrad Group, EU Enlargement and the EU Neighborhood Policy after the Visegrad Elections“. Participants: Karel Schwarzenberg (Member of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Prague), Ambassador Karel Kovanda (EC, Brussels), Andras Bozoki (Central European University, Budapest), Tomáš Strážay (Research Center of the Slovak Foreign Policy Association). Panel was moderated by Pavol Demeš (GMF) and commented by Milan Nič (Pontis Foundation).
The closing panel focused on economic reforms and security issues. The presentations: Edward Lucas (The Economist), Robin Shepherd (GMF), Ján Oravec (Bratislava) and as discussant and commentator Ivan Mikloš. Panel was moderated by Ingrid Brocková (World Bank).
