ENGLISH AGENDA, Conference for Peace and Sustainable Grow…
In a particularly critical period marked by the war in Ukraine and Gaza, the fear of a generalized conflict in the Middle East, regional developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and Southeastern Europe, the prospect of the Western Balkans but also the future of Europe in connection with the rise of the extreme right and the fear of a wave of anti-politics, the Alexis Tsipras Institute and the Zaev Foundation co-organized on 17 and 18 June 2024 in Athens the first International Conference on Peace and Sustainable Growth.
The occasion for the meeting in Athens, at the initiative of former Prime Ministers Alexis Tsipras and Zoran Zaev, top political and state officials, current and former top officials, experts, journalists and analysts from leading think tanks, from Greece, the Balkans, Europe and America, was the completion of six years since the signing of the Prespa Agreement.
An Agreement, which, as stressed by the speakers, is a model of dispute resolution and an example of how political leaders can work for the benefit of peace and their peoples, when they have the will to bear the political cost.
The invited speakers thoroughly analyzed and proposed solutions and solutions for the major issues faced by citizens in Europe, the Balkans, the Mediterranean and the Middle East.
Issues such as the rise of far-right and nationalist forces in Europe, the challenges for growth and social cohesion in Europe and Greece, the accession prospects of the Western Balkans and its importance for the future of Europe.
The 1st International Conference on Peace and Sustainable Growth also dealt in detail with the new and highly dystopian data from the wars in Ukraine, Gaza and the general conflagration in the Middle East, as well as the role of international organizations in crisis management and peace assurance.
Particularly illuminating were the presentations on the climate crisis and sustainable development in relation to the challenges in the just transition towards the green agenda.
At the same time, the protagonists of the Prespa Agreement “shed” light on the qualitative characteristics of the negotiation, explained why it is a model Agreement especially for small countries and pointed out the fact that it is one of the few agreements reached with the central role of the negotiators of the two parties and not other powers.
The two-day proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Peace and Sustainable Development, co-organized by the Alexis Tsipras Institute and the Zaev Foundation, were attended by the President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou, the former President Prokopis Pavlopoulos, representatives of political parties, the judiciary, academics, representatives of institutions and thousands of citizens who attended the discussions of the eight thematic sections in person and via live streaming.
Thematic panel 1
“Where is Europe (and Greece) going? Challenges for growth and social cohesion”
Paolo Gentiloni, the EU’s economy commissioner, began his speech by calling the Prespa Agreement “historic” and an “example of leadership”. At the same time, referring to the critical point at which Europe finds itself today in relation to enlargement and the Green Deal, the EU Commissioner for Economy pointed out that Europe “again has to make a great effort, because the world has changed and we cannot be the only vegetarian in a world of carnivores”.
George Chouliarakis, economic advisor at the Bank of Greece, referred to the challenges Greece faces in terms of the economy, pointing out that the aim must be real convergence in the coming years to the European average, noting that such an ambitious economic formation plan cannot be complete unless it is accompanied by a large significant reduction in inequalities and the strengthening of social protection.
Nikos Vettas, general director of IOBE, referred to the need to change the production model both in our country and in the EU, while especially for our country he noted that a simpler framework of rules should be created, which will give degrees of freedom and reward those who play by the rules and not against the rules.
Faye Makantasis, research director of diaNEOsis, emphasized the data of a survey conducted in Greece in early 2024 and showed that the prevailing emotions are negative as frustration, insecurity and anger prevail, while the percentage of citizens who respond to surveys more than doubled that the number one threat to the future of Greece is its economic situation.
Eugenia Fotoniata, coordinator of the cycle of economic and social analysis, ENA Institute for Policy Alternatives, referred to the crucial variable for the Greek economy, which is the Recovery and Resilience Fund, noting that it has not been distributed with social justice and tends to increase inequalities.
The discussion was moderated by lawyer – journalist Antonis Papagiannidis.
Thematic panel 2
Regional developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and Southeastern Europe. What are the prospects for peace and stability after the wars in Gaza and Ukraine?”
Angelina Eichhorst, Director-General, European External Action Service (EEAS), highlighted the vital value of negotiation and the key principle of international law that agreements must be respected, answering the central question raised and citing the Prespa Agreement as an example for dealing with crises and disagreements. At the same time, he referred to pacta sunt servanda, noting that “today more than ever it has value and importance”.
Jens Plötner, diplomatic adviser to the German chancellor, referred to the war in Ukraine as saying that nothing is the same anymore and noted that if Europe wants to act as a pole or center of gravity, then more Prespa-style diplomacy is needed, an agreement he described as a “historic achievement”.
Mustafa Aydın, chairman of the Turkish Council on Foreign Relations, referring to his country’s role in Russia-Ukraine, noted that he is trying to offer alternatives to both sides, saying that Turkey has a lot of experience in being between such conflicts and estimated that there will be a negotiated solution.
Sotiris Roussos, Professor of International Relations for the Middle East and the Mediterranean at the University of Peloponnese, expressed his pessimism regarding the settlement of the Palestinian problem, saying that given the conditions “in principle we are moving towards the reality of one state”, noting that unfortunately this means “a road to apartheid, Bantustan, Bantustan type, enclaves, a Palestinian archipelago in the Palestinian Sea and there will be, citizens’ rights and opportunities will be restricted.”
Barak Ravid, a journalist and political analyst for CNN, noted that Israel currently has the most extreme and radical right-wing government in the country’s history and expressed the appreciation that what this war serves is the political survival of this coalition, concluding that “if we put all this together, the future looks very bright. too bleak.”
The discussion was moderated by Professor and Director of the ACG Institute of Global Affairs of the American College of Greece, Konstantinos Filis.
Thematic panel 3
“The negotiation of the Agreement and its implementation six years later – Is the Prespa Agreement a model for the peaceful resolution of disputes?”
Matthew Nimetz, UN special mediator on the name issue, praised the process followed to reach the Prespa Agreement, describing it as important because, as he pointed out, “it is one of the few agreements that was bilaterally negotiated by both parties and yes, there was a mediator, but the mediator had no power. No authority.”
At the same time, he described it as a good model, as a good example especially for small countries – and especially for the region – in order to reach bilateral agreements.
Nikola Dimitrov, President of the Balkan Center for Constructive Policies-Solution and Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs of North Macedonia for the period 2017-2020, referring to the Prespa Agreement, described as key elements that a negotiation should have the building of trust and the intention of each party to put itself in the place of the other. At the same time, he stressed that it is essential “to accept that in the short term at least you will have to spend political capital”.
Former Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, referring to the elements that a negotiation must have in order to solve difficult problems, noted two parameters, namely trust and direct negotiation by interested parties.
Commenting on what has happened in the last five years, the former Foreign Minister pointed out that the Prespa Agreement “has not met with adequate defence all these years” and mainly that “the positive Prespa agenda has been lost. Prespa did not only come to solve a problem that came from afar, Prespa came to build a way for the future of relations throughout the region.” Kotzias blamed the New Democracy government, noting that it did not take advantage of this positive agenda, while leaving empty the provisions for the establishment of the Committees provided for by the Agreement that would resolve specific issues.
The discussion was moderated by Marilena Koppa, professor of comparative politics at Panteion University.
Thematic panel 4
The accession perspective of the Western Balkans and its importance for the future of Europe. Are we in a period of stagnation or new dynamics?”
Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic linked the prospects of the Western Balkans’ accession to the European Union with the future of Europe and pointed out that the Western Balkan countries should continue reforms, which, however, should be supported by concrete measures from Brussels. At the same time, he said that Serbia has a national interest in becoming a member of the European Union.
Former Prime Minister George Papandreou described the Prespa Agreement as a positive example for the Western Balkans region, while pointing out that it was not rewarded and this fact created a very negative climate throughout the Western Balkans.
George Papandreou blamed Europe for not moving forward on the issue of enlargement, while noting that the peoples of the Western Balkans should take matters into their own hands.
Vlado Bučkovski, former Prime Minister of North Macedonia from 2004 to 2006, described the Prespa Agreement as a historic step forward, noting that all countries should follow the example of North Macedonia and Greece. At the same time, he underlined that North Macedonia should become part of the EU as soon as possible.
Ilgi Hasani, Albania’s minister of European affairs and foreign affairs, said there is no one within his country who disagrees with the prospect of EU membership, calling the issue “sacred”.
Miroslav Lajcak, European Union Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, expressed his optimism, saying that on the issue of accession “fortunately we are in a new era, there is a new impetus clearly”, noting at the same time that “the road will not be rosy” as there are issues such as ensuring European values that should be respected, decision-making capacity with the participation of more than 30 member states, ensuring a budget to cover all expenses and dealing with bilateral relations.
The discussion was moderated by the editor-in-chief of the English edition of the newspaper “Kathimerini” and Eastern Mediterranean correspondent of Politico Europe, Nektaria Stamoulis.
Thematic panel 5
“Geopolitical developments and the role of international organizations in crisis management and peacekeeping”
The Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the European Commission, referred to the central issues that the EU will have to address over the next five years, namely Europe’s common defence, security, autonomy and resilience, its dependence on Russian oil and gas, its ability not to lose the global battle for clean tech, clean technologies, microchips, artificial intelligence. At the same time, he noted that Europe will never give up its commitment to a world based on multilateralism but with rules.
The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Theodoros Roussopoulos, referred to the actions and initiatives of the Council of Europe on the major issues facing our time and our region, such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Azerbaijan, Kosovo. He then referred to the issue of Cyprus as well as to the pillars of the Council, which are the heart of democracy.
Bassim Khoury, former Minister of Economy of Palestine, underlined that Palestine’s strategy is to have faith in international law and in a rules-based international order and commented on the decision of the 4 European countries to recognize the State of Palestine, expressing the wish that Greece will follow their example and an urgent call to action to save the civilians of Palestine whose time is running out.
At the same timee said that the conflict in the region did not start on October 7 as Palestinians have been victims for nearly 100 years. He pointed out that Israel does not accept to comply with the two decisions of the International Criminal Court on the invasion of Gaza, as it has done for the countless UN resolutions in recent years. He also noted that there are attacks against UN agencies, especially UNRA, which is the only organization that has provided assistance necessary for life in Palestine.
Menelaos Menelaou, the Greek-Cypriot negotiator on the Cyprus problem, noted the uncertainty, instability and peculiarities of the times, explaining that we must be constantly vigilant, keeping our attention focused on the big picture, international law and the international order. He analyzed the course of Cyprus in recent years with the creation of trilateral partnerships and the conclusion of important agreements, as well as its initiative for the development of land humanitarian aid routes to Palestine.
Humberto Costa, vice-president of the Workers’ Party and chairman of the Social Affairs Committee of the Brazilian Federal Senate, spoke about the stability Brazil gained under President Lula and the rebuilding of its ties with the international community. As he said, the country’s goal is to play an important role in the discussions taking place to address the critical issues of the time, such as climate change.
Thematic panel 6
“Climate crisis and sustainable development: How can the challenges in the just transition towards the green agenda be addressed?”
Haris Doukas, the mayor of Athens, noted that this green transition has not succeeded and has not succeeded because it has not managed to be inclusive, as there is a constant feeling that it concerns a few very large companies and some privileged ones and not society and citizens as a whole.
Former Bulgarian Minister of Environment and Water and researcher at the European Climate Foundation Julian Popov underlined that energy economics have changed and that the refusal of neutrality is extremely serious.
The Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for the European Green Deal Maroš Šefčovič in his video message highlighted the importance of the Prespa Agreement as an excellent example of what such cooperation can achieve and the need to advance North Macedonia’s accession.
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu in his intervention via video message stressed the need for cities to become greener in order to have a sustainable future, using Istanbul as an example and highlighting actions and initiatives he has taken to improve the quality of life of its residents. At the same time, he noted that cities do not shoulder the same burden in combating climate challenges due to unequal resources and levels of vulnerability.
David Livingston, adviser to Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, made extensive reference to the importance of climate diplomacy combined with the opportunities we have yet to seize as societies and the huge needs for drinkable, clean water and clean electricity. At the same time, he noted that we need to be proactive to address both the socio-political and economic consequences as well as the opportunities created by the transition.
The founder of Vienna Solutions and former deputy mayor of Vienna, Maria Vassilakou, spoke about Vienna’s actions that have made it the first city for its quality of life over the past 14 years, such as the social housing program, citizen participation, the creation of green spaces and resilience projects.
Manolis Plionis, director and chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Observatory, said that we are experiencing a huge increase in global temperature, which intensifies the phenomenon of climate migration and the effects of natural disasters that affect us. At the same time, the multifactoriality of the climate crisis creates the need for synergies and collaborations to address it.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources Geoffrey Pyatt referred to the Biden administration’s initiatives to achieve a just and secure energy transition and improve employability. He also acknowledged that if we want to achieve climate change goals, we must deal with all issues in parallel and effectively, for example by exploiting more alternative forms of energy such as wind, geothermal, solar energy that are abundant in the Western Balkans. At the same time, Mr. Pyatt commented on the steps Europe has taken to disengage from Russia’s energy and energy transition. In closing, he referred to the importance of the Prespa Agreement for the discussion on interconnection and cooperation, as well as Greece’s interconnectivity supported by the US.
The discussion was moderated by the Director of the Cyprus Center, Peace Research Institute Oslo, Haris Tzimitras.
Thematic panel 7
“Europe and the rise of far-right and nationalist forces – What policies can counter them?”
Martin Schulz, president of the Friedrich-Ebert Foundation and former president of the European Parliament, noted that the Prespa Agreement was a historic step that had no precedent in the region, but the EU did not keep its promises. Regarding the confrontation of the danger of the far right, he stressed the need to mobilize civil society, citing Poland as an example.
The General Secretary of the Central Committee of AKEL, Stefanos Stefanou, referred to the right-wing forces that condemn the far right but choose to cooperate with it and the situation in Europe with interparliamentary cooperation between the right and the extreme right. At the same time, he noted that the far right feeds on areas that are degraded and problems such as poverty, marginalization, degradation as well as feelings of insecurity, fear, frustration and anger. As Mr. Stefanou pointed out, as long as policies are implemented that widen inequalities, citizens become frustrated and turn to the far right, while he referred to the trend of politics becoming non-political with YouTubers and TikTokers winning elections.
The president of the European Left party, Walter Baier, referred to the Popular Front in France, stressing that an alternative to the far right with a strong social and economic agenda is the key to countering this rise. As a compass for progressive forces to fight the far right, he set three points: the moral and ethical question, the social context and the agenda of hope.
MEP and member of the Greens/European Free Alliance, Ska Keller, spoke about the importance of social policies as poverty encourages the far right, citing as an example Germany where the far right receives support from wealthy regions and wealthy voters. At the same time, he commented on the existence of anger and hatred that will be allayed by social policy, stressing, also, the need to develop a positive vision.
Magnús Skjöld, head of international affairs for the Social Democratic Alliance in the Icelandic Parliament, referred to the nationalism of the Nordic countries and the tendency of Scandinavians to consider their societies better than others. He also pointed out the link between economic inequalities and the rise of far-right and populist parties, while underlining the fact that people do not want parties that ignore or underestimate their fears.
The secretary-general of Italy’s Democratic Party, Elly Schlein, highlighted the situation in Italy, her party’s effort to increase its credibility and the fight to avoid cuts in welfare and the national health system. And Mrs. Schlein pointed to the relationship between fear and the rise of the far right and the rise of inequalities.
The president of the Académie Des Futurs Leaders, Alice Barbe, shared with the audience the situation in France just before the elections, while on the rise of the far right she said that it is not only a political issue but part of post-political Europe. As he said, in France the far-right have the resources, they have the media, they have visibility and space to develop their arguments.
The discussion was moderated by Elaine Papoulias, Director of Harvard University’s Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies (CES).
Thematic panel 8
“The future of Europe”
François Hollande, a former President of France, noted that the future of Europe also depends on the future of France, with the rise of the far right to power likely to block the European budget process, leading the Union to In closing, he wondered if democracy in Europe is resilient enough to withstand the shocks it has received from the constant crises and difficulties it has to face.
Stefan Löfven, former Prime Minister of Sweden, spoke about the challenges of our time such as economic inequality, climate change, the rise of populism and far-right parties, and the rise of armed conflicts in Europe and around the world, outlining Europe’s task to envision a future that is fair, equal, inclusive, democratic, secure and sustainable. At the same time, he spoke of the need for a social, economic equality and social justice, democratic and sustainable Europe, with the European project being the driving force behind the strengthening of international order and global multilateralism.
The Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Economy of Spain as well as President of Sumar, Yolanda Diaz, in her video message referred to the importance of the Prespa Agreement as she highlighted that we must always strive for the common good and the need for Europe in the future to be progressive through a broad multilateral alliance.
Finland’s Left Alliance leader Li Andresson made a reference to Finland’s election results and people’s need for a message of hope for the future as well as realistic political alternatives to the cynical policies of the far right.
The former Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Zoran Zaef, highlighted the threats to world peace today and our responsibility to defend European values and contribute to dialogue, cooperation, compromise and understanding of others. He pointed out that supporting Ukraine is a war of values and defeat will be the defeat of freedom and democracy, and that democratic societies today face increasing tendencies of extremist forces. At the same time, he recognized the aim of the conference to unite and contribute to building bridges and alliances between moderates and among democrats. He then asked the leaders to take initiatives to resolve issues and said he was proud of the achievement of the Prespa Agreement. At the same time, he spoke about the absence of defense mechanisms in the Western Balkans that will protect them from the influence of nationalist forces and the need to respect the Agreement with actions.
Former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras began his closing speech at the International Conference on Peace and Sustainable Development with a reference to the struggle to reach the Prespa Agreement in difficult times, defying the political cost and the importance of the Conference as a political event with an eye to today and tomorrow. He stressed the important proposals made at the Conference and the need for the EU to pursue active policies and not allow nationalism to flourish in a region such as the Western Balkans. He mentioned the central role of active bilateral and multilateral diplomacy in dispute resolution and the geostrategic role of the EU. At the same time, he referred to the Recovery and Resilience Fund and the Green Agenda. He noted that the outcome of the European elections is a wake-up call, with anti-politics and the far right strengthening and fragmented progressive forces weakening, while acknowledging fear as an ally of conservatism and far-right populism.
Alexis Tsipras pointed out that progressive forces must make their ideological, political and value differences from the right felt, put their existing differences on the back burner and work together by creating a single group. He noted that we need a progressive force that will awaken a European leadership that will play a leading role in the European framework and will fight for the improvement of conditions and the fight against Europe’s problems.
In closing, he said that in Greece initiatives must be taken in the face of today’s grim reality and the devaluation of politics, the rule of law, accountability, parliamentary control and institutional safeguards must be strengthened in order to restore democratic balance. He also called for progressive forces to learn addition and multiplication and leave subtraction and division. To put forward the “we” and leave aside the “I”, giving more space to the “together”.
The discussion was moderated by journalist Dora Anagnostopoulou.
ENGLISH AGENDA __ Conference for Peace and Sustainable Growth_.docx