Photos and presentations from SITE 2024 Development Day Conference

Summary

On June 22, 2022, Ukraine and Moldova were granted European Union (EU) candidate status, followed by Georgia on December 14, 2023. There is still a long and uncertain process ahead, and in the worst-case scenario the process may be derailed by internal or external forces. At the 2024 SITE Development Day conference, on December 4, high-level guests and invited experts discussed how political events are unfolding in the candidate countries as well as the state of the necessary reform process to align to EU requirements. Through presentations and panels many additional questions were discussed, including how Sweden and EU can support the countries in their effort, the benefits that EU can gain from accepting these countries into the union, and what internal reforms are needed within EU countries to accommodate the new member states.

Photos of Anders Olofsgård. Photo: Davis Plotnieks

Anders Olofsgård, Deputy Director of the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics (SITE), inaugurates the annual SITE Development Day Conference by welcoming participants and attendees.

Photo of Cristina Gherasimov. Photo: Davis Plotnieks

Cristina Gherasimov, Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration of Moldova.

Photo of Yevhen Perebyinis. Photo: Davis Plotnieks

Yevhen Perebyinis, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

Panel 1: The State of The Reform Process And How Sweden And Eu Can Be Supportive

In focus: Tamar Sulukhia. Photo: Davis Plotnieks

Tamar Sulukhia, Director of ISET and ISET Policy Institute, Georgia.

In focus: Katarina Areskoug. Photo: Davis Plotnieks

Katarina Areskoug, the High Level Advisory Group of the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) on Ukraine’s accession to the EU.

In focus: Liliana Gutan. Photo: Davis Plotnieks

Liliana Gutan, Moldova’s Ambassador to the Nordic Countries.

In focus: Michal Myck. Photo: Davis Plotnieks

Michal Myck, Director of CenEA, Poland.

In focus: Fredrik Sjögen. Photo: Davis Plotnieks

Fredrik Sjögren, Director EU affairs, The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise.

Swedish Government Perspective

Photos of Christian Danielsson. Photo: Davis Plotnieks

Christian Danielsson, State Secretary to the Swedish Minister for EU Affairs.

Panel 2: What Are The Necessary EU Reforms And Benefits To EU From Enlargement

From left: Stas Madan & Fredrik Löjdquist. Photo: Davis Plotnieks

Stas Madan, Program Director, Expert Group, Moldova, & Fredrik Löjdquist, Director of the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies.

In focus: Dumitru Țîra. Photo: Davis Plotnieks

Dumitru Țîra, CEO & Founder of Realitatea Media Group.

In focus: Tinatin Akhvlediani. Photo: Davis Plotnieks

Tinatin Akhvlediani, Research Fellow in the EU Foreign Policy Unit at CEPS.

In focus: Oleg Nivievskyi. Photo: Davis Plotnieks

Oleg Nivievskyi, Professor, Kyiv School of Economics and Freie Universität Berlin.

Photo of Torbjörn Becker. Photo: Davis Plotnieks

Torbjörn Becker, Director of SITE.

Photo of Tymofiy Mylovanov. Photo: Davis Plotnieks

Tymofiy Mylovanov, President of Kyiv School of Economics.