Morning session

As the first day of the conference concluded, let’s recap the major topics covered.

After the words of welcome by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavský and the IIR and EUROPEUM Institute as organisers, Vice President of the European Commission Věra Jourová took the floor warning, “New challenges are emerging as those who want to threaten democracy are constantly looking for new tools to destroy it.“ The first panel then addressed whether Ukraine can rely on firm support from its European allies and how the recent European Parliament elections might influence the EU’s stance. “The Slovak society has voted the way it did, but it’s still the same society that provided homes for Ukrainians when the war developed years ago,” stated Jana Kobzová.

Our esteemed guest, H. E. Zuzana Čaputová, President of Slovakia, later accepted the Vision for Europe award with a moving speech on the threats to democracy. 

„There is a weakening of the democratic centre and a rise of extremist forces. The results of the EP elections are a warning for us. It only takes one election cycle for democratic forces to crumble in Europe.“ In his keynote speech, Minister Lipavsky stressed the importance of addressing Russian aggression, saying, “The Russian aggression against Europe is escalating, and it is up to us to come up with a compromise that will bring on board as many interested groups as possible, which is the essence of European democratic politics.” 

The morning programme then concluded with a panel debating on the need for the EU to develop a clear and proactive strategy towards Russia despite internal divisions.

Afternoon session

In the afternoon session of the conference, Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Síkela spoke on a panel on the future of world trade. “We need to build a strong position in advanced technologies focused on processes that are now affecting our economy, such as decarbonisation, digitalisation or the emergence of artificial intelligence. That is why we believe in the need for technology neutrality to support all low-carbon technologies, including nuclear,” he said.

Following that was the string of four panel discussions, the conference continued by a debate on energy security and climate ambitions and later one about the European economy and its competitiveness. One of the panellists, Philipp Lausberg, warned,  “We can regulate as much as we want, but with the USA and China pouring millions into strategic sectors, we cannot compete. That does not mean less regulation, it means to keep the essence but make it clearer and get rid of duplications and uncertainties.”

The last panel discussed the future rebuilding of Ukraine, with Alina Boiko emphasizing that “Recovery is not necessary only about business and infrastructure but also about people and society. It is important to rebuild a strong civil society, which will produce civic initiatives. We are building a public ecosystem, which aims to be more transparent, more efficient, and more digital.”

The summit continues today with many more gripping discussions and panels.

Check the best captured moments from Day One here.