Skopje - May 26th

 

Enough is enough - consolidation of public budgets a priority

The disastrous consequences of pushing public debt too far!

 

Press Conference:	14:00 - 15:00
Registration:	9:30 - 10:00

 

Venue:                         Holiday Inn

Panel 1:	Values worth fighting for
Time:	10:00 - 11:30

This year we want to focus on the role of the state: what do we expect from the state? What preconditions need to be fulfilled? Accountability of the state? What if Greece goes bankrupt? Morals and markets; trust in markets and confidence as factors responsible for economic growth? Social responsibility – economics is not enough.

           

Welcome & Introduction:	H.E. Alois Kraut, Austrian Ambassador (tbc)
	Marijan Bojadziev, Provost, University American College
	Biljana Janeva, Executive Director, OHRID Institut
Chair:	Barbara Kolm, Hayek Institut
Keynote:	Richard Rahn, Institute for Global Economic Growth, CATO
Podium:	Vladimir Peshevski, Vice-Prime Minister of Economic Affairs of the Republic of Macedonia
	Marjan Gjorcev, Pan European Union of Macedonia
	Gjorgji Vojnovic, OHRID Institute
	Matt Kibbe, President of Freedom Works

                       

           

                       

Panel 2:	How to finance the state?
Time:	11:30 - 12:30

 

How does the state finance its debts? Where is there room for reform? Government issued bonds are no longer viewed as being without risk. Is there too much borrowing? Will the market for government bonds and other debt instruments become over-saturated with the continual new issues? Who will buy these securities at that point? Will governments be able to pay off this debt, and will people believe that they can? What are the most effective ways of reforming or controlling the level of public debt?

Chair:	Tome Nenovski, Ohrid Institute and University American College
Keynote:	Zoran Stavreski, Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Podium:	Prinz Michael von Liechtenstein, Industrie und Finanzkontor Liechtenstein
	Antoni Peshev, Ultra Computing/Unet Group
	Lidija Nanus, Economic Chambers of  Macedonia

                       

 

Break:                          12:30 - 12:45 (Coffee/Snacks and Networking)

Panel 3:	Solutions and best-practices
Time:	12:45 - 13:45

 

Solutions to the need of financing “public” tasks. Technical questions and successful reform solutions. Does the problem lie mainly in the methods of spending or the methods of revenue collection? How can a government balance their budgets, thereby reducing debt levels? Is the current financial crisis an excuse for deficit spending? What are some possible reforms to the tax system, such as a flat tax? What targets of spending can be reformed, such as pension programs or health care? Discussion on several possible reform solutions.

Chair:	Nikica Mojsoski, University American College
Keynote:	Prinz Michael von Liechtenstein, Industrie und Finanzkontor Liechtenstein
Podium:	David Pistrui, Austrian Economics Center Vienna, Illinois Institute of Technology
	Matt Kibbe, Freedom Works
	Kelsey Zahourek, Property Rights Alliance
	Dan Mitchell, CATO Institute
	Aleksandra Nakeva -Ruzin, Executive Director of Euro link Insurance AD Skopje

                       

 

Closing

Remarks:                     13:45 - 14:00    (followed by drinks)