SEEDIG 9 —
SEE Potential:
Digital Turning Points & Responsible Governance
25-26 November 2024
Mona Plaza Hotel
Belgrade, Serbia
About SEEDIG 9
The SEEDIG Annual Meeting is the flagship event of the South Eastern European Dialogue on Internet Governance (SEEDIG), uniting regional stakeholders to address critical digital policy and internet governance issues. With the overarching theme SEE Potential: Digital Turning Points and Responsible Governance, SEEDIG 9 highlights South Eastern Europe’s role in fostering inclusive and accountable digital policies. Scheduled for 25-26 November 2024 in Belgrade, Serbia, and online, the event will offer dynamic sessions, expert panels, and valuable networking opportunities aimed at shaping the region’s digital future.
SEEDIG 9 serves as a collaborative platform for policymakers, civil society, technical community, private sector, and academia to tackle regional digital challenges and promote inclusive growth.
In Focus
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November
Time
November 25, 2024 9:00 am – November 26, 2024 5:30 pm(GMT+01:00)
Schedule
- Day 1
- Day 2
- November 25, 2024
- 9:00am Registration & Welcome Coffee9:00am- 10:00am
- 10:00am Opening Remarks10:00am- 10:30am
- Olga Kyryliuk | Chair of SEEDIG Executive Committee
- Matilde Mordt | UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia
- Jan Braathu | Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia (TBC)
- Brankica Janković | Commissioner for Protection of Equality of the Republic of Serbia
- Anja Gengo | Associate Programme Expert and NRI Focal Point | UN IGF Secretariat
- Marija Bulat | Head of Serbia Branch Office| Regional Youth Cooperation Organization
- 10:30am Panel Discussion | Council of Europe Digital Agenda in Action10:30am- 11:30amSpeakers: Cesare Pitea, Daniel Cuciurianu, Nevena Ruzic, Octavian Șofransky, Svetlana Rakic
Session Host: Council of Europe
Council of Europe Digital Agenda is focused on developing universal legal standards for internet and digital governance, also providing capacity building programmes in South-East European countries. The panel discussion will showcase the current priorities from the global, European, and SEE perspectives. Speakers will cover action on cybercrime, AI and anti-discrimination, data protection, the latest online safety policies and the Metaverse. The audience will learn firsthand from practitioners on current actions, challenges and opportunities and will be able to interact with speakers in a Q&A session.
- 11:30am Keynote Speech | Global Digital Compact and SEE Region11:30am- 12:00pmSpeakers: Isabel de Sola
- 12:00pm Coffee Break12:00pm- 12:15pm
- 12:15pm Workshop | Automating Transparency: A New Era for FOIA Requests12:15pm- 1:00pmSpeakers: Florin Badita
Session Host: Corruption Kills
The process of accessing public records through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is often seen as cumbersome and slow, hindering the pursuit of transparency and accountability. In this talk, Florin Badita, hacker and activist, founder of “Corruption Kills,” and organizer of the biggest protest in Romanian history, will introduce a transformative tool that automates 80 percent of the FOIA process. This session will detail the development and functionality of the tool, illustrate its impact through case studies, and discuss its potential to revolutionize public data accessibility. Participants will gain insights into harnessing technology for effective advocacy and government oversight – and how we can transform the FOIA process into an API.
- 1:00pm Lunch Break1:00pm- 2:00pm
- 2:00pm Lightning Talk | Key Insights from the IDN World Report 20242:00pm- 2:30pmSpeakers: Regina Filipová Fuchsová
Session Host: EURid
This session will explore the pivotal findings from the IDN World Report 2024, offering an overview of the global landscape for Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs), with an emphasis on country code top-level domains (ccTLDs). Attendees will also gain insights from selected case studies that highlight diverse experiences of ccTLDs in implementing IDNs.
- 2:30pm Fireside Chat | What is CODI?2:30pm- 3:00pmSpeakers: Christian Dawson, Dušan Stojičević, Ram Mohan
What is the Coalition for Digital Inclusion (CODI), and why is it essential? What are its goals, and who are its members? This session will answer these questions and more, highlighting why our focus should extend far beyond Universal Acceptance and IDN domains.
- 3:00pm Panel Discussion | IPv6 Uptake in SEE Region: Challenges and Opportunities3:00pm- 4:00pmSpeakers: Alena Muravska, Desiree Miloševič, Jan Žorž, Jaromir Novak, Vasja Križmančič
Session Host: RIPE NCC
The session will focus on IPv6 uptake in the SEE region. First it will set up the scene with background information on IPv6 and the situation in the SEE region, followed by a panel discussion among top experts and practitioners in the region.
- 4:00pm Coffee Break4:00pm- 4:15pm
- 4:15pm Panel Discussion | A Deep Dive into Internet Freedom: Lessons from Freedom on the Net 20244:15pm- 5:00pmSpeakers: Grant Baker, Mila Bajic, Olga Kyryliuk, Samvel Martirosyan, Teona Turashvili
Session Host: Freedom House
The 2024 edition of Freedom on the Net found that internet freedom declined for a 14th consecutive year as censorship and content manipulation were combined to sway elections, undermining voters’ ability to make informed decisions, fully participate in the electoral process, and have their voices heard. During this interactive session, the authors of the Armenia, Georgia, Serbia, and Ukraine Freedom on the Net country reports will review global findings and recent digital rights developments in their respective countries, diving into the varied internet freedom landscapes across the region. They will also discuss how to protect election integrity in the digital age and share how findings can be leveraged for advocacy at the national and regional levels.
- 7:00pm SEEDIG 9 After Hours: Networking & DJ Beats7:00pm- 12:00am
Venue: Dorćol Platz, Dobračina 59b
- November 26, 2024
- 10:00am Panel Discussion | Investigative Media Findings on Digital Rights and Freedoms Violations in SEE Region10:00am- 11:00amSpeakers: Aida Mahmutović, Denis Džidić, Ena Bavčić
Session Host: Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN)
This session will explore findings from a two-year monitoring of digital rights and freedoms violations in the region, including daily mapping, media reporting, and investigations that highlight human rights violations in the digital space. Panelists will discuss emerging trends with regional and international experts, concluding with a clear roadmap from activists and CSO leaders. The discussion aims to serve as an advocacy tool for government officials, outlining the strategic benefits of advancing digital rights. Balkan Investigative Reporting Network’s second regional report on digital rights will be published ahead of SEEDIG 2024, with key findings presented.
- 11:00am Panel Discussion | Navigating Global and National Labor Markets: What Gigmeter Reveals about Serbian Online Platform Workers11:00am- 11:45amSpeakers: Branka Andjelkovic, Ljubivoje Radonjic, Tanja Jakobi, Vladan Ivanović, Zoran Kalinic
Session Host: Public Policy Research Centre
This session will introduce Gigmeter, an innovative tool designed to measure the characteristics of online platform work in South Eastern Europe. Recognized as a vital information source for policymakers, researchers, media, and online platform workers alike, Gigmeter offers critical insights into this evolving labor landscape. The presentation will outline the methodology behind this research and share the latest findings on the activities of online platform workers in Serbia.
- 11:00am Satellite Workshop | Do not shoot the messenger!11:00am- 1:00pmSpeakers: Dušan Stojičević
This interactive satellite workshop, tailored for journalists and public servants, requires separate registration. Participants should bring a laptop or tablet for hands-on practice.
With the introduction of EU’s latest digital-focused legislation – such as the Digital Services Act (DSA), Digital Markets Act (DMA), and the AI Act – the landscape of online content ownership has become increasingly complex. Ambiguous terms like “internet service operators” often spark legal disputes regarding content accountability. In this workshop, participants will learn practical methods to identify the actual owners of websites, moving beyond basic WhoIs data, which is often insufficient for legal purposes. Through engaging exercises, you’ll explore the DNS system and discover reliable sources to trace a website’s ownership accurately. Along the way, we’ll delve into the inner workings of the domain ecosystem, discuss common challenges, and highlight strategies to avoid mistakenly attributing harmful content to the wrong individuals.
- 11:45am Coffee Break11:45am- 12:00pm
- 12:00pm Public-Private Policy Dialogue | Council of Europe Digital Partnership with Business12:00pm- 1:00pmSpeakers: Angela Coriz, Irene Kitsara, Jaromir Novak, Magda Irimia, Octavian Șofransky, Pablo Barrionuevo Huélamo
Session Host: Council of Europe
Council of Europe Digital Agenda includes a dialogue with leading technology companies and associations on protecting human rights and democracy online. The speakers will elaborate on the ongoing cooperation with the Council of Europe, other public-private frameworks, and on their organization focus within the digital governance agenda. A special attention will be given to initiatives in South-Eastern Europe. The audience will be able to interact with speakers in a Q&A session.
- 1:00pm Lunch Break1:00pm- 2:00pm
- 2:00pm AI & Emerging Tech: Preventing Misuse and Advancing Regulation2:00pm- 2:45pm
Session Host: Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM)
This session will explore the urgent need for stronger regulatory frameworks for AI and emerging technologies at both national and international levels. With the growing risk of malicious use by criminal and terrorist groups, participants will discuss strategies for effective regulation to enhance security and mitigate threats associated with these advanced technologies.
- 2:45pm Workshop | Cyber Attacks Against Civil Society as a Critical Issue2:45pm- 3:30pmSpeakers: Samvel Martirosyan, Yana Ghahramanyan
Session Host: CyberHUB
The session will outline the primary cyber attack strategies used by state-sponsored hacking groups and cyber mercenaries against civil society. In addition, it will present potential digital resistance protocols to counter these threats.
- 3:30pm Coffee Break3:30pm- 3:45pm
- 3:45pm Fireside Chat | Bridging the Gender Gap: Advancing Cybersecurity Careers for Women in South Eastern Europe3:45pm- 4:15pmSpeakers: Dragan Lončarski, Liljana Pecova, Nataša Šaric
Session Host: Critical Infrastructure Digitalization and Resilience (CIDR) program, implemented by DAI and funded by USAID
This presentation will highlight the progress and initiatives of the Cyber Pathways for Women (CPW) project in North Macedonia and Serbia, focusing on empowering women to pursue careers in cybersecurity. Speakers will showcase key achievements such as the establishment of national task forces, development of cybersecurity career pathways, and collaboration with private sector partners, educational institutions, and government agencies. A key focus will be on the tailor-made approaches adopted in North Macedonia and Serbia, where different strategies have been customized to address the unique needs in each country.
- 4:15pm Panel Discussion | Digital Regulation in Transition: Preparing the Western Balkans for the DSA and DMA4:15pm- 5:15pmSpeakers: Ana Toskić Cvetinović, Gentjan Skara, Ivan Bošković, Maida Ćulahović, Snežana Nikčević
Session Host: NGO 35mm
As non-EU member states, the Western Balkans are at a juncture in their digital regulatory journey. The Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA) require WB countries to engage in a thoughtful process of legislative adaptation and transposition. This panel will discuss the implications of these regulations for the region, focusing on how to build regulatory capacity and institutions that can handle the demands of the DSA and DMA. Experts will provide insights on what technical and legal adjustments are necessary, how businesses can prepare for new digital market rules, and what role civil society and regional cooperation can play in this transition. The discussion will emphasize a collaborative, forward-looking approach to ensure that the region stays aligned with EU digital standards and remains competitive in the global digital economy.
- 5:15pm Closing Remarks5:15pm- 5:30pm
Speakers for this event
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Aida Mahmutović
Aida Mahmutović
Digital Rights Program Manager
BIRN
Digital Rights Program Manager
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Alena Muravska
Alena Muravska
Programme Management Officer
RIPE NCC
Alena Muravska is a Programme Management Officer at the RIPE NCC’s Community & Engagement. Previously, Alena worked on the Registration Services as a Senior Member Services Analyst. Alena has an engineering degree from the National Technical University of Ukraine and is currently finishing a Master’s Public Administration programme in Policy and Public Affairs at Leiden University. She is a multilingual speaker and is fluent in English, Dutch and Ukrainian.
Programme Management Officer
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Ana Toskić Cvetinović
Ana Toskić Cvetinović
Executive Director
Partners Serbia
Ana Toskić Cvetinović is a human rights lawyer
with over 15 years of experience in the Western Balkans. In 2017, Ana was
appointed the Executive Director of Partners Serbia, a Belgrade-based
civil society organization, where she has specialized in privacy law and
legal aspects of information management. She develops and implements training
programs, research and advocacy campaigns aimed at improving privacy-related
legislative framework and practices. She is specifically interested
in exploring the intersection between rule of law and the use of new
technologies, including the development of artificial
intelligence and automation and their impact on human rights. Throughout
her work, Ana has been working on building bridges and establishing coalitions
among variety of stakeholders – CSOs, media, public and private sectors and
academia. She authored number of studies and reports in the field of privacy
and data protection, freedom of expression and digital rights, and
she also advises private and public sector subjects in implementing
privacy compliance programs.Executive Director
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Angela Coriz
Angela Coriz
Policy Officer
European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association (ETNO)
Angela
is a Policy Officer at Connect Europe. She is part of the regulatory and public
policy team, and focuses primarily on artificial intelligence, taxation,
international affairs, and naming, addressing and numbering.Policy Officer
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Branka Andjelkovic
Branka Andjelkovic
Co-Founder & Programme Director
Public Policy Research Centre
Branka Andjelkovic is the Co-founder and Programme Director of the Public
Policy Research Center, Belgrade, Serbia. Her research interests are in labour
market institutions, employment relations, non-standard forms of employment,
and digitalisation and automation. She has been the principal investigator in
numerous research projects and has worked as a policy expert for a range of
international organizations. Branka publishes studies and papers about platform
work, privacy and data protection, and digital economy. She holds MA in public
administration from Harvard University (USA) and BA in comparative literature from
the University of Belgrade.Co-Founder & Programme Director
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Cesare Pitea
Cesare Pitea
Freedom of Expression and CDMSI, Online Safety and Metaverse
Council of Europe
Cesare joined the Council of
Europe 2021, focusing on freedom of expression and media. He is currently part
of the Secretariat responsible for media and the Steering Committee on Media
and Information Society (CDMSI) and is currently the Secretary to the Committee
of Experts on online safety and empowerment of content creators and users
(MSI-eSEC). He was previously a Programme Manager for technical assistance
cooperation projects in the area of freedom of expression and media in
Southeast Europe.Freedom of Expression and CDMSI, Online Safety and Metaverse
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Christian Dawson
Christian Dawson
Executive Director
i2Coalition
Christian Dawson is the Co-Founder of the Internet Infrastructure Coalition (i2Coalition) where he works to make the Internet a better, safer place for the businesses that make up the Cloud. Dawson spent 16 years as an executive at web hosting provider ServInt. While there, he co-founded the Save Hosting initiative, designed to galvanize web hosting providers in their opposition of PIPA & SOPA. He went on to help found the i2Coalition to ensure that those who build the infrastructure of the Internet have a voice in all matters of public policy that affect them. He is a staunch advocate for Internet freedom as a tool for social and economic growth by fostering the growth and expansion of the Internet economy. Dawson served as the Chairman of the i2Coalition Board from 2012 to 2016. As of January 2016, Dawson has joined the i2Coalition in a full-time position as its first Executive Director.
Executive Director
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Daniel Cuciurianu
Daniel Cuciurianu
Programme Manager
Cybercrime Programme Office, Council of Europe
Daniel has been with the Council
of Europe since 2022, as Programme Manager of the iPROCEEDS-2 and CyberSEE
Projects, both dedicated to enhance the criminal justice response of South-East
Europe and Turkiye to cybercrime and electronic evidence, in line with the
provisions of the Convention on Cybercrime, its Second Protocol and European
Union objectives.Before joining his current role,
he served for 20 years as a police officer of the Romanian National Police,
ultimately holding the position of head of the Bucharest Cybercrime Department,
where he led joint investigation teams for cross-border operations such as
RESIDENT, COLD LAKE and BRUNO, additionally acting as a consultant on capacity
building in cybercrime. Daniel holds a Master’s degree in Criminal
Investigation and a Bachelor’s degree in Law.Programme Manager
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Denis Džidić
Denis Džidić
Director
BIRN BiH
Director
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Desiree Miloševič
Desiree Miloševič
Cooperation WG Chair
RIPE
Desiree‘s experience spans across a network of UK-based Internet start-ups, numerous national and international NGOs, as well as institutions such as the UN, where she served as a special policy adviser on Internet governance issues. She has over 20 years of non-exec board experience based in the USA, UK, and SEE, while over the last decade, she has been focusing on building open-source communities. Her latest initiative within the SEE region includes a project focused on sustainable development and climate change, while she continues to run an annual hackathon (DESCON) and advocate for user’s digital rights. She co-chairs the RIPE Cooperation Working Group.
Cooperation WG Chair
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Dragan Lončarski
Dragan Lončarski
Regional Cybersecurity Advisor & Serbian Program Manager
CIDR
Dragan Lončarski is the Regional Technical Advisor for the Critical Infrastructure Digitalization and Resilience (CIDR) program, implemented by DAI and funded by USAID. With over 25 years of experience in I&T security and corporate systems, Dragan has held roles as lead engineer, systems architect, project manager, and CISO. His work spans high-profile projects such as GazpromNeft consolidation and eFiscalization implementation, PCI DSS compliance, PKI certification audits, and the development of BC/DR policies for state institutions. Certified in CISM, DPO, COBIT, Security+, PRINCE2, ISO27001, Dragan emphasizes effective communication as key to bridging business and engineering perspectives for successful project outcomes.
Regional Cybersecurity Advisor & Serbian Program Manager
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Dušan Stojičević
Dušan Stojičević
Marketing Director
Gransy
Dušan Stojičević was for many years editor-in-chief of “Svet kompjutera” (World of Computers) magazine, a member and Chair of the RNIDS BoG, Chair of the Cyrillic Generation Panel at ICANN, a member of the SEEDIG Executive Committee and a member of the RIPE SEE Programme Committee. He has also served as Vice-Chair of the Universal Acceptance Steering Group (UASG) and is now Vice-Chair of the RNIDS BoG and Marketing Director for Eastern Europe at Gransy. The focus of his activities is on IDN domains and the issues surrounding universal acceptance of all languages and scripts on the Internet.
Marketing Director
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Ena Bavčić
Ena Bavčić
Digital Rights Researcher
Digital Rights Researcher
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Florin Badita
Florin Badita
Founder
Corruption Kills
Florin Bădiță, a Forbes 30 Under 30 luminary in Europe and the 2018 European Personality of the Year, has built a distinguished career deeply rooted in the digital realm. Known for his expertise in data mining, Florin is an advocate for open knowledge and civic empowerment, transforming hard-to-find data into actionable insights, particularly for startups navigating Series A to C funding stages. With over a decade of experience in web scraping, data analysis, and visualization, Florin has successfully harvested and refined billions of data points from over 10,000 websites. His professional journey reflects a commitment to uncovering valuable information and helping businesses unlock the potential of data.Beyond his technical expertise, Florin is a passionate advocate for community building and civic engagement. He has played a pivotal role in founding approximately 20 communities, with “Corruption Kills” as a standout initiative that fosters civic education, advocates for social justice, and leverages technology to benefit society. Florin’s educational journey is largely self-directed, spanning diverse fields including programming, big data analytics, GIS, and more, complementing his formal psychology studies. His autodidactic path reflects his belief in the universal accessibility of knowledge, empowering individuals to improve their lives and communities.
Founder
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Gentjan Skara
Gentjan Skara
Lecturer of EU Law and Competition Law
Department of Law – Epoka University
Gentjan Skara holds an LLB from the
University of Tirana (Albania); an MA in “European Studies” from
Epoka University (Albania); an LLM for “South-East European Law and European
Integration” from the University of Graz; PhD in “EU Law and National
Legal System program” from the University of Ferrara. Genti has been a
visiting fellow at the Institute of Corporate and International Commercial Law,
University of Graz (Austria), the Department of International Law, University
of Ljubljana (Slovenia) and the Institute for European Global Studies, University
of Basel (Switzerland).As of 1 August 2023, Genti is a
full-time member of the Department of Law at Epoka University. In May 2022,
Genti published a book in a well-known publisher, Springer Nature, titled
“Europeanization of Albanian Competition Law: The Case of Albania”. His
research interests relate to EU Law, competition law, the harmonisation of
laws, and the interplay between online platforms and law. Besides academic engagement, Genti
is a National Legal expert for the “Internal Market and Competition” of EU
acquis near the Ministry of European and Foreign Affairs, Republic of Albania
and has provided its expertise to different organisations. His research
interests relate to EU Law, competition law, the harmonisation of laws, and the
interplay between online platforms and law.Lecturer of EU Law and Competition Law
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Grant Baker
Grant Baker
Research Analyst for Technology and Democracy
Freedom House
Grant Baker is a Research Analyst for technology and democracy at Freedom House where he covers Europe and Eurasia for Freedom on the Net. Prior to joining Freedom House, he worked as the Research Manager at SMEX, where he led the Beirut-based organization’s research on digital rights, contributed to the Lebanon Freedom on the Net report, and conducted grant writing on research and advocacy.
Research Analyst for Technology and Democracy
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Irene Kitsara
Irene Kitsara
European Standardisation Initiative Director
IEEE Vienna Global Office of IEEE Standards Association
Irene’s work at IEEE is focused
on topics related to the green and digital transformation, digital governance,
strategic partnerships, and issues related to sustainability, circularity and
climate change as part of the core team of the IEEE Technology Center for
Climate (ITCC). Before joining IEEE in 2022, Irene worked for 13 years at
the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a specialized UN agency,
where she led IP and innovation data-based technology trends publication in 25
technology areas, providing factual evidence to support decision-making. Irene
also worked in law firms in Germany and Greece, at the European Patent Office,
the European Commission (DG Grow) and the Max-Planck Institute for Foreign and
International Social law. Irene is a Greek lawyer admitted at the Athens Bar
and holds a Masters in European and International Business law from LMU,
Munich.European Standardisation Initiative Director
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Isabel de Sola
Isabel de Sola
Geneva Liaison
Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology (OSET)
Geneva Liaison
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Ivan Bošković
Ivan Bošković
CEO
IT Advanced Services
Ivan Bošković is the CEO of ITAS, a company that is
part of the Čikom group, specializing in the application of artificial
intelligence in business, providing innovative solutions tailored to the
specific needs of clients. After gaining extensive experience in various
sectors of the ICT industry, including software development, payment systems,
fintech, and telecommunications, both in Montenegro and abroad, he has, in
recent years, focused on researching and applying AI technologies. He leverages
his accumulated experience to merge the technological innovation enabled by
artificial intelligence with a strategic approach, developing advanced
solutions that support business growth and digital transformation.CEO
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Jan Žorž
Jan Žorž
VP
6connect Labs
Jan Žorž is a VP of 6connect Labs, working on the development of various protocols and network solutions to accelerate the global deployment of IPv6. Active in the RIPE community as a RIPE PC member, Jan is also SEE RIPE regional meeting chairman and a founder and a chair of SINOG, the Slovenian Network Operators Group. Several IETF RFCs author and one of the founders and member of the board of GNA (Global NOG Alliance). Jan is also active in its “Keep Ukraine Connected” initiative. Previously worked with the Internet Society and served as a CEO of Go6 Institute Slovenia. Jan is based in Slovenia, EU.
VP
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Jaromir Novak
Jaromir Novak
Regulatory and Policy Officer
EuroISPA Partner for Regulatory Affairs at CZ.NIC
Jaromír graduated from the
Faculty of Law of Masaryk University in Brno and the Faculty of Information
Management at the University of Hradec Králové. In 2005, he joined the Ministry
of Informatics of the Czech Republic (Department of Electronic Communications).
After the cancellation of this department, he changed the position to Director
of the Electronic Communications Department and then Director of the Digital
Economy Section at the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic. In
autumn of 2012, he was appointed a member of the Czech Telecommunication Office
(CTO) by the Government of the Czech Republic. After that, he became Chairman
of the CTO. Jaromír Novák resigned from the position of Chairman and Member of
the CTO in January 2020. Jaromír joined the CZ.NIC Association in 2020 and his
main duties comprise of monitoring changes in legislation concerning the
Association, communication with state administration, local government and the
European Union and searching other ways to work with public sector
institutions. His hobbies include literature and modern technology.Regulatory and Policy Officer
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Liljana Pecova
Liljana Pecova
Manager at Cyber Pathways for Women
CIDR North Macedonia
Liljana Pecova-Ilieska is a Cyber Pathways for Women Manager at DAI, a global development company that works on the frontlines of international development. More than 20 years of experience in the fields of law enforcement, data privacy protection, project management, digital skills and media, cybersecurity, innovation, good governance, RoL & development. Worked in institutional, non-governmental and private sector. Woking experience in Ministry of Interior, Data Protection Agency, NGO sector, Press Council of the Media, and International Consultancy with UNOPS, OSCE, Dev Tech Systems Inc., DCAF, Thomson Foundation, DAI Global, etc.Served as Focal point for EURODIG panning sessions, SEEDIG ExeBoard Member, ITU network. Received distinguished fellowships and alumni memberships: UK Chevening Fellowship for Cybersecurity, GCMC Alumni, Government of Canada for Executives Course fellowship “International Law in the Cyber Era: Finding Balance Between State Interests and Individual Rights”, Counterterrorism and Anti-Crime Capacity Building Programs (ICC), College of Europe in Warsaw Alumni Fellowship, Lodz Cyber Hub Fellowship on Low Earth Orbit Satellites, RIPE NCC fellowship, IGF fellowship, etc.
Manager at Cyber Pathways for Women
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Ljubivoje Radonjic
Ljubivoje Radonjic
Research Assistant
State University of Novi Pazar
Ljubivoje Radonjic is a Research Assistant at the
Department of Economics at the State University of Novi Pazar. He is also a
Research Associate at the Public Policy Research Centre and curently serves as
the Grant Holder Manager within the project within the European Cooperation in
Science and Technology (ref. No. CA21118 – Platform Work Living Lab). He holds
a MSc in economics. He has pursued professional development abroad on multiple
occasions (Poland). Currently, he is working on thesis titled
„Interrelationship between Economic Performance and Innovation: the Case of
European Regions“. His main fields of interest are regional development,
innovation economics, digital economy, and platform work. Ljubivoje is author
and co-author of a dozen scientific papers and policy papers with the expertise
in innovation economics and digitalisation.Research Assistant
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Magda Irimia
Magda Irimia
Outside Legal Counsel
Microsoft Corporation
Magda started her career in 2002
and she specializes in intellectual property, cyber law and data protection,
competition law, and environmental law. She is an attorney-at-law, member
of the Bucharest Bar Association since 2002, and, since 2005, a certified
trademark, industrial design, and patent Romanian attorney and a trademark and
industrial design European attorney. She is a member of ASDPI, INTA and IAPP,
as CIPP/E – Certified Information Privacy Professional/Europe and represents
ASPDI in the Working Group for GPAI Codes of Practice.She also holds a SANS
certification in Information Security Fundamentals GIAC/GISF and got training
in AI Security Essentials (2024) and Cybersecurity Fundamentals (2022). She graduated from Bucharest
University Faculty of Law in 2001 and she holds a master degree in business law
from the Institute for Business Law and International Cooperation Nicolae
Titulescu – Henri Capitant, a jointly administered Institute by the Paris I
University Pantheon-Sorbonne and the University of Bucharest Law School. She
completed an annual training in Competition Law and Economics, followed by a
Digital Economy Program, both at the European University Institute Florence,
Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies.She assists Romanian and multinational companies
in intellectual property matters and cyberlaw, including Microsoft Digital
Crimes Unit, and has extensive experience in providing legal advice and
representation as regards new technologies, sector specific contracts, data
protection, and anti-trust issues.Outside Legal Counsel
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Maida Ćulahović
Maida Ćulahović
Policy and Advocacy Coordinator
CA ”Why Not”
Maida Ćulahović coordinates policy and advocacy efforts at
Citizen’s Association “Zašto ne/Why Not”, aimed at improving the
digital space with a particular focus on harmonization with the relevant EU
policies and regulations in this field. Maida is an expert in media
and digital policy. Previously, she had worked at the communications regulator
of Bosnia and Herzegovina, focusing on the development of regulatory framework
for the audiovisual media sector and its harmonization with European standards
and best practices, as well as coordinating international cooperation with
other regulatory authorities and networks. She has collaborated with various
other stakeholders including international organizations and CSOs and has
extensive experience as a consultant, researcher and contributor.
She holds an M.A. in European Studies from the University of Sarajevo in
association with the University of Bologna and London School of Economics.Policy and Advocacy Coordinator
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Mila Bajic
Mila Bajic
Research Lead
SHARE Foundation
Mila Bajic is a Research Lead at the Serbian digital human rights organization SHARE Foundation, where she works on many established and emerging threats online such as the spread of conspiracy theories, hate speech and disinformation, voter manipulation and online privacy and personal data protection. She has participated in a number of advocacy efforts aimed at big technology companies in order to change their approach to users in the Western Balkans and has also been engaged in the campaign to ban biometric mass surveillance on the streets of Belgrade. She is also the co-author of the Serbia Freedom on the Net report.
Research Lead
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Nataša Šaric
Nataša Šaric
Country Director
CIDR Serbia
Nataša Šarić is the Country Director for the Critical Infrastructure Digitalization and Resilience (CIDR) program in Serbia, implemented by DAI and funded by USAID. With over 20 years of experience in international development, she has managed and led projects across Serbia, Southeast Europe, Asia, and Africa. Her work focuses on sustainable private sector development across diverse sectors, while also promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Country Director
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Nevena Ruzic
Nevena Ruzic
Data Protection Expert
Privatnost i Javnost
Nevena
is an independent consultant in the field of information (privacy and personal
data, freedom of expression and information, classified data, internet law and
regulation), working with international organisations, foreign and domestic
clients. She has published works on personal data protection, AI, internet
regulation, and freedom of information. Amongst many, she authored or
co-authored “Pravno uređenje interneta u Srbiji “ (in Eng. Internet Law in
Serbia) (2023), “Nationalising General Data Protection Regulation in Western
Balkans” and Challenges and opportunities at the intersection of data
protection and artificial intelligence. Nevena coauthored an online course
“Personal Data Protection in Publication of Judicial Decisions” available on
the Council of Europe HELP Platform.
Nevena is a co-creator of series of educational videos available in
Serbian only called “Soljica privatnosti sa Jelenom i Nevenom” (trans. “Cup of
Privacy with Jelena and Nevena”). She
is a lawyer by profession and holds two masters – in contemporary diplomacy
from the University of Malta and in law from the University of Leeds, UK. She graduated from the School of Law
University of Belgrade, Serbia. In 2019, Nevena was a candidate for Serbian
Information Commissioner supported by more than 100 civil society
organisations.Data Protection Expert
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Octavian Șofransky
Octavian Șofransky
Digital Governance Advisor
Council of Europe
Octavian is currently acting as a
Digital Governance Advisor in the Digital Development and Governance Department
of the Council of Europe. He oversees the implementation of the Council of
Europe Digital Agenda, coordinates relations with technology companies and
their associations, members of the Digital Partnership of the Council of
Europe, and coordinates cooperation with
internet governance forums and institutions.His experience at the Council of
Europe also includes cooperation activities in the field of prevention and
combating corruption and money-laundering, assessment of projects financed by
the Council of Europe Development Bank, preparation of the organisational
Programme of Activities and monitoring the implementation of projects of the IT
investment portfolio. He holds a Master in European Studies from the College of
Europe in Warsaw, Poland, a Master in Peace studies from the University of
Castellon, Spain, and a Diploma in Architecture from the Chișinău Technical
University, Moldova.Digital Governance Advisor
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Olga Kyryliuk
Olga Kyryliuk
Senior Advisor, Digital Governance
Internews
Olga Kyryliuk is Senior Advisor for Digital Governance at Internews, and SEEDIG Chair. She has a PhD in international law and over 10 years of experience in the field of digital rights and internet governance. She is also serving on the UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) and Freedom Online Coalition Advisory Network (FOC AN). In 2020-2023, she served as a Europe Representative at ICANN NCUC Executive Committee.
Senior Advisor, Digital Governance
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Pablo Barrionuevo Huélamo
Pablo Barrionuevo Huélamo
Head of Public Policy and Internet
Telefónica S.A.
Lawyer with a Degree in Law from
the Complutense University of Madrid and a Master’s Degree in Diplomacy and International
Relations from the Diplomatic School of Madrid, Pablo specialises in the
Regulation of the Telecommunications Sector, with extensive international
experience in the development of Institutional Relations and Public Policies. He has collaborated as a speaker
on topics of Regulation of Telecommunications with different academic
institutions such as the Universidad Panamericana, Universidad Anáhuac,
Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México or the International University Menéndez
Pelayo. Since December 2019, he has been
responsible at Telefónica for the development of the European Green Deal
regulatory package issued by the European Commission. He has recently been
designated has Telefonica´s focal point to the International Telecommunications
Union (ITU).Head of Public Policy and Internet
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Ram Mohan
Ram Mohan
Chief Strategy Officer
Identity Digital
A seasoned executive with a strong strategy orientation, Ram works closely with the CEO, board members, and executives to achieve Identity Digital’s long-term vision. Ram served as COO and co-founder at Afilias, acquired by Donuts in 2020, where he launched the .INFO, .ORG and .IO registries, building the world’s second-largest domain name registry. Ram’s previous positions include Co-Founder of TurnTide (acquired by Symantec 2001) and COO of Infonautics (publicly traded Ed-Tech company). His board positions include Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace (GCSC) and ICANN (2008-2018). Ram also co-founded ICANN’s Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC). He is an inventor of nineteen U.S. patents in Internet technology, recipient of InfoWorld’s ‘Premier 100 Technology Leaders’ award, a CIO100 honoree, and Guinness World Record holder (2018).
Chief Strategy Officer
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Regina Filipová Fuchsová
Regina Filipová Fuchsová
Industry Relations Manager
EURid
Regina Filipová Fuchsová has joined EURid, the .eu, .ею and .ευ registry, in 2007. She went through different roles in regional, registrar relations and business development management and last year she was appointed as the Industry Relations Manager. She is based in Prague. She holds a PhD in International Economic Relations from the University of Economics in Prague and a master degree in Law from the Palacky University in Olomouc, CZ. She completed a post-graduate master programme in European studies in Krems an der Donau, AT.
Industry Relations Manager
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Samvel Martirosyan
Samvel Martirosyan
Co-Founder
CyberHUB
Samvel Martirosyan is a media expert and cyber security specialist. He is a co-founder of CyberHUB, an Armenia-based organization that helps civil society address digital threats. He is a director of ArmSec Foundation. Martirosyan’s work focuses primarily on information security and hybrid threats. He is also the author of the Armenia Freedom on the Net report.
Co-Founder
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Snežana Nikčević
Snežana Nikčević
Project Manager
NGO 35mm
Snežana Nikčević currently leads civic involvement in
digital transformation at NGO 35mm, and it is actively engaged in national and
regional efforts related to the digital policies. As a producer with a
background in media studies, she produced two features and one short film. Coordinated
over a 100 A/V projects, including major production services for clients like
BBC’s Top Gear, Toyota, Samsung, and Endemol Shine. A facilitator and an educator in the fields of culture and
digital development, Snežana is also a Research group member at the Center for
AI and Digital Policy, and an alumna of several skills development programs,
including Swedish Institute’s Collaborative Governance in the Digital Era
Program, British Council’s Creative Producers Program, etc.Project Manager
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Svetlana Rakic
Svetlana Rakic
Senior Project Officer
AI & Discrimination
As part of the Council of
Europe’s Inclusion and Anti-discrimination Programmes Division, Svetlana is
coordinating project on “Combating discrimination and promoting diversity in
Serbia” focused on providing continuous support to the legislative and policy
reforms aimed at combating discrimination and protecting the rights of
national/ethnic/linguistic minorities and other vulnerable social groups,
including youth, Roma, and LGBTI persons.Before joining current role,
Svetlana was with the United Nations, working on reconciliation, social
cohesion and community development.Holder of Master’s degree in
Cultural Policy and Management (Interculturalism and Mediation in the Balkans)
/ UNESCO chair.Senior Project Officer
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Tanja Jakobi
Tanja Jakobi
Executive Director
Public Policy Research Centre
Tanja Jakobi is the executive director of the Public Policy Research
Center. She is currently focused on the impact on new technologies on the
labour market, labour contracts, and unionization. Tanja writes about the
digital economy and new forms of work such as online and on-location platform
work, and remote work and related questions of privacy of data in the era of
the rise of the artificial intelligence at work. She holds MAs in business journalism from
Baruch College (US) and BA in philosophy from the University of Belgrade
(Serbia).Executive Director
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Teona Turashvili
Teona Turashvili
Head of Local Government, Civic Tech and Innovations
Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI)
Teona Turashvili is the Head of Local Government, Civic Tech and Innovations Directions for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), a Georgian organization that supports the development of an informed and empowered society for democratic governance. She is also the author of the Georgia Freedom on the Net report.
Head of Local Government, Civic Tech and Innovations
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Vasja Križmančič
Vasja Križmančič
CTO
2S Computers / Karsolink
Formerly a sound engineer with a degree from the SAE School of Ljubljana, Vasja has worked in IT and networking for more than twenty years. In 2018, Vasja helped to rebuild the Karsolink network, running it as a CTO and company co-owner.
CTO
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Vladan Ivanović
Vladan Ivanović
Analysts Team Leader
GigmetarTM
Vladan Ivanović is a professor of
economics at the University of Kragujevac (Serbia), a fellow at CERGE-EI
Foundation (Prague, Czech Republic), and holds PhD degrees in economics from
the University of Kragujevac, Serbia, and the University of Hohenheim, Germany.
He is a chief research analyst by the Center for Society and Technology,
Belgrade, and one of the co-creators of the Gigmetar. Vladan Ivanovic served as
an Erasmus Plus Ambassador (2022-2024) and Vice-Dean for International
Cooperation at the Faculty of Economics University of Kragujevac (2016-2018). He
was a scholar and winner of numerous national and international rewards (Konrad Adenauer Foundation
(Germany), Foundation “Mihailo Pupin” (USA), Foundation „Studenica“
(USA), European
Movement in Serbia and
Austrian Embassy, Found „Academic
Dragoslav Srejovic”, Embassy of the Kingdom of Sweden,
the University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Economics the University of
Kragujevac), while furthering
his research at the University of Harvard, MIT and the University of
Oslo.
He is the author of more than 90 scientific papers and technical reports, on
issues related to (international political) economy, institutional economics,
the economics of innovation and technological change with strong expertise in
applied economic analysis. During his career, he was a guest professor at
several European universities (Krakow University of Economics, Poland; ILIA
State University, Georgia; Mendel University, Czech Republic), and lecturer and
trainee in numerous seminars and schools in Serbia and abroad. He was a
consultant on many domestic and international projects supported and/or
implemented by various institutions (World Bank, USAID, European Union, Olaf
Palme, WeGlobal, Western Balkan Found, Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Center for
Public Policy Research, ICT HUB, Foundation Center for Democracy, Open Society
Fund, COST Action, Erasmus Foundation).Analysts Team Leader
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Yana Ghahramanyan
Yana Ghahramanyan
Threat Researcher
CyberHUB
Yana Ghahramanyan works with CyberHUB as a Penetration Tester and DevOps engineer. She has 14 years of experience in network and system administration, including as part of her work as a Network Administrator for the American University of Armenia, UWC school in Dilijan, DevOps engeneer at Converse Bank. As part of her work with CyberHUB Ms Ghahramanyan has become increasingly interested in developing malware research and cyber security training curricula.
Threat Researcher
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Zoran Kalinic
Zoran Kalinic
Professor at Faculty of Economics
University of Kragujevac
Zoran Kalinic is a Professor at
the Faculty of Economics, University of Kragujevac, Serbia and holds a PhD
degree in Software Engineering from the Faculty of Engineering, University of
Kragujevac. He has been involved in several, both national and international,
projects related to the different aspects of information-communication
technologies. Also, he has taught as a Guest Lecturer at Cracow University of
Economics, Poland; University of Maribor, Slovenia; University of Evora,
Portugal; Saimaa University of Applied Sciences, Finland; Vilnius Gediminas
Technical University, Lithuania; University of Economics in Katowice, Poland;
University of Jordan in Amman, Jordan, etc. Zoran Kalinic is the
author/co-author of more than 120 scientific papers and monograph chapters, of
which more than 20 papers were published in highly important scientific
journals with impact factor. From 2019 he is with Center for Society and
Technology, Belgrade (previously Public Policy Research Center), where he is
mainly working on Gigmetar – the instrument developed to describe the characteristics
of freelancers in Serbia and South East Europe. His current research interests
include digital transformation, digital labor market, e-business, mobile and
e-commerce, and the application of artificial intelligence techniques in
business and management.Professor at Faculty of Economics