Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Czech Republic

Martin Dvořák

He served as the Mayor of Hradec Králové (1990-1998), city administrator in Kosovo
(UNMIK, 1999-2001) and worked for CPA and CIC in Iraq (2003). He then became involved in
the Czech diplomacy (i.a., Consul General in New York, Ambassador in Kuwait). Since 2022,
he has been the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Czechia.

President of ELIAMEP Greece, Professor, Sciences Po, Paris, Professor Emeritus, University of Athens

Loukas Tsoukalis

Loukas Tsoukalis was born in Athens. He studied economics and international relations at the University of Manchester, the College of Europe in Bruges, and the University of Oxford where he obtained his doctoral degree and taught for many years. He later became Jean Monnet Professor of European Integration at the University of Athens and Eleftherios Venizelos Professor at the London School of
Economics. Visiting Professor at the Kennedy School, Harvard University in 2016 and for many years visiting professor at the College of Europe. He has advised former presidents of the European Commission and the European Council. He is now Professor at the Paris School of International Affairs (Sciences Po), and Emeritus Professor of the University of Athens. He is also President of the Board of
the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP). Author of many books published by Oxford University Press and translated into several languages. His new book Europe’s Coming of Age will be published by Polity Press in the autumn of 2022.

Decorations: Commander of the Order of the Phoenix of the Hellenic Republic, the
Légion d’honneur of the French Republic for his contribution to European
integration, and the Crux de Oficial de la Orden del Mérito Civil of the Kingdom of
Spain, as well as many academic distinctions and awards.

Policy Analyst, Alternativa, Montenegro

Marko Sosic

Marko Sošić is a policy analyst at Institut Alternativa, a think tank based in Podgorica,
Montenegro. His key area of research and advocacy is public financial management, with an
emphasis on financial oversight, accountability and transparency.

Heating sector decarbonisation campaigner for the Western Balkans, CEE Bankwatch Network

Natasa Kovacevic

Natasha Kovacevic holds a master’s degree in environmental protection from the Faculty of Natural
Sciences and Mathematics in Montenegro. Since 2003, she has been working in environmental civil
society organisations, having extensive experience in monitoring infrastructural projects and its
environmental and social impacts. She is the author and co-author of several research papers on
sustainable development and environmental policy in Montenegro and is a member of the IUCN
Commission on Environmental Laws. Since 2021, she works in the CEE Bankwatch Net as a
Campaigner for decarbonisation of the district heating sector for the Western Balkans, while
following wider investments within Connectivity and Green Agenda and mechanisms of public
involvement in decision-making processes.

Executive Director ECO Albania

Olsi Nika

Olsi Nika is a biologist with a MSc in Environmental Biology and the PhD in process on Conservation
Biology.
Olsi has a 10+ years working experience in the field of environment, Environment Policy, Civil Society
and Nature Conservation. His working experience has started in 2010 while he has been engaged in
projects on Environmental monitoring in Albania as part of Faculty of Natural Sciences.
Since 2013 he is part of Civil Society sector, working on different projects that deal with environment
protection, advocacy and policy.
Thus, he has extensive experience on support to civil society, managing, project evaluation;
Knowledge on legislation on environment, climate change and nature conservation the approximation
process and the transposition of the EU acquis into the national

Executive Director, Balkans Policy Research Group, Kosovo

Naim Rashiti

Naim Rashiti has 20 years of experience in public policy, research, advocacy and EU& International
affairs. He is Executive Director of the Balkans Policy Research Group. Before that, Mr.Rashiti served
as Balkans Analyst for International Crisis Group for many years. Naim monitors and reports on the
Kosovo Serbia dialogue, regional cooperation, policy and security development, and the EU
approximation for the Western Balkans. He wrote more than 50 policy reports on domestic and
broader regional issues, covering Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia and key regional
agendas. He also served as a Research Fellow with Brussels-based CEPS with focus on Rule of Law
within the EU and Southeast Europe. As an expert on conflict mediation and resolution Naim has
provided series of training in Armenia, Moldova, Ukraine etc. His work, in recent years focuses on
reforms, public and foreign policies, good governance, and resolution of bilateral disputes, regional
cooperation in Western Balkans and the EU Enlargement.
For many years, the Balkans Group beyond policy expertise and publications, have implemented
synchronized activities, and projects which include policy expertise and support, policy dialogue,
mediation, and outreach. His NGO leadership role indispensably include Policy and Advocacy
expertise, with activities that he and his organization implement domestically, regionally, and
internationally. The think-tank he leads also provide policy support (including consultants) on key
policy areas of foreign policy, security, dialogue, legal and public administration reforms, regional
cooperation and agendas, and EU approximation.
He holds a BA degree on Engineering and IT, BA on Political science, Postgraduate diploma on EU&
Diplomacy, and MA on International Relations from Fletcher School, Tufts University.

PhD, Coordinator of Common Regional Market (CRM) and Senior Expert on Economic and Digital Connectivity in the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC)

Pranvera Kastrati

Before joining RCC, she had a vast experience in public policy coordination and implementation in
Albania. She joined RCC in November 2017 and her core focus of expertise relates to the design,
implementation, coordination and monitoring of RCC’s support and interventions in area of digital
transformation as part of the Digital Agenda for Western Balkan. Within the context of Regional
Digital Area of Common Regional Market 2021-2024 Agenda, she is engaged in supporting the
implementation of regional actions, including through enhanced regional coordination and
cooperation activities. Within her role as Coordinator of CRM she focuses on coordinating RCC core
activities across all RCC CRM led agendas in the area of investment, financial services, research and
innovation, free movement of people, students and researchers, women economic empowerment, etc.

President of ESTIMA, North Macedonia

Ana Krstinovska

Ana Krstinovska PhD, is the President of ESTIMA, North Macedonia-based think tank and
consultancy focusing on the EU, China and the Western Balkans. Formerly State Secretary for EU
Affairs in the Government of North Macedonia and First Secretary in the Macedonian Mission to
the EU in Brussels, she has extensive experience in public policy, EU integration and
management of EU funds from the perspective both of policy making and civil society.
Krstinovska has authored over a dozen publications on EU affairs and EU funds, including
analyses and manuals on the accession process.

Director General, Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade – IFAT, Hungary

Márton Schöberl

Márton Schöberl completed his university studies at the Pázmány Péter Catholic University,
where he graduated in 2007 with a degree in communication and history. Following that, he
worked in the world of business information systems and from 2010 in the central administration
in various positions in the field of higher education and state asset management.
He was the director of the Hungarian think-tank Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade(IFAT)
between 2014 and 2018, then served as a Deputy State Secretary for cultural diplomacy at the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in the fourth Orbán government (2018-2022). Márton
returned to IFAT in July 2022, starting his second directorial term.

Executive Director Institute for European Policy-Europeum, Czech Republic

Martin Vokálek

Martin Vokálek holds a master’s degree in International Politics and Diplomacy from the
Faculty of International Relations of the Prague University of Economics and Business (VŠE
v Praze) and an MBA degree from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland
and the Prague University of Economics and Business, Czechia. His minor was Project
Management, and he has also completed courses in Management and Law at the
Management Centre in Innsbruck, Austria. He has participated for several years in the
European Youth Parliament and the Czech Student Union was a Vice President and
Member of the Academic Senate and has co-founded the Czech chapter of the student
transatlantic think-tank European Horizons. For several years, he collaborated on the
project of CERMAT, worked at the Institute of International Relations and other institutions,
and was active also in the private sector.
Currently, he is the Executive Director of the EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy,
where he started the position of the Office and Project Manager in 2016, and also acts as a
Finance Manager at the International Sustainable Finance Centre. He is interested in
economic issues, European security and NATO, hybrid threats, war crimes and international
law problems.

Senior fellow, Center for Eastern Studies, OSW, Poland

Marta Szpala

Marta Szpala, Senior Fellow at the Department for Central Europe and the Balkans in the Centre for Eastern (OSW) Studies and PhD candidate at Polish Academy of Science Specializes in the EU and NATO Integration of the Western Balkans and the social and political transformation of the Balkan States. Provides expertise for various Polish and international administration bodies. She coordinated cooperation of Think Tanks and Civil Society in the framework of Polish Presidency in Berlin Process (2019 -2020). Editor and co-author of books and various studies devoted to the Western Balkans. Guest lecturer at the University of Warsaw, and the College of Europe in Natolin. Writes about Balkans for Polish Weekly Tygodnik Powszechny.

Team Leader – IPA, Enlargement Negotiations and EUSAIR, DG Regio

Gilles Kittel

 Gilles has more than 15 years of experience gained in various positions in audit, accountancy, internal control, consultancy, financial management, external aid political process, structural funds and economic support. In his current employment within the Competence Centre for “Macro-regions, Transnational, Interregional and External Cooperation, Enlargement” in DG REGIO (Regional Policy and Urban Policy) and in my previous assignments in DG NEAR (Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations) and DG AGRI (Agriculture and Rural Development), he has provided technical assistance to Eastern and Southern European Neighbourhood countries, including Western Balkans, and EU Member States in the fields of expertise mentioned above. In this context, he has developed close cooperation with the national authorities, helping them to adjust their national legislation, and to design and establish their management, control and supervision systems, in order to benefit in the most effective manner from the EU programmes

Secretary General of the Bled Strategic Forum, Slovenia

Peter Grk

Peter Grk is currently serving as Secretary General of the Bled Strategic Forum and National
Coordinator for the Western Balkans at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia.
With 18 years of experience in the diplomatic service, Peter Grk has held posts in Ankara,
Copenhagen and Brussels. During Slovenia’s EU Presidency (2008), he served as Chair of the
Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management (CIVCOM).
He was also posted to New York (2011) as Political Coordinator at the Permanent Mission of
the Republic of Slovenia to the UN and served as an advisor in the Cabinet of the Foreign
Minister of Slovenia (2009 to 2011) and as Chief Foreign Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister
of Slovenia (2013 to 2014).
He holds a degree in political science.

Senior Research Fellow at the Hellenic Foundation for European & Foreign Policy, Greece

Ioannis Armakolas

Ioannis Armakolas, PhD (Cantab), is Senior Research Fellow at the Hellenic
Foundation for European & Foreign Policy and Assistant Professor in Comparative
Politics of South East Europe at the Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental
Studies, University of Macedonia. Previous affiliations include: ESRC Fellow at the
Department of Politics, University of Oxford; Research Fellow at Nuffield College,
University of Oxford; Director of Research at the ʽUS-Greece Task Force:
Transforming the Balkansʼ (joint project of the Hellenic Centre for European Studies
and the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies); Region
Head for South East Europe at Oxford Analytica; Tip OʼNeill Fellow in Peace and
Conflict Studies at INCORE-Northern Ireland (Ulster University & United Nations
University). Ioannis Armakolas has extensive experience as a consultant with USAID
and DFID projects in the Western Balkans.

CPCD BiH / Manager of the regional project SMART Balkans

Dajana Cvjetković

Ms Dajana Cvjetković is a Program Manager at Centar za promociju civilnog društva/Center
for Civil Society Promotion Sarajevo, MA in Business Communication and Public Relations
Faculty of Political Science Sarajevo.
She brings over 14 years of professional experience working in local CSOs but working on the
regional level. As a highly experienced manager in leading multimillion projects, including
project SMART Balkans Civil Society for Shared Society in the Western Balkans, she aimed at
strengthening civil society organizations, improving the positioning of the organizations in the
public, and creating an enabling environment for stronger and more result-oriented, policy and
social changes.
Her experience is related to the establishment of long-term cooperation mechanisms between
the civil sector and the government, the establishment and revival of the practice of citizen
participation in decision-making processes with a focus on participation in democratic
processes, EU integration, and gender and environmental issues. She is most proud of the
application of those mechanisms and direct participation in the adoption of policies and laws in
the field of sexual and reproductive health in BiH, and gender and nature protection in BiH.

Executive Director of Southeast Europe Association, Munich

Christian Hagemann

In this capacity, he is regularly involved in the conceptualization and organization of
international conferences and workshops dealing with developments in Southeast Europe on
numerous issues. Christian has studied Political Science, Communication Science, and Law in
Munich, Münster, and Cluj-Napoca. He holds a PhD in Political Science from the LMU Munich
for his research on EU funds in the post-communist space and has worked before as a
Post-Doctoral Researcher and Substitute Professor for Policy Analysis at the Bavarian School
of Public Policy in Munich. His areas of interest are post-communist politics, EU enlargement,
and renewable energies.

Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Perugia

Milica Uvalić

has been a Professor of Economics at the University of Perugia, Italy, since 2002. Formerly
she was a member of the UN Committee for Development Policy (2008-2012), a Public
Policy Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Centre in Washington DC (2009), and Assistant
Minister in the Federal government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (2001), President
of the European Association for Comparative Economic Studies and President of the Italian
Association for Comparative Economic Systems. She holds a PhD in Economics from the
European University Institute, Florence, Italy. Her research and teaching areas are in
comparative economics with a focus on the Balkans, Central Eastern Europe and the
European Union. Recent publications include: FDI into transition economies: Are the Balkans
different? (2014 – with S. Estrin), The Economics of Transition, Vol. 22; The Social Consequences
of the Global Economic Crisis in South East Europe (co-edited with W. Bartlett, 2013), London,
LSE; “Why development patterns differ: the Czech and Serbian models compared” (with J.
Svejnar) in M. Aoki (ed) (2012); Institutions and Patterns of Economic Development, (Palgrave,
Macmillan); Serbia’s Transition – Towards a Better Future (2010, Palgrave Macmillan (Serbian
translation, 2012)).

Director of Research at Cooperation and Development Institute, Tirana, and coordinator of Tirana Connectivity Forum

Ardian Hackaj

Ardian Hackaj is Director of Research at Cooperation and Development Institute, Tirana, and
coordinator of Tirana Connectivity Forum. Mr Hackaj has authored research on the Berlin
Process, EU Connectivity Agenda, Belt & Road Initiative, Western Balkans 6 institutional
reforms, etc. During his career, Mr Hackaj has held management positions at the College of
Europe-Bruges, the International Organization for Migration, the United Nations, and the EU
Commission. He holds an MA from the College of Europe and a BA in International Economics
from Université Lumière, Lyon II. Currently, he lives in Tirana.

Greek Special Envoy for Western Balkans

Sofia Grammata

Sofia Grammata graduated from the Law School, University of Athens. She speaks French,
English, and German. Ms Grammata is married and has 2 children.
Her career:
May 2017-November 2019:Director, South-East Europe Department, MFA of the Hellenic
Republic
February 2016: Promotion to Minister Plenipotentiary
September 2015-May 2017: Deputy Director, Greece-Turkey relations Department, MFA
October 2011-August 2015: Consul General in Munich, Germany
November 2009-September 2011: Head of the Operations Section, NATO Department, MFA
October 2008-October 2009: Director of Cabinet of the Secretary-General, MFA
September 2005-September 2008: Counselor of Embassy, Head, ESDP Section, EFSP
Department, MFA
August 2003-August 2005: Member of the Greek Delegation to NATO
September 2002-July 2003: Secretary of Embassy, General Directorate of Human Resources,
Administrative and Financial Management, MFA
January 1999-August 2002: Secretary of Embassy, North America Department, Greek-USA
Defense Cooperation Section, MFA
February 1997-December 1998: Secretary of Embassy, Latin America Department, MFA
January 1995-January 1997: Secretary of Embassy, Deputy Head and Consul, Embassy of
Greece, Yerevan, Armenia
January 1993: Joined the Diplomatic Service and the Diplomatic Academy

Austrian Special Envoy for the Western Balkans

Johannes Eigner

Johannes Einger (born 1960 in Bad St. Leonhard im Lavanttal, Carinthia) is an Austrian diplomat
Eigner completed high school and studied law and studied interpreting and translation in French
and Russian in Graz, and post-graduate studies in international law and private international law
at the University of Strasbourg.
In 1985 he entered the diplomatic service. In 1987 he was a trainee at the Austrian embassy in
Cairo and was employed at the embassy in Moscow from 1987 to 1995, first as a press attaché
and from 1992 as deputy head of mission. In 1995 he became deputy head of the OSCE
department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Representation of Austria to the
OSCE in Vienna. In 1999 he moved to the Embassy in Bratislava as deputy head of mission. In
2004 he became Head of the Department for EU Enlargement, ENP, and EU and Economic
Relations with the Countries of Eastern and Southeastern Europe in the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs in Vienna, and in 2008 also Deputy Head of the Section for Integration and Economic
Policy Affairs.
On October 23, 2012, Eigner was appointed Austrian Ambassador to Serbia.
In 2017 he succeeded Emil Brix as Austrian Ambassador to Russia.

Head of Brussels Office, German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP)

Dušan Reljić,

Dušan Reljić is Head of the Brussels office of Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), the German
Institute for International and Security Affairs – Berlin, since 2013.
Dušan works on international relations and security with a focus on the EU, NATO and southeast
Europe; democratisation, nationalism and ethnic strife as well as political communication and media
performance in situations of tensions and conflict.
Between 2003 and 2013 Dušan was a research associate in the SWP division of EU External Relations.
Previously, he was a researcher and subsequently head of the Media and Democracy Programme at
the Dusseldorf-based European Institute for the Media (EIM) (1996-2003). Before, he was i.a. senior
editor at Radio Free Europe in Munich, the foreign editor of the Belgrade weekly Vreme, and co-
founder of the Beta Press Agency in Belgrade during the critical years of 1991-1993.

German Special Envoy for Western Balkans

Manuel Sarrazin

Manuel Sarrazin was born on February 06, 1982, in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. After
completing secondary school, Sarrazin studied history, Eastern Europe and law at the University
of Bremen and the University of Hamburg. From 1999-2001, he served on the Executive
Committee of Alliance 90/the Greens’ Harburg section and from 2001-2004 he served as their
spokesperson. From 2004-2008, Sarrazin was a member of the Hamburg City Parliament,
serving as spokesperson for international affairs and youth participation. From 2008-2021, he
was a member of the Bundestag, serving as Chair of the German-Polish Parliamentary
Friendship Group and as the Eastern European Policy spokesman for the Greens. From
2008-2011, Sarrazin served on the Executive Committee of the Greens’ Hamburg section, and he
then served from 2011-2015 as their deputy chair. In addition to these roles, Sarrazin has served
as a founding member of the youth initiative Jugendinitiative Politik e.V., Deputy Chair of
Europa-Union Hamburg, and Trustee of the Institute for European Politics.

Executive Director, Cooperation and Development Institute

Krisela Hackaj

Krisela Hackaj is since 2011 Director of the Cooperation and Development Institute, an Albanian
Independent Think Tank organization that focuses on research in regional cooperation, economic
and social development dynamics and institutional governance. Her professional expertise covers
EU cross border cooperation programmes and projects, national strategic framework monitoring and
budgeting, and regional cooperation. Her main research topics relate to EU Integration process,
regional cooperation, connectivity agenda and youth in the Western Balkans. She graduated in
“Public Administration and International Organizations” at Bocconi University and holds a Master
Degree in “International Career and International and European Institutions” from University of
Parma.

CEO- General Coordinator, Tirana EYC, National Youth Congress

Aspasjana Kongo

Aspasjana Kongo holds the position of CEO – General Coordinator of “Tirana European Youth
Capital 2022”, since 15 November 2021. She held earlier the position of Deputy Minister of
Youth Matters in the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth. Some of her duties included
developing youth policies in a national rank. Her professional build has started in the civil
society sector with a primary focus on youth policies. Before her engagement in the
governing industry, Ms Kongo was part of Youth Organizations.
She started her career in the public sector by working as a project coordinator in the Youth
Center of Tirana affiliated with the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth in 2015. From the
February of 2016 until her appointment as a Deputy Minister in MOESY in June 2020, she was
part of the Municipality of Tirana as a Youth Director.
Ms Kongo has a degree in Political Sciences, at a bachelor’s level, and completed two
Master’s degrees, one in Intercultural Communication and one in European Governing Politics.
She also has more than ten years of experience as a developer of Youth Policies in Albania.

Deputy Mayor of Tirana Municipality

Keti Luarasi

Mrs. Luarasi was born in Tirana and holds the position of Deputy Mayor since October 202
She joined the Municipality of Tirana in 2015 after the first winning mandate of Mayor Veliaj as
the Strategic Planning and HR General Director. In 2019, during the second mandate of Mayor
Veliaj, she was promoted to the position of Chief of Staff at the Mayor’s Cabinet, where she
pursued the implementation of projects and tasks within each department by creating and
maintaining cross–departmental relationships, ensuring success.
Ms. Luarasi is highly motivated and experienced, and has brought to the mayoral team her
expert proficiency in designing and managing all operating aspects of people management. Her
know-how for startups and organizations, including strategic planning, organizing, standard
operating procedures, staffing, leadership, and monitoring and evaluating activities in a
dynamic, fast paced environment, both in private and civil society sector, lay at the core of her
work at the Municipality of Tirana.
Prior to joining the Municipality of Tirana, Mrs. Luarasi worked as the General Director of
Standards and People Management on the first Albanian mobile telecommunications company,
PLUS Communication (2009-2015). At this position, Mrs. Luarasi played a key role at gathering
around PLUS a highly professional and competitive workforce: she raised and developed a full-
range corporative structure, standards and procedures, while recruiting more than 1000
employees.
Mrs. Luarasi has also leaded the People and Change department at KPMG Albania (2006-
2009), offering consultancy and advisory services on a variety of different issues for a number of
international and national clients.
During the period of 2000-2006 she has worked on the civil society sector at the Open Society
Foundation for Albania as Program Coordinator and HR Manager.
Her previous experience includes academic commitment as well, being a lecturer at the
University of Tirana, Faculty of Philology for 4 years. Mrs. Luarasi brings a vast experience and
expertise dealing with functions and standardization of Human Capital and policy-creation and
evaluation on a multi-level aspect of businesses, NGOs and public administration structures.
Mrs. Luarasi holds a Bachelor degree with Honors on Literature and Linguistics from the
University of Tirana (1999). She also obtained a Master of Science degree in Organizational
Behavior, from the University of London, UK, in 2005.

Executive Director of the National Youth Congress of Albania

Dafina Peci

Dafina Peci is the Executive Director of the National Youth Congress of Albania since 2016,
where earlier, she also held the position of president for two consecutive years.
Dafina graduated with a Bachelor in Political Science and International Relations and a Master
of Science in Regional Politics and Security. After graduation, she also completed a
specialization in Post-Conflict Security Institutions, Peacebuilding and Mediation.
Since 2017, Dafina has been academically engaged as a professor in the Department of
Political Sciences, University of Tirana.
One of the most prominent steps of her work in the youth sector has been the inclusion in the
Working Group for the creation of the Regional Office for Youth Cooperation (RYCO),
representing Albania for about 3 years in the Governing Board of this structure and its
processes

Board Member of European Youth Forum

Tom Matthew

Tom is a board member at the European Youth Forum; he leads the Forum’s work on digitalisation, and
he is responsible for the European Youth Capital project, the Forum’s statutory meetings and a
co-creation project to build the new European Charter for Youth and Democracy. Tom is an international
representative of the British Youth Council and he studies Human, Social and Political Science at
Cambridge University. Tom is passionate about youth participation in democracy, leadership, and
communication.

President of the Western Balkans Follow-up Committee, European Economic and Social Committee

Ionut Sibian

Member of the European Economic and Social Committee since 01/01/2007, currently serving as the
President of the Western Balkans Follow-Up Committee and VP of the External Relations Section. Civic
leader, an expert in the field of associations and foundations, enabling environment for the civil society,
enlargement policy and Western Balkans. BA in History, University of Bucharest; MA in International
Relations, Centre for Euro-Atlantic Studies, University of Bucharest; MA in Southeast European Studies:
Politics, History, Economics, supported by the European Union under the Stability Pact at the University
of Athens; Marshall Memorial Fellow, German Marshall Fund of the US, Washington DC.

Executive Director of the Academy of European Integration and Negotiations (AIEN)

Mona Xhexhaj

Mona Xhexhaj is the Executive Director of the Academy of European Integration and Negotiations (AIEN) an NGO dedicated to capacity building activities and all-inclusiveness in the framework of Albanian EU Integration. From 2012 to 2018 she has been engaged at the European Movement Albania (EMA), initially as Policy Researcher and for the last years as Program Director. She led various European, regional, and national projects focusing on European Integration and Negotiations, IPA Funds absorption, Institutional Transparency and Accountability, Regional Cooperation, and Youth Involvement in Decision-Making. She holds a Master of Science in European Politics and Policies from University College London(UCL), and a dual degree in Political Science & International Relations from UNYT (Albania) and Empire State College (USA). She speaks Albanian (mother tongue), English, Italian, and French and has a basic knowledge of Serbian and German.

Vice-President of EMI (European Movement International)

Tobias Köck

Born April 1979 in Rosenheim, Bavaria, Germany
Education: Universities of Munich & Freiburg, DE,
Master’s Degree in European Ethnology & New and contemporary History
Profession: IT-Consultant, CEO
Languages: German, English, Italian
Political priorities:
European Integration, Enlargement, CoFoE, Democracy, Rule of Law, Youth, Civil Society, Participation,
Council of Europe
Political Experience:
2020 –
Vicepresident European Movement International (EMI), Chair Political Committee on
Democracy, Citizen Participation and Fundamental Values
2013 – 2021
Boardmember & President German Federal Youth Council (DBJR), main fields: i.E. European
Youthpolicy, Western-Balkans (RYCO), Eastern-Partnership, German-Greek Youth Office

2014 – 2020 Boardmember European Movement Germany (EBD)
2014 – 2018 Speaker German National Committee for International Youthwork (DNK) – Delegate to the

European Youthforum (YfJ)

2006 – 2022 Vice-President & Financial Control Commissioner Solidarity Youth Germany; Coordination of

European & International (Maghreb) Youthexchange-Contacts

Work Experience:
2022 – CEO wish consulting (IT)
2013 – 2021 Divisional Head (IT) GuMe GmbH Industrial tool engineering & molding company
2010 – 2012 CEO Solidarity Youth Bavaria
1998 – 2010 Entrepreneur & Freelance IT-Projectmanager

Vice President of National Youth Council of Macedonia, North-Macedonia

Angela Angjelovska

Angela is a lawyer, human rights defender and youth activist. Currently, she is the Vice President of the National Youth Council of Macedonia, working in the field of international youth policies and relations. She is also focused on strengthening the regional youth cooperation among the Western Balkans youth councils.

Member of the European Economic and Social Committee

Tatjana Babrauskiene

Tatjana Babrauskiene has been a member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
since 2015.
She was the EESC rapporteur of several opinions, among which: SOC/715 – Higher education
package; SOC/684 – Adult learning; SOC/663 – Promoting skills for a more just, cohesive,
sustainable, digital and resilient society; SOC/637 – Updated skills agenda; SOC/636 – Towards an
EU strategy for enhancing green skills and competences for all; SOC/629 – Sustainable funding for
lifelong learning and development of skills, in the context of a shortage of skilled labour.
At national level, Tatjana is the Head of International relations of Lithuanian Education and Science
Trade Union (LESTU) and an expert of the Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation (LPSK) in the field
of VET, CVET and HE. She has long experience in advocating for adult education and LLL at the
European level, including as a member of the European Commission’s Advisory Committee on
Vocational Education and Training (ACVT) and Cedefop. In 2010, when the European Social Dialogue
in Education was established, she was appointed Lithuanian delegate of the Sectoral Social Dialogue
Committee for the Education sector (ESSDE). She is also a representative of the European Trade
Union Confederation (ETUC) and the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE) in
three European Commission working groups on education: adult learning, VET and school education.

Former Director, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Tirana & Pristina

Frank Hantke

Frank Hantke owns a Master in Mechanics, German Language, Pedagogic (Teacher for Vocational
Training)in 1983. Later, Mr. Hantke served as the Head of Department, Strategic Issues, HQ of
German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) for the period from 1987 to 1989. Then, during 1995 –
1998, he was Head of Department for International Relations at DGB/ Since 1998, Mr. Hantke is an
wxpatriate for Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) in the following regions and countires: CEE, Poland,
SEE, Serbia, (both regional); Country Director Afghanistan, Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia – recently
since 2017 Kosovo, before 2012 – 2017 Albania. Since 1974, Mr. Hantke is a member of IGM
(Metal-Union), later IG BCE (Mining and Chemistry Union) and since 1976 a member of SPD (Social
Democratic Party of Germany).

Minister of State for Youth and Children

Bora Muzhaqi

Mrs. Bora Muzhaqi, since September 2021 holds the position of Minister of State for Youth and Children.
During the period May-September 2021 he held the position of Deputy Minister of Education, Sports and Youth. In the period January 2019 to March 2021 she was Foreign Adviser to the Minister of State for Entrepreneurship Protection and a member of the Commission for Regulation and Supervision from September 2020 onwards.
In the period January 2017 to January 2019 she was a tax consultant at “EY”, Tirana, Albania, and from December 2013 to January 2017 she held the same position at “PwC”, Tirana, Albania.

She has also been a compensation analyst in the Human Resources Department, at Citibank, London, UK, from June to August 2011, and an EU Integration Analyst in July 2010 at the Ministry of Defense, in the EU Integration Directorate. He completed his BSc Economics studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science (London, UK), the Second Class Honors in 2012 and the HULT International Business School (London, UK), Master of Business International, Future Leaders Scholarship in 2013. Participated in Forum VI for Democracy in the Council of Europe and was a member of ACCA (London, UK) accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
She is fluent in English, Italian, German and Turkish.

Coordinator, OPENS Novi Sad, Serbia

Vukašin Grozdanović

Vukašin Grozdanović was born on October 4, 1983 in Subotica. He finished high school in his hometown and after finishing it he came to Novi Sad to the Faculty of Science and Mathematics to study biology. President of Novi Sad Jazas until 2015, founder of the “Umbrella Organization of the Youth of Serbia”, coordinator of the “OPENS 2019 Initiative “, the man behind numerous social and humanitarian actions
throughout the country and a person who influenced the thinking and education of several young generations in his environment.

Project Officer, European Youth Forum

Ivan Neirotti

Ivan Neirotti works at the European Youth Forum as the Project Officer for the European Youth
Capital title. He has held his position since March 2020. He has been based in Brussels since
2012, when he moved to obtain a Master’s degree in European studies. Ivan has working
experience in the EU affair’s world and its relation with local and regional policies. Among others
has worked for a network of local authorities, EUROCITIES, and for the European Commission,
dealing with programmes on regional cooperation with neighbourhood and enlargement
countries.He is passionate about international relations, urban development, and history

Youth Policies Department of Apulia Region, Italy

Marco Costantino

Marco Costantino, a graduate in Economics and PhD in Economic Geography, is responsible for
young people empowering programmes and international projects at the Youth Policies Department
of Apulia Region. Author of a number of papers in the field of fair trade, social economy and youth
policies, is also co-founder of a social organisation dealing with food waste.

General Director at the National Youth Agency, Albania

Kleina Kasanai

Ms. Kasanai holds the position of General Director at the National Youth Agency, an institution
with a mission to guarantee the protection and promotion of young people’s rights, through
support of non-formal education, with the interaction of youth activism and financing of youth
activities.
Her work focuses on implementing youth policies on a national level, as well as monitoring the
implementation of youth projects. Her professional experience started at Public Notary Studio.
Previously, she worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an advisor to the Minister holding
the parliamentary portfolio. Ms. Kasanai has also served as an advisor to the Deputy Prime
Minister, focusing on the implementation of the UN Agenda 2030. Previously she worked as an
advisor to the Minister of State for the Protection of Entrepreneurship, focusing on the
development of partnerships with enterprises and the development of policies to a beneficial
business environment.
A lawyer by background, Ms. Kasanai has also pursued many training programs, among other
qualifications.