What role is Russia going to play in the Baltic Sea basin and how is the economic cooperation between the North and the East going to develop – these issues are to dominate Baltic Business Forum 2013 (BBF). A particular opportunity for that is presented by the current presidency of the Russian Federation in the Council of the Baltic Sea States. ‘Together with our partners from Europe and Asia, we will try to answer the question of the Russian strategy in the Baltic Sea region, prospects for the Baltic economic cooperation and building trust for partners, also in the context of the Nord Stream pipeline being under construction,’ says Jacek Piechota, the former Polish minister of economy and chairman of the Europe-North-East Association, the co-organizer of the Forum. The opening address of the Baltic Business Forum is to be delivered by the president Aleksander Kwaśniewski, the chairman of the BBF Strategy Council, who for years has actively endorsed the development of relations between the European Union and countries of the East.
Świnoujście, as it was every year, is expected to receive the current and former leaders, ministers, self-government officials, heads of numerous government agencies, and – most of all - businessmen. ‘We are open to the Baltic Sea countries, but also to those participating in the Eastern Partnership program,’ explains Jacek Piechota. The guest are to consider the impact of the climate policy on the economies of Northern and Eastern countries, effective models of public-private partnership or means of creating transnational transport systems. Independent sessions and panels are devoted to e.g. agriculture, power industry, self-government authorities, the media and innovation. The agenda also includes a discussion on investment opportunities in Ukraine and Belarus.
The Baltic Business Forum, held since 2009, is a forum of businessmen and politicians from the European Union and the East. The conference is organized by the Europe-North-East Association, the Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency, the Marshal of the West Pomeranian Province and the Mayor of the City of Świnoujście.
The detailed agenda of the forum is available at www.bbf2013.pl.
