Agenda for the 2008 Spring Conference of the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia

"Competitiveness of the South Eastern European Countries and Challenges on the Road to EU"

Skopje, Holiday Inn (Hall Millennium 1), 30 May 2008

08:30               Registration

09:00               Opening  remarks - Petar Goshev, MSc., Governor of the NBRM         (PDF)

09:30               Coffee break

10:00               Session 1: The Path towards EU and the Single Currency

-         Growth and Economic Policy: Are There Speed Limits to Real Convergence? - István P. Székely - Research Director, DG Economic and Financial Affairs,  European Commission

      PPS

-         ECB's Monetary Policy Strategy and the Euro Area Enlargement - Massimo Rostagno, Head of Monetary Policy Strategy Division, European Central Bank

      PPS

-          Regional Overview: Competitiveness in SEE and Prospects in the Catching Up Process - Peter Mooslechner, Director, Economic Analysis and Research Section, Oesterreichische Nationalbank

      PPS

11:30               Coffee break

12:00               Session 2: Competitiveness and Experiences of the Old and New

Member States

-         The Road to the Euro: The Greek Experience - Christos Papazoglou, Head of Balance of Payments Analysis Section, Bank of Greece

      PPS

-         The Czech Republic on its Way towards Euro - Petr Král - Director of Monetary Policy and Fiscal Analyses Division, Monetary and Statistics Department, Czech National Bank

      PPS

 -         Competitiveness of Bulgaria's Economy and the Challenges of Real and Nominal Convergence - Grigor Stoevsky - Expert Economic Research and Forecasting Directorate, Bulgarian National Bank

      PPS

13:30               Lunch  

15:00               Session 3: Challenges for SEE Countries

-         Real Exchange Rate Dynamics in Macedonia: Old Wisdoms and New Insights - Sultanija Bojceva Terzijan, MSc., Head of the Economic Modelling Division, Research Department, National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia

      PPS

 -         Some Elements of the Competitiveness of the Serbian Economy - Milan Šojić, Deputy-General Manager, Research Department, National Bank of Serbia

      PPS

-          Competitiveness of the Albanian Economy with a View to Eventual EU Accession: Current Situation and Challenges Ahead - Niuton Mulleti - Head of Foreign Relations and European Integration Division, Department of Foreign Relations, European Integration and Communication, Bank of Albania

      PPS

16:30               General discussion

17:00               Concluding remarks