Dr. Bojan Pretnar was appointed as the very first director of the newly established Slovenian Intellectual Property Office in 1991, which he had to set it up “from scratch”, along with preparation of completely new industrial property (IP) law. Due to some original solutions, this law attracted significant international attention and compliments. In 1992, he was initiator and co-author of the very first “extension agreement” concluded in 1993 between Slovenia and European Patent Organization, and which has later served as a model for concluding it with a number of other countries.
During Slovenia’s accession negotiations to EU, he was in charge of IP-related topics. He also represented Slovenia at WIPO and at WTO Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights from 1994 until March 2000, when he accepted invitation of Director General of WIPO for employment as a senior official. He remained with WIPO until retirement in 2010. Since then, he was occasionally personally engaged as an IP expert/consultant in several countries in Europe and elsewhere.
He is author of three books and numerous articles published in recognized IP-related journals; since 2004 he is one of founding members of Alumni Association of Max Planck for Innovation and Competition in Munich.
Darko Tanasković is a Serbian university professor of Oriental studies, writer, translator, academic and diplomat. Tanasković was the Ambassador of Serbia to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Vatican City, Sovereign Military Order of Malta and UNESCO. He authored over 600 scientific works and articles.
Selected works:
Pusto tursko (2021)
Autonomija mišljenja: novi razgovori sa Darkom Tanaskovićem (2016)
Veliki povratak Turske?: Neoosmanizam ili Islamizam (2015)
Belezi vremena (2014)
Golub koji nije postao ptica (2012)
Neoosmanizam – povratak Turske na Balkan: doktrina i spoljnopolitička praksa (2010; 2011)
Islam: dogma i život (2008)
Gramatika arapskog jezika (co-authored with A. Mitrović, 2005)
Jugoistok Srbije: Kontinuitet krize i mogući ishodi (s grupom autora, 2001)
Tanasković, Darko (2000). Islam i mi (1. – 4. ed.). Beograd: Partenon.
Autonomija mišljenja (2000)
Na Istoku Zapada (2000)
Tursko-srpski rečnik (co-author with S. Đinđić i M. Teodosijević, 1997)
U dijalogu s islamom (1992)
Kontrastivna analiza arapskog i srpskohrvatskog jezika (1982)
Arapski jezik u savremenom Tunisu (1982)
Sufizam (co-authoed with I. Šop)
Arapska poezija (1977)
Dr. Steven E. Meyer received Bachelor’s degrees in political science and mathematics from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, a Master’s degree in political science from Fordham University in New York City and a PhD in political science from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
He also has done specialized work in political science at the Universities of Glasgow, Scotland and Amsterdam, The Netherlands. He worked for many years for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) as an analyst and manager where his primary responsibility was studying and analyzing Russian and Central and Eastern Europe issues.
In that capacity, Dr. Meyer served as a Deputy Chief of the Interagency Balkan Task Force during the Balkan Wars of the 1990s. From 1998 to 2012, he taught national security, American foreign policy and Russian and European politics at the National Defense University (NDU). Subsequent to his NDU tenure, he taught national security, intelligence courses and Balkan issues at a small graduate school in Washington D.C. Later, he served as the Dean of the school for five years.
Dr. Meyer continues to have a working interest in the Balkans. Consequently, he travels to the region frequently, meets with officials at all levels, provides television and newspaper interviews, writes regularly for newspapers in Serbia and Bosnia and is involved in several projects related to the Balkans, the most important of which currently is as a member of an Independent, International Commission concerning war crimes in the Srebrenica region in July 1995. The work of that Commission has morphed into an ongoing program to brief our findings to audiences around the world and to provide our services for reconciliation projects in cities and countries that need such services.
Kamen Kirilov is Sofia University Doctor of Philosophy in Public Communications and Information Sciences and a certified public mediator by the University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria.
He is an experienced consultant in communications and public opinion management and a university lecturer.
In his career in the field of communications more than 30 years , Dr. Kirilov has conducted over 200 successful campaigns, written the scripts of over 50 video ads, etc.
He was awarded the PR prize Best campaign of private company in public benefit 2011.
Velimir has been teaching in the field of IT for over twenty years. He focuses in research and the practical use of IT in education, and finds innovative ways to advance his teaching skills.
Velimir is a doctor of economic sciences and a magister of management sciences, and holds a diploma in electrical engineering. He has accumulated a wealth of experience in education, first as an assistant in the field of information systems at BK University’s Faculty of Management, and later as a professor of IT fundamentals, management information systems and information systems in banking at BK University’s Faculty of Trade and Banking.
He has also worked as an ECDL testing center coordinator, information systems teacher at the English School of Business CAMBRIDGE University Affiliation and as Distance Learning Laboratory coordinator at BK university’s Faculty of Trade and Banking.
He is the author of several textbooks and a number of scientific and professional papers, projects and software solutions.
At the Faculty of Contemporary Arts, he teaches Informatics in Business Decision Making.
Research skills and experience:
Medical and Healthcare Informatics and Statistics, On-line learning, e-learning, pedagogy and learning, Management Information Systems, Information technology in learning, Education research.
Statistical methods in medicine and education (Post-stroke depression, Visual evoked potentials, Migraine, Social and economical effects of migraine, Various aspects of pediatric pathology, Diabetes, Polyneuropathies, ALS, ALS survival time, RLS, Neurological conditions, survival analysis, healthcare quality, job satisfaction in hospitals, internet abuse, effects of prolonged use of IT on health, medical education, DL in medicine), epidemiology and education research, scientific method and methodology practice, SPSS statistics, Excel for statistics, R, Python, Instructional design and e-learning system design (DLS systems, courseware, education programs design), very good writing and presentation skills. Scientific methodology and research design
East West Bridge Co-Founder and President, member of the Executive Committee of the Trilateral Commission and Chairman of the Serbian National Group of the Trilateral Commission. Jovan hosted the 38th European Session of the Trilateral Commission in Belgrade in 2014. Member of the Board of Governors, Atlantic Council, Serbia.
Former international reporter, a communications expert and policy advisor. Jovan was born in Belgrade in 1953 and educated in British, Serbian and US schools, MA in communications and media management. He worked for decades worldwide as a war correspondent for CNN, ABC, NPR, BBC and other major media. He ended his award-winning reporting career as a Reuter’s correspondent for ex-Yugoslavia covering the wars from Slovenia in 1991 to Kosovo in 1998. He joined the Office of the High Representative to Bosnia in 1998, as a political advisor in charge of reconstruction and negotiating the safe return of thousands of refugees and DPs. He also played an active role in the pro-democracy movement in Serbia.
Jovan was seconded to OSCE in 2001 in Belgrade as a Media Advisor, to streamline and develop major media outlets. He created and implemented a strategy for transforming the state TV, RTS, into a mainstream PBS.
Jovan is the CEO of GCA Global Communications Associates Ltd, which is helping regional governments, companies and political entities establish better working relationships with Euro-Atlantic structures and vice-versa. GCA, now with offices around the globe, is an affiliated partner to several relevant top world PR/PA companies. He is also the CEO of Henderson Asset Protection, the Serbian branch of Henderson Risk Ltd of UK.
In May 2010, on behalf of EWB, Jovan attended the Plenary Session of the Trilateral Commission in Dublin. It was the first such prestigious invitation by the Commission to an individual or organization from Serbia. He then attended all consecutive TC sessions and was tasked by the TC Executive Committee in 2012 to set up a Serbian National Group by 2013. This done, the National Group was inaugurated at the Berlin TC Plenary Session in March, 2013. Jovan is also a member of several global foundations and think-tanks and lectures worldwide. In testimony that journalism is simply too hard to leave, Jovan returned to writing for New Europe as a Senior Editor for political affairs in the Fall of 2019.
Born 1972, Yugoslavia, Republic of Serbia, currently living in Belgrade.
Faculty of Law, M.A. in Criminal Law, PhD Criminal and International Public Law
Full Professor at University Union- Nikola Tesla in Belgrade, Republic of Serbia
Full Professor at ECPD, University for Peace, established by the UN, Belgrade, Serbia
Member of Scientific board of the European Research Institute for Strategic Studies – ERISS
Author of 68 articles in the field of International Public Law, Criminal Law and Diplomacy
Author of the following books:
– WAR CRIMES AGAINST CIVILIAN POPULATION PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 142 OF THE CRIMINAL CODE OF FRY, EXCELSIOR, Belgrade 1999,
– CRIMINAL LAW PROTECTION OF PRISONERS OF WAR IN YUGOSLAV CRIMINAL LAW, Belgrade 2005,
– WAR CRIMES AGAINST PRISONERS OF WAR, CASE LAW, Belgrade 2005,
– WAR CRIMES OF GERMAN OCCUPIERS IN YUGOSLAVIA 1941-1945- JUDGEMENTS OF YUGOSLAV MILITARY COURTS, Belgrade 2010,
– STATUS OF WOUNDED AND SICK IN INTERNATIONAL AND CRIMINAL LAW, Belgrade, 2012,
– WAR CRIMES AGAINST WOUNDED, SICK AND CIVILIAN POPULATION, THEORY AND PRACTICE, Belgrade, 2012,
– CONSULAR RELATIONS AND CONSULAR LAW, (Co-author with Djordje N. Lopicic), Belgrade,
– ALBERT WEISS (1905-1964) LIFE AND WORK, Belgrade 2014,
– INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC LAW AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, BIBLIOGRAPHY 1834-2016, (Co-author with Prof. Djordje N. Lopicic), Belgrade 2017,
– DIPLOMACY, (Co-author with Prof. Djordje N. Lopicic), Belgrade 2021.
Mr. Nikolai Mihailov is Full Professor of social communications and information sciences at the St. Kliment Ohridski Sofia University – Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication: Department of Communication, PR and Advertisement. He obtained his PhD degree in Philosophy from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in 1992.
He is the head of the Department of Communication, PR and Advertisement (since 2018) and Vice-Dean in Education (since 2018) at the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication. He has also served as a President of the General Assembly of Scientists of the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (2014- 2016). He is a member of the executive board of the Philosophy Section at the Union of Scientists in Bulgaria (since 2017). Prof. Mihailov is extensively lecturing.
He has been extensively published as well. He is the author of four books and of a great number of scientific articles on philosophy, communications, and media ethics. Prof. Mihailov serves as a member of the editorial board of four scientific journals and participates in a number of national and international research projects. Currently he is supervising 6 doctoral students.
His current research interests include philosophical, professional and applied ethics, as well as various aspects of publicity and communication.
Vice-President of The National Liberal Part (EPP & CDI affiliations)
Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Foreign Policy
Dr. Ben-Oni is presently Vice-President of The National Liberal Party (a conservative party of Romania, affiliated to European’s People Party at EU level and Christian Democrats International – World-wide political affiliation), Member of Romanian Parliament and Deputy Chair of the Foreign Commission. He served for four years as Senator of Romania (2012-2016), then twice elected for four years term as a Member of the Chamber of Deputies in (2016-2020 & 2020-2024). While a Senator, he was elected as Secretary of the Senate of Romania, and also Secretary of Senate’s Foreign Policy Commission. Meanwhile he also served as Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the South East European Cooperation Process. After 2016 election, Dr. Ardelean was twice elected as Vice President of House of Deputies (2017-2018). His present roles include Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Member of the Romanian Parliamentary Delegation to NATO.
Dr. Ben-Oni live in Timișoara, the well-known city where the anticommunist Revolution started in Romania bringing freedom and democracy in this eastern-European country in 1989, and he represents the western-Romanian region of Timiș in the Romanian Parliament. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from SNSPA – Bucharest and a Ph.D. in Theology from the University of Bucharest, after having completed doctoral research in Oxford University, UK, and Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, California. Right after the Revolution against the dictatorial regime of 1989, he was became active in coordinating numerous charitable and humanitarian projects, providing supplies and care for schools, hospitals, fire-stations, camps, remote areas population, etc., in cooperation with North American and Western European’s short mission teams and NGOs, operating in Eastern Europe. He was soon recognized as a leading figure for human rights and freedom, organizing and speaking in conferences, televised debates and talk shows, promoting a new leadership model among conservatives for post-Communist countries. He is the author of several books and numerous academic articles. Dr. Ben, as he is nicknamed by friends, is highly preoccupied by supporting those in need, helping others to help themselves, motivating people to live a life of purpose, love and compassion.
Born 1966, Yugoslavia, Currently living in Ljubljana and Belgrade
Faculty of Law, M.A. in Criminal Law, PhD in Political Sciences (Diplomacy and Terrorism)
Associate Professor at ECPD, University for Peace, established by UN, Belgrade Serbia
Visiting Professor at Alma Mater Europae University, Maribor, Slovenia
Guest Professor at USAMVB, Timisoara, Romania
Author of Security and Terrorism postgraduate Studies Program at ECPD
Co-author ( together with Prof. Dr. Peter Raspor) of Bio Terrorism and Food Safety postgraduate Studies at USAMVB
Head of the IBSSA Education and Qualification Department
Member of Scientific board of the European Research Institute for Strategic Studies – ERISS
Author of many articles in the field of Security, Terrorism, Criminal Law, Diplomacy, Political Analysis,..
Author of the books “Global Terrorism”, 2006 and “Diplomacy in the fight against Terrorism”, 2018
Andrej Plahutnik is a former director of the Competition Protection Office, who accepted the challenge of establishing and managing of this institution after a successful career in companies competing on international markets.
In addition to managing the competition authority and establishing a system of state aid control and introducing a system of trade protection measures, especially anti-dumping, he also actively participated in the negotiations of the Republic of Slovenia for accession to the European Union.
Under the programs, primarily managed by the European Union and the OECD, Andrej Plahutnik advises governments of different countries in their pre-accession negotiations for accession to the European Union, especially in the field of competition law and policy.
As a Team Leader or Senior Expert in long term technical assistance projects he cooperates with distinguished companies like GIZ, IRZ, Eurecna, DAI Human Dynamics etc.
He is also co-author of the books on competition, state aids and other legal-economic issues, published in Slovenia, Serbia, Germany and the United States. He has been a chair or panelist at distinguished international conferences organized by the EU, OECD, ICN and UNCTAD.
