October 11th-12st, 2024
9th ZAGREB SECURITY FORUM 2024
NATO and EU Cooperation – a Key for Resilient Future
Organized by
Hybrid Warfare Research Institute,
St. George Association and
Dr. Franjo Tuđman Defense and Security University
with support by Konrad Adenauer Foundation - Office for Croatia and Slovenia
At Hotel Sheraton, Zagreb
Day 0: Thursday, October 10th, 2024
20:00 Dinner for Speakers, Panel Chairs, Sponsors and Guests of Honor (Invitation only)
– Hotel Sheraton
Day 1: Friday, October 11th, 2024
09:00 – 09:30 Arrival and Registration
09:30 - 09:45 Opening Ceremony
Assoc.Prof. Gordan Akrap, Hybrid Warfare Research Institute, Zagreb
Holger Haibach, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Office for Croatia and Slovenia
Prof.Dr. Shlomo Shpiro, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan
Prof.Dr. Ivo Lučić, rector of Dr. Franjo Tuđman Defense and Security University, Zagreb
09:45- 10.45 Keynote Speakers
NATO and EU Cooperation – a Key for Resilient Future
- ms. Dubravka Šuica, Vicepresident of European Commission 2020-2024 (tbc)
- Major General (ret.) Paul Hurmuz, former NATO Deputy Director of the Intelligence Division and Senior Military Coordinator for JISr; NEw Strategy Center, Romania
- Brigadir General Bruno Cunat, DGRIS - Deputy Head of Europe, North America and Multilateral Affairs Division, MoD, France
- H.E. Nathalie Rayes, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Croatia (tbc)
- Davor Božinović, PhD, Minister of Interior, Croatia (tbc)
- mr. Ivan Anušić, Minister of Defence, Croatia (tbc)
- mr. Andrej Plenković Prime minister of Croatia (tbc)
10:45-11:05 Coffee Break
11:05-13:00 Panel I
Integration of Abilities on National and Regional Level for a NATO/EU Joint Efforts
Chair: Brigadir General Bruno Cunat, DGRIS - Deputy Head of Europe, North America and Multilateral Affairs Division, MoD, France
1. Col. Viacheslav Semenenko, PhD, the Deputy Head of the Center for Military Strategic Studies, Military Academy of Ukraine: Military Strategy of Ukraine: setting up for resilient future
2. Assoc.Prof. Ieva Gajauskaite, General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania: The will to defend, fight and resist: Societal resilience to Hybrid threats in Lithuania's total defense model
3. Prof.Dr. Odd Jarl Borch, Nord University, and Prof.Dr. Tormod Heier, The Norwegian Defense University College, Norway: Aligning civilian and military resources in countering hybrid threats – a regional network approach
4. Dr. Przemyslaw Gasztold, IPN and War Studies University, Warsaw, Poland: Chinese influence and information operations in Poland
5. Prof.Dr. Iulian Chifu, National Defence University “Carol I”, Romania: Rational choice and errors in decision-making: Ukraine, Gaza, Nagorno-Karabakh
13:00-14:00 Lunch (one non-alcoholic beverage included)
14:00-16:00 Panel II
Women In Security And Defence
Chair: Assist.Prof. Daria Vilkova, Taras Schevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kiyv, Ukraine
1. Special Guest
2. Assoc.Prof. Bojana Lakičević-Đuranović, Faculty of Law, University of Montenegro: Women in Security and Defense Sciences in Montenegro
3. Dr. Vira Ratsiborynska, Adjunct professor on NATO and transatlantic approaches to security, Free University of Brussels (VUB): NATO in its multidomain operations: Reflections on NATO’s cognitive superiority
4. Dr. Eleni Kapsokoli, University of Piraeus, Greece: Exploring Artificial Intelligence’s role in electoral interference (online)
5. Linda Jarl, Swedish Defence Research Agency, Sweden: Expectations and synergies within security collaborations- from a small state perspective
6. Ivana Kovačević Bekić, PhD candidate, Operations Department, Croatian Cyber Command, Ministry of Defence, Croatia: Women in Security and Defense Sciences in Croatian Army
16:30-18:20 Panel III
Critical Infrastructure Protection And Resilience Of Society
Chair: Prof. Dr. Giray Sadik, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University
1. Dr Natalija Parlov, Hybrid Warfare Research Institute, Zagreb; Dr Goran Leci, Hitachi; Mladen Pemper: Building resilience: An integrated strategy for enhancing Supply Chain Security in EU through compliance with NIS2, DORA, CER, CSA and CRA using industry and regulatory standards
2. Prof.Dr. Gilliam de Valk, Willem Leeuwenkamp, PhD candidate, Djie Han Thung, University of Leiden: Innovating approaches of red teaming
3. Prof.Dr. Slavko Vidović, InfoDom group, Croatia: Critical Infrastructure Protection for Smart Industries
4. Dr. Carlos Galan, Nebrija University and Carlos III University of Madrid, Dr. Javier Valencia, University of Salamanca, Spain: Russian interference in the U.S. electoral process: Evolution and analysis of disinformation campaigns
5. Ferdinand Alexander Gehringer, KAS Berlin, Policy Advisor for Cybersecurity: KRITIS, Hybrid Threats, Cyber, Sabotage and Espionage
20:00 - Networking dinner for all Forum participants, (two non-alcoholic beverages included) – Hotel Sheraton
Day 2: Saturday, October 12st, 2024
10.00-11.45 Panel IV
Disinformation And Hybrid Threats – Fighting The Content Or The Source?
Panel powered by ATENA project funded by Agency for Electronic Media within NPOO measures "Establishment of Verification of Media Facts and System of Public Information Publication" - https: //npoo.aem.hr
Chair: Prof.Dr. Marco Lombardi, director of ITSTIME research center, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Milano, Italy
1. Sandra Wassbro, MA, Swedish Police, Dr. Anders Strindberg, Swedish Defence Research Agency-FOI, Sweden: Enforcing the law in the face of lawless enemies: Safeguarding police capabilities against hybrid threats
2. Assoc. Prof. Doc Dr Mikael Weisman, Swedish Defence University: An analytical framework for countering hybrid threats and malign foreign influence and interference: Building psychological defence and resilience for the threats of today and tomorrow (online)
3. Assoc.Prof. Vera Stojarova, Masaryk University, Czech Republic: The Night Wolves in the Balkans – gaining hearts and minds
4. Dr. Silvano Lucini, Italian Team for Security Terroristic Issues and Managing Emergencies – ITSTIME, Milano, Italy: The Russian STRATCOM Model of Influence Public Opinion
5. Dr. Alessandro Bolpagni, Italian Team for Security Terroristic Issues and Managing Emergencies – ITSTIME, Milano, Italy: New Communication Technologies Implemented by Terrorist Organizations
11:45-12:00 Coffee Break
12.00-13.30 Panel V
Young Researchers Forum And Hybrid Threats Resiliency (1)
Chair: ir. Yvan de Mesmaeker (M.Sc.Eng.), ECSA, Belgium
1. Francesca Elena Strat, Saurav Narain, international Master in Security, Intelligence and Strategic Studies, University of Glasgow, UK, Strategic Alliances and Contested Seas: A Deep Dive into China-ASEAN Relations
2. Giorgia Piovesan, international Master in Security, Intelligence and Strategic Studies, University of Glasgow, UK: China’s operation’s at and for Arctic
3. Iulia Mihaela Dragan, PhD Candidate, Center for Conflict Prevention and Early Warning, Romania: Lessons learned about radicalization. The case of Hamas radicalization campaign and the new wave of extremism
4. Anastatios Nikolaos Kanellopoulos, PhD candidate, Assit.Prof. Anthony Ioannidis, Athens Uni of Economics and Business, Greece: Toward a Unified C2I Model: Enhancing Intelligence Security in the Shipping Industry" (online)
5. LtCol Ivona Balić Dorić, Ministry of defense, Croatia: Gendered Impacts on Operational Effectiveness of the Armed Forces
13:30-14:30 Lunch (one non-alcoholic beverage included)
14.30-16.00 Panel VI
Young Researchers Forum And Hybrid Threats Resiliency (2)
Chair: Dr.Rodica Ciobanu/Dr.Mariana Rosca, Univeristy of Moldau, Moldau
1. Margareta Gregić, PhD candidate, Jelena Božić, PhD candidate, University North, Croatia: AI as a Tool of War and Weapon for Peace
2. Zunaira Khan MA, Common Misison Project MoD, UK: To what extent is our existing understanding of intelligence as a state-centric phenomenon challenged by the activities of non-state actors? (online)
3. Zdenek Rod, PhD candidate, University of West Bohemia, Czech Republic: 360-Degree Approach to Countering Disinformation
4. Mathias Desmet, academic assistant and PhD researcher, Department of Criminology, Crminal Law and Social Law, Ghent University: Cultural Heritage as a Hybrid Threat
5. Ante Batistić, MA, Defence and Security University, Croatia: Analysis of media reports on the activities of Serbian and B&H intelligence agencies in Croatia (2002-2022)
16.00-16.10 Forum Conclusions
Future Challenges, Joint Responses
Co-chairs: Assoc.Prof. Gordan Akrap, Prof.Dr. Shlomo Shpiro, Holger Haibach
The aim of this session is to integrate the lessons learned from the individual presentations of the previous two days, both in terms of threat analysis and of networked responses. Furthermore, this session will facilitate a wider discussion on the needs for joint capacity building, intensive inter-operability, and mutual multi-level crisis assistance.
16.15-17.15 Dare to Learn Salsa Dance
with Prof.Dr. Željko Dobrović (international Salsa Dance Instructor)