09.00 – 10.00

Registration

10.00 – 10.40  

Opening session

Moderator: Juliana Nikolova, Adviser to the Political Cabinet of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria

Official addresses from:

Dr. Miroslav Naydenov, Minister of Agriculture and Food

European Commission representative:
Mihail DUMITRU, Director, Directorate E “RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES I”, Directorate-General “Agriculture and Rural Development”.

Violeta Stanicic, European Parliament Information Office for Bulgaria

Video address by Mariya Nedelcheva, Member of the EP

Toomas Kukk, Ambassador of Estonia to the Republic Bulgaria

10.40 – 11.30           

Expert panel: The Bulgarian, Estonian, Portuguese and Maltese agriculture under the CAP

Moderator: Snezhana Blagoeva, MAF

Desislava Karchanova, Ministry of agriculture and food, Bulgaria
“The Common Agricultural Policy of the EU and its implementation in Bulgaria”

Jaanus Heinsar, Ministry of Agriculture, Estonia
“Estonian agriculture under the CAP”

Maria Joao Aguas, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, Portugal

Kriss Debono, Ministry of Resources and Rural Affairs, Malta

11.30 – 11.45

Coffee break

11.45 – 12.45 

Branch organizations panel: Maintaining the production capacity of communities: the local experience

Moderator: Professor Dimitar Grekov, PhD, rector of Agrarian University, Plovdiv

Angel Vukodinov, Natalia Todorova, National Grain Producers Association, Bulgaria
“CAP 2014 - 2020 – discriminatory or fair”

Paulo Aguas, Union of Portuguese Farmers, Portugal
“The impact of the CAP in Portugal”

Leho Verk, Estonian Farmers Federation, Estonia
„Pillar II – vital support for Estonian rural communities“

Joseph German, National Farmers Union, Malta,
“Maltese Farmers’ view on the CAP”

13.00 – 14.30 

Lunch: tasting of traditional agricultural products from Bulgaria, Estonia, Portugal and Malta

Parallel sessions:

14.30 – 15.30 

CSO and NGO panel: What do (urban) citizens expect from CAP?

Moderator: Magardich Hulian, European Institute

Ivaylo Todorov, Association of Agricultural Producers, Bulgaria
„Implementation of CAP and development of the farms”

Margus Vain, Kodukant Village Movement, Estonia
“The Estonian village movement Kodukant – How we support life in the Estonian villages?”

Luis Chaves, Mihna Terra, National LEADER Network, Portugal
“The leader experience in Portugal”

Dr. Philip Von Brockdorff, GAL XLOKK foundation, Malta
„GAL XLOKK … working closely with the region’s local communities”

14.30 – 15.30

(“Rila” Hall)

Investment in the future: “My idea of life in rural areas”

Moderator: Tihomira Trifonova, Strategma Agency

Ahmed Pingov, Higher School of Agribusiness and Regional Development, Plovdiv

Zlatka Radeva, Professional School of Agricultural Technology, Zlatitsa

Iva Yurukova, Professional School of Agricultural Technology, Zlatitsa

15.30 – 16.00

Coffe break

16.00 – 17.00

Plenary session: Quality, diversity, health – the European agricultural policy and production

Moderator: Petya Stavreva, United Agrarians Political Party

Dilyana Slavova, Association of Dairy Processors, Bulgaria,
“CAP Towards 2020”

Ann Riisenberg, Central Union of Estonian Farmers, Estonia
„Sustainable rural communities stem from the knowledge and responsibility of the farmers“

Francis Galea, Kooperativi Malta
“Sustainable Agriculture and Agro-Tourism on the Island of Malta”

17.30

National wine testing

19.00

Dinner

09.00 – 10.00

LAG panel: „The future of rural society”

Moderator: Marina Brakalova, FORA Foundation

Luchko Makedonski, LAG Panagyurishte, Strelcha, Lesichevo, Bulgaria
“The local development strategy and the opportunities for diversification of rural life on the territory of LAG Panagyurishte, Strelcha, Lesichevo”

Cláudia Bandeiras, LAG ADREPES - Associação para o Desenvolvimento Rural da Península de Setúbal, Portugal
“LEADER at Península de Setúbal: good practice in Portugal”

Tiina Sergio, LAG Ida-Harju Koostöökoda, Estonia,
“Controversial challenges of periurban areas.”

Marisa Marmara, LAG Majjistral, Malta
“Challenges for the Maltese rural community – the work of a new LAG to help its rural society”

10.00 – 10.20

Coffee break

10.20 – 11.20

“Organic Farming, the CAP and small member states”

Moderator: Ass. Prof. Dilyana Mitova, PhD, Institute of Agricultural Economics

Tencho Hristov, Bioselena, Bulgaria
“Three Years of Compensatory Payments for organic agriculture under CAP in Bulgaria” what follows after the initial outburst of production?”

Jaime Ferreira, Portuguese Association of Biological Agriculture, Portugal
“Organic Agriculture in Portugal: Producing and consuming locally”

Sirje Kuusik, NGO Network Genuine Experiences in Lahemaa, Estonia
“NGO Network Genuine Experiences in Lahemaa in developing sustainable nature tourism services, including local food.”

John Portelli, MOAM, Malta
“Organic Farming, the CAP and small member states”

11.20 – 12.20

Concluding discussion session

12.30

Lunch