PLENARY SESSION III

Jan Olbrycht, MEP, Member of the Bureau, EPP Group in the EP

Dr Jan Olbrycht has been a Doctor of Sociology, lecturer, expert, politician and social activist.

Between 1990 and 1998 Mayor of Cieszyn, founder member of the Euroregion Śląsk Cieszyński-Tesinske Slezko. Vice-Chairman of the Association of Polish Cities responsible for contacts with European local and regional government organisations. Vice-Chairman of the Council of EuropeanMunicipalities and Regions. Chairman of the Polish delegation to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.

Between 1998 and 2002 Marshal of Silesian Voivodship. Founder member of the Marshals’ Convent. Member of the Management Board of the Assembly of European Regions. Member of the National Council for Regional Policy. Member of the World Council of the United Cities and Local Governments.

Since 2002 lecturer at the University of Bielsko-Biala and University of Economics in Katowice. Participant at numerous international conferences about the role of regions in the EU. Regional policy expert of the Institute of Public Affairs in Warsaw.

Since 2004 Member of the European Parliament on behalf of Civic Platform (EPP-ED). Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Regional Development; European Parliament’s rapporteur on the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC), REGI Committee rapporteur on urban transport. Founder member and Vice-Chairman of the EP Intergroup URBANHousing.

Member of the Editorial Board of the Parliament Magazine. Winner of the European Prize of Caesar Maximilian for the impact on local and regional policy development in Europe. Winner of the Golden Ribbon of Association of Polish Cities - a merit award for outstanding service for territorial self-government. MEP of the year - winner of the 2007 Parliament Magazine’s MEP. Awards in the field of regional policy. Winner of the Silesian Quality Prize.

BRU
ASP 14E103
4551149511
STR
LOW T11009
75511 79511

Bishop Imre Asztrik Varszegi, Abbot of the PannonhalmaAbbey, former Archbishop of Budapest

Imre Asztrik Várszegi joined the Congregation of the Benedictines in 15 August 1965 After his theological training, he was ordained on 29 January 1971. From 1971 to 1976 he studied History and Germanic Studies at the LorándEötvösUniversity after which he was working as a teacher until 1988. In 1985 he received his doctorate in history, in 1997 in philosophy.

Pope John Paul II appointed him the Titular Bishop of Culusi in 1988 and delegated him to auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Esztergom-Budapest. The Episcopal ordination took place on 11 February 1989 His motto is Deus, fortitude mea ("God, my strength").

From 1989 to 1991 he was secretary of the Hungarian Bishops' Conference as well as Rector of Központi Papnevelő Intézet . In 1991 he was elected the Abbot of the Benedictine Pannonhalma; and reelected again in 2009 with a term of nine years. He has developed the Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma (Martinsberg) into a major international meeting center.

Since 2001 he is also a delegate of the Abbot Primate of the Slavic Benedictine Congregation . In 2006, he was tasked by the Hungarian Bishops' Conference with the direction of the "Odon Lenard Foundation" focused on the research of the relations between church and communism in communist time.

Tel + 0036 96.57.01.15

János Lázár, Group Leader Fidesz In the Hungarian Parliament

Born on 19 February 1975 in Hódmezővásárhely. He is married, his wife is a teacher; they have two sons.

Education :

  • 1993-1999: JózsefAttilaUniversity of Sciences – Faculty of Law, degree of law
  • 1989-1993:BethlenGáborGrammar School at Hódmezővásárhely

Work and Political Experience

  • Chairman of the Committee of Defence and Law Enforcement of the Hungarian Parliament
  • 2006-: Fidesz-Hungarian Civic Alliance Faction- Deputy Chairman
  • 2006- : Head of the Defence Cabinet of Fidesz and Cristian-Democrat Party- Faction
  • 2004-2006: Member of the Committee of Culture and Press of the Hungarian Parliament
  • 2004-2006: Member of the Committee of Social Affairs and Families of the Hungarian Parliament
  • 2003-2004: Member of the Committee of Regions of the European Union
  • 2005: President of the local Fidesz-Hungarian Civic Alliance in CsongrádCounty
  • 2002-2004: Notary of the General Assembly of the Republic of Hungary
  • 2002- : Mayor of the Local Government of Hódmezővásárhely Borough
  • 2002- : Member of the Hungarian Parliament, CsongrádCounty constituency No. 6
  • 1999 Personal Secretary at the Office of the Hungarian Parliament
  • 1998 Organizer of Parliamentary and mayor’s campaigns at Hódmezővásárhely,CsongrádCounty constituency No. 6
  • 1997 Personal secretary to Mayor Dr. András Rapcsák, Hódmezővásárhely
  • 1995 Hódmezővásárhely Borough Local Government – trainee of law

+ (36) 1 441-4000
Email:

Elmar Brok, MEP, EPP Group Coordinator in the Committe on Foreign Affairs of the EP

He was born on 14th May 1946 (in Verl, North Rhine-Westphalia).

Foreign Policy Spokesman of the EPP Group

  • Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee
  • Substitute Member of the Constitutional Committee
  • Chairman of the Parliamentary Delegation to the U.S. Congress and the Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue
  • Substitute Member of the European committee of the German Bundestag
  • Board member of the EPP Group in the EP
  • Board member of the EPP
  • Foreign Policy Spokesman of the EPP
  • Chairman of the European Union of Christian Democratic Workers (EUCDW)
  • Member of the CDU Federal Executive
  • Chairman of the CDU Federal Advisory Committee on Foreign, Security and European Policy (since 1989)
  • Member of the Executive National Council of the CDU in NRW
  • District Chairman of the CDU OWL

Other recent functions

  • Honorary President of the European Union of Germany
  • Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Institute for European Politics (IEP)
  • Member of the Presidium of the German Society for Foreign Relations
  • Board Member, Institute for German and European Law of Political Parties / Member of the Board of Trustees of the Institute for European Constitutional Studies of the University of Hagen
  • Co-Chairman of the German-Hungarian Forum
  • Member of the Foundation Board of the Marie Bielefeld
  • Chairman of the Board of Trustees of St. Hedwig-folk high school
  • Trustee of Friends of Europe

BRU
ASP 15E205
4532349323
STR
LOW T10041
75323 79323

Joachim Zeller, MEP Group Member in the Committee on Regional Development

Born on 1 July 1952, Oppeln

Member:

  • Committee on Regional Development
  • Delegation to the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee

Substitute:

  • Committee on Transport and Tourism
  • Special committee on the policy challenges and budgetary resources for a sustainable European Union after 2013
  • Delegation to the EU-Kazakhstan, EU-Kyrgyzstan and EU-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Cooperation Committees, and for relations with Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Mongolia
  • Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly

Curriculum vitae:

  • Graduated in translation and interpreting after studying Slav languages at the Humboldt University, Berlin, and the JagiellonenUniversity, Cracow (1977). Research assistant at the university library of the Humboldt University, Berlin (1977-1992).
  • Local chair, Berlin Central CDU (1990-1999); member of CDU Regional Executive, Berlin (1991-1996); regional vice-chair, Berlin CDU (1996-2003, 2005-2009); regional chair, Berlin CDU (2003-2005).
  • Central district councillor, Berlin (1992-1996); district mayor, Berlin Central (1996-2006); deputy district mayor and district councillor, Berlin Central (2006-2009).

Tunne Kelam, MEP, Member of the EP Delegation for relations with the United States

Tunne-Väldo Kelam (born 10 July 1936 in Taheva, Estonia) is an Estonian politician and Member of the European Parliament for the Pro Patria Union (Estonia), part of the European People's Party.

After graduating from Tallinn 2 Secondary School in 1954 he went on to study history in University of Tartu. After graduation from university he was a senior researcher in the State Central Archives of Estonia from 1959 to 1965 and a lecturer on international relations in Society "Science" from 1959 to 1970. From 1965 to 1975 he was a senior editor of Estonian Soviet Encyclopaedia, but had to quit the job because of his anti-Soviet views. He was then employed by the National Library of Estonia as a senior librarian, but was not allowed to continue on his profession after 1979. From there on he held many menial jobs, including the position of a caretaker in a chicken farm.

By the end of 1980s he had become one of the leading dissidents in Estonian society. He was a founding member of the Estonian National Independence Party (ERSP, Eesti Rahvusliku Sõltumatuse Partei) in 1988 and a member of Estonian Citizens Head Committee, people movement supporting the sovereignty of Estonia, from 1989 to 1990. From 1990 to 1992 he was the Chairman of the Estonian Committee, an executive body of the Congress of Estonia, legislative assembly competing with the Supreme Soviet for political power in Estonian SSR. After a new parliament, Riigikogu was established and elected in summer 1992 he became a member of parliament. He held this position till 2004 when he was elected to the European Parliament. He served as a Vice Speaker of Riigikogu from 1992 till 2003.

Tunne Kelam was also the last Chairman of the Estonian National Independence Party (1993-1995) and lead his party into merger with the National Alliance "Pro Patria" which resulted in creation of the Pro Patria Union (Estonia). From 2002 to 2005 he was the Chairman of the Pro Patria Union. He stepped down a couple of months after being elected to the European Parliament. He is the only representative of his party in that assembly.

He is also a member of a number of non-governmental organisations, including Institute of Human Rights (board member since 1997), Kristler-Ritso Foundation (board member since 1998 and Estonian European Movement (vice chairman since 1998).

He is a founding signatory of the Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism. Tunne Kelam is an honorary citizen of the State of Maryland (USA) since 1991. He has been decorated with many prominent awards including the Estonian Order of the Coat of Arms, 2nd class (2001) and the French Grand Officier de l’Ordre National du Merite (2001).

BRU
ASP 10E146
4527949279
STR
LOW T09056
75279 79279

Vytautas Landsbergis, MEP, Former President of Lituania

Vytautas Landsbergis (born 18 October 1932) is a Lithuanian conservative politician and Member of the European Parliament. He was the first head of state of Lithuania after its independence declaration from the Soviet Union, and served as the Head of the Lithuanian Parliament Seimas. Professor Landsbergis is an intellectual who has been active in Lithuania's political arena for almost two decades, and is a world-established politician who has gone down in history as a contributor to the demise of the Soviet Union. He has written twenty books on a variety of topics, including a biography of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, politics, and music. He is a founding signatory of the Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism.

In 1955, he graduated from the Lithuanian Conservatory of Music (now Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre). In 1969, he wrote his thesis for his PhD degree. In 1978, he became a Professor at the Lithuanian Conservatory. From 1978 to 1990, he was a professor at both the Lithuanian Conservatory and the Vilnius Pedagogical University. In 1994, he wrote a thesis for his doctor abilities degree.

BRU
ASP 03F243
4555049550
STR
LOW T09080
75550 79550

Antonio Miloshoski, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Macedonia

Personal Information

Antonio Miloshoski was born on the 29th January 1976 in Tetovo, Republic of Macedonia

Education

  • November 2002: Ph. D. Candidate in Political Sciences at the GerhardMerkatorUniversity in Duisburg, Germany
  • 2001-2002: "Master of European Integration" postgraduate studies at the FriedrichWilhelmUniversity in Bonn, Germany
  • 1999: Graduate from the Faculty of Law in Skopje

Professional Experience

  • 26 August 2006: Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Macedonia
  • July 2006: MP in the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia
  • April 2005-present: Research Fellow at the Institute of Political Sciences at the GerhardMerkatorUniversity in Duisburg, Germany
  • May 2000-September 2001: Spokesman of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia
  • 1999-2000: Chief of Cabinet of Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia Dosta Dimovska


Asfa-Wossen Asserate,Ethiopian Writer and Essayist

Asfa-Wossen Asserate´is the great nephew of the last Ethiopian Emperor, Haile Selassie and a German citizen. Born in 1948, he was one of the first pupils to attend the newly-founded German school in Addis Ababa and from 1968 he studied law, economics and history in Tübingen, Cambridge and Frankfurt. Following the 1974 military coup in his native Ethiopia in which his father was shot and his family was arrested, Asfa-Wossen Asserate made Germany his home. In Frankfurt am Main he began working as a freelance management consultant and author. His latest book, published this year, asks and answers the 101 most important questions about Africa, and cements the 61 year-old’s position as a mediator between Europe and Africa.

H.I.H. Prince Asfa-Wossen Asserate Phd.
Postfach 170137
D-60075 Frankfurt am Main
Germany
Tel.0049-69-721887
Fax.0049-69-725854
E-Mail:

Federico Eichberg, Responsible of International and European relations,

“Farefuturo” Foundation. Italy, EIN Working Group 5

Federico Eichberg after obtaining his master’s degree in Political Sciences at la SapienzaUniversity in Rome. He specialized in Advanced Studies in political, economical and social sciences at Notre Dame University (USA), and he obtained his PhD in history and policy of contemporary time at university of Bologna. Federico Eichberg worked at the presidency of Ministry’s Council and today he is in the Cabinet of economic development ministry. Eichberg is also member of the group for strategies for Italian interests for medium and long term at international levels of Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At the political level Federico Eichberg is responsible for international affairs at the “FareFuturo” foundation. He is author of several publications about integration and international relations.

0697996400 / +393475030492 / /

Gabriella Vukovich, DEMO-STAT Consultant - Social Studies, Demography, Statistics, Chairwoman of the 'European Demographic Challenge: Immigration and Family Policies' Working Group

Gabriella Vukovich is demographer and statistician, former vice president of the Hungarian Central Statistical Office. Currently director of DEMO-STAT CONSULTANTS, Social Studies–Demography–Statistics, in Budapest, Hungary and part time lecturer at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. Research interests: population, family, social policy, labour market, ageing.


Tel.: +(36 1) 453 34 26; + (36 30) 919 51 25
Fax: +(36 1) 453 34 27

Miklós Sotesz, Hungarian Secretary of State for Social Affairs


Telephone: +36-1-473-8100

Zsolt Spéder, Demographic Research Institute, Budapest

Current status: director of the Demographic Research Institute at the Hungarian Central Statistical Office

Education:

  • BudapestUniversityof Economic Sciences (1980-85)
  • J.W.GoetheUniversity (1989)
  • doctoral degree, BUES (1991), PhD, CorvinusUniversity (2000)

Field of research: partnership formation and fertility, social inequalities and poverty, status changes in the life course, longitudinal panel research methods.

Current activities:

  • Consortium Member of UNECE/PAU “Generation and Gender Program (GGP)”
  • Member of the Editorial Board International Sociology
  • President of the Demographic Section at the Hungarian Statistical Association
  • Conference organizer: Social Exclusion and the New Demographic Portrait of Europe. The Fourth International Conference of the EAPS Working Group “Second Demographic Transition”(Budapest, 2007)

Recent and ongoing international projects/collaborations:

  • Generation and Gender Program’ (2000-)
  • Population Policy Acceptance Study – the Viewpoint of Citizens and Policy
  • Actors regarding the Management of Population Related Change’ FP6 program (2004-2006)
  • Fertility intentions and outcomes: The role of policies to close the gap (FRETINT)’ supported by EU DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities (2006)
  • Reproductive decision-making in a macro-micro perspective (REPRO)’ FP7 program, (2007-)


Phone +49 (0)381 2081-0
Fax +49 (0)381 2081-280

Csaba Őry (See the plenary Session I)

Gerhard Hafner, Professor of International Law, Department of European, International and Comparative Law at ViennaUniversity

Gerhard Hafner graduated from the Vienna Law Faculty (Dr. iur. 1966) and subsequently studied at the Universities of Paris, The Hague, and Moscow. University assistant since 1970, Univ.-Doz. 1983 (International Law and International Economic Law); Professor at the Vienna Law Faculty since 1990; Visiting Professor in Stanford (1996), Bratislava since 1992, Visiting Professor at the `Institut des Hautes Etudes Internationales´ of the University Paris 2 (1997), Lecturer at the Austrian Diplomatic Academy Vienna, M.A.I.S.; University of Krems; Member of the International Law Commission (1997-2001) - First Vice-president of the ILC during the 2001 session; Conciliator at the OSCE Court and Member of its Bureau; former Deputy Chairman of the German Society of International Law; one of five arbitrators in the MOX case (Irland v. United Kingdom), Counsel for Liechtenstein in the case Certain Property (Liechtenstein v. Germany) before the International Court of Justice; Chairman of the Austrian Branch of the International Law Association; Chairman of the ILA Committee on State Succession; Legal Consultant to the Austrian Ministry for Foreign Affairs; Director of the Department of European, International and Comparative Law (University of Vienna); Member of the Governing Board of the European Studies Institute in Moscow.

Department of European, International and Comparative Law
Section for International Law and International Relations
University of Vienna
Schottenbastei 10-16
A-1010 Vienna/AUSTRIA
tel: +43-1-4277 35316
fax: +43-1-4277 9353

David Coleman, OxfordUniversity

David Coleman has been the Professor of Demography at OxfordUniversity since 2002 and was the Reader in Demography between 1996-2002, and Lecturer in Demography since 1980. Between 1985 and 1987 he worked for the British government, as the Special Adviser to the Home Secretary, and then to the Ministers of Housing and of the Environment. Research interests include the comparative demographic trends in the industrial world; the future of fertility, the demographic consequences of migration and the demography of ethnic minorities. International collaborative work continues on these topics at the Vienna Institute of Demography. He has worked as a consultant for the Home Office, for the United Nations and for private business. He has published over 100 papers and eight books including The State of Population Theory: Forward from Malthus(ed.with R.S. Schofield, 1986), The British Population: patterns, trends and processes(with J. Salt, 1992. OxfordUniversity Press); International Migration:Regional Responses and Processes (ed. with M. Macura 1994); Europe's Population inthe 1990s (ed. 1996, OxfordUniversity Press), Ethnicity in the 1991 Census. Volume 1:Demographic characteristics of ethnic minority populations, edited (with J. Salt), London, HMSO and Immigration to Denmark: national and international perspectives (with E. Wadensjo, 1999, Aarhus University Press). He was the joint editor of the European Journal of Population (Paris) from 1992 to 2000 and in 1997 and in 2001 was elected to the Council of the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population. He is a Fellow of St. John's College and a lecturer at St. Catherine's College. He gives lectures and tutorials in demography to students in Human Sciences, PPE and other degrees and was Chairman of the Human Sciences Institute from 2005-2008.