Preliminary Program

PROGRAM
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
“Interagency and International Cooperation in
Countering Hybrid Threats”
28 – 29 September, 2016
Under the patronage of the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Bulgaria Mr. Nikolay Nenchev


CO-ORGANIZERS:
• G. S. Rakovski National Defense College, Defense Advanced Research Institute (DARI)
• Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) International, South East European Region, AFCEA Sofia Chapter
CONFERENCE VENUE:
Central Military Club, 7 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria


27 September 2016, Tuesday
08:00 – 18:00 Arrival and accommodation of the foreign participants
19:30 – 21:00 Icebreaking (Central Military Club)
28 September 2016, Wednesday
08:30 – 09:00 Registration
09:00 – 10:30 Official Panel
Moderator Captain (BGR-N) Prof. Yantsislav Yanakiev, D.Sc.

 

  • Opening remarks of the Commandant of G. S. Rakovski National Defense College Major General (BGR-A) Todor Dochev
  • Address by Mr. Konstantin Zografov, AFCEA Regional Vice President for South East European Region and AFCEA Sofia Chapter President
  • Key Note Address by the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Bulgaria Mr. Nikolay Nenchev
  • Address on behalf of the CHOD General Konstantin Popov
  • Address by the Ministry of Interior (TBC)
  • Address by the Ministry of MFA (TBC)
  • Address by the Ministry of transport, technology and communications (TBC)
  • Keynote Speaker Mr. Timo Koster, NATO HQ, Director DPP (DPCD-Defense Policy and Capabilities Directorate) “NATO Post Warsaw Summit”

10:30 – 11:00 Family Photo & Coffee Break
11:00 – 12:30 First Panel “Emerging challenges of hybrid warfare and related threats and risks to the collective and national security”
Moderator Mr. Konstantin Zografov


11:00 – 11:20 Vice admiral Emil Eftimov, DCHOD, Bulgaria: “Capacity Building to Counter Hybrid Threats via Cooperation and Regional Security”
11:20 – 11:45 Dr. Matthew Rhodes, George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies: “Hybrid Warfare and Resilience “
11:45 – 12:05 Capt USN (ret) Scott Jasper, USA, Naval Postgraduate School: “Countering ISIS: An Adaptive Hybrid Threat”
12:05 – 12:3045 Industry presentation: INTRACOM Bulgaria, "Cyber Security and Data protection in Hybrid Governmental Networks"


12:30 – 13:30 Working Lunch
13:30 – 15:00 Second Panel “Conceptual aspects of future warfare and their influence on the integrated architecture of tomorrow’s security and defense“
Moderator Prof. D. Sc. Vesselin Tselkov


13:30 – 14:00 Prof. Mitko Stoykov, D.Sc., Bulgaria, G. S. Rakovski NDC: “DARI Report on the Results of National Expert Assessment of Institutional Capabilities to Countering Hybrid Threats”
14:00 – 14:15 Prof. Dr. Carol Atkinson, New Zealand, Victoria University of Wellington: “Societal Resilience to Hybrid Military Strategies”
14:15 – 14:30 Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kiril Avramov, Bulgaria, New Bulgarian University, Information Security Directorate: “By Another Way of Deception: the Use of Conspiracy Theories as a Foreign Policy Tool in the arsenal of the Hybrid Warfare”


14:30 – 15:00 Coffee Break

15:00 – 16:30 Third Panel “Legal and Doctrinal Limitations and Gaps to an Integrated Institutional Approach to the Development and Application of Future Capabilities to Counter Hybrid Threats”
Moderator Prof. Mitko Stoykov, D.Sc. Col Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ivan Hristozov


15:00 – 15:20 Industry presentation: Technologica
15:20 – 15:35 Capt (BGR-N) Prof. Yantsislav Yanakiev, D.Sc., Bulgaria, G. S. Rakovski NDC: “Building Social Resilience to Counter Hybrid Threats”
15:35 – 15:50 Dr. Lychezar Milushev, Svetla Ignatova, Stoycho Panev, Bulgaria, Ministry of Interior, Analysis and politics Directorate: “Hybrid threats, challenges and possibilities for building institutional capabilities”
15:50 – 16:05 Dr. Nenad Taneski & Dr. Toni Naumovski, Macedonia, Military Academy and General Staff: “NATO’s Partnership Policy: Opportunities and Challenges”
16:05 - 16:20 Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bistra Vassileva, Bulgaria, University of Economics, Varna & Dr. Moti Zwilling, Israel, Ariel University:: “Hybrid Warfare Simulation-based Learning: Challenges and Opportunities”
16:20 – 16:35 Ms. Gergana Mitalova, Bulgaria, G. S. Rakovski NDC: “Legal and Doctrinal Limitations and Gaps for the Application of a Comprehensive Institutional Approach to Capabilities Development Countering Hybrid Threats”
16:35 – 16:50 Dr. Gergana Yordanova, Bulgaria, “Sovereign Debt as Emerging Challenge of Hybrid Warfare”
16:50 – 17:00 Discussion
17:00 Closing of the first day of the conference Capt. (BGR-N) Prof. Yantsislav Yanakiev, D.Sc.


19:30 – 21:30 Reception for the registered conference participants and guests, Lozenets Residence (Upon invitation)


29 September 2016, Thursday
09:15 – 10:15 Fourth Panel (First section) “Institutional Responsibilities in the Development and Application of Capabilities to Counter Hybrid Threats“
Moderator Prof. Carol Atkinson


09:00 – 09:15 Lt Col Vlasta Zekulic, NATO ACT, Strategic Plan and Policy Directorate (TBD)Dr. Julie Marble
09:15 – 09:30 Albert Brady, NATO Joint Warfare Center Stavanger, “Hybrid Warfare from an International Organizations Perspective”
09:30 – 09:45 Col Lyubomir Monov, NATO ACT & Col Assoc. Prof. Dr. Maksim Karev, Bulgaria, G. S. Rakovski NDC: “How to Counter with Hybrid Threats”
09:45 – 10:00 Chris Deliso, USA, Director Balkanalysis.com: “Security Risks Relating to the Migrant Crisis and Interagency Cooperation: the Case of Macedonia and Bulgaria” 10:00 – 10:15 Dr. Ivan Lolev, Bulgaria, Academy of the Ministry of Interior: “The Hybrid Warfare in the Field of the Illegal Immigration”

10:15 – 10:45 Coffee Break
10:45 – 12:15 Fourth Panel (Second section) “Institutional Responsibilities in the Development and Application of Capabilities to Counter Hybrid Threats“ Moderator Colonel Assoc. Prof. Dr. Maksim Karev


10:45 – 11:00 Dr. Nebojsa Nikolic, Serbia, Strategic Research Institute: “Obstacles in Interorganizational Cooperation and Hybrid Threats”

11:00 – 11:15 Michelle Jones, UK, Aberystwyth University, Department of International Politics: “Encountering Children on the Battlefield”

11:30 – 11:45 Lt Col Georgi Kozhuharov & Georgi Todorov, Bulgaria, MoD: “Hybrid Threats – Inplication for the National Security and Bulgarian Armed Forces' Capabities" 11:45 – 12:00 Cap. (BGR-N) Kiril Vylchanov & Lt Col Daniela Blagoeva, Bulgaria, MoD: “Building Effective Security Institutions against Hybrid Threats”

12:00 – 12:15 Dr. Veronika Stoilova, Bulgaria, South-West University: “The Art of Achieving Political Goals Without use of Force: War by Non-Military Means”
12:15 – 12:30 Industry presentation: Lirex


12:30 – 13:30 Working Lunch


13:30 – 15:45 Fifth Panel “Cyber security, Cyber Defense and Hybrid Warfare“
Moderator Col Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ivan Hristozov Prof. Dr. Carol Atkinson


13:30 – 13:45 Vasil Rizov, Bulgaria, State commission on information security: “Information Sharing for cyber threats”
13:45 – 14:00 Dr. Andrej Iliev, Dr. Zoran Jovanovski & Atila Ago, Macedonia, Military academy „Gen. Mihailo Apostolski": “Compromise of Information Security Through the Methods of Social Engineering"
14:00 – 14:15 Col Orlin Nikolov, Bulgaria, NATO CMDR COE: “Building and Protecting Societal Resilience against Hybrid Threats”
14:15 – 14:30 Dr. Andrej Iliev, Col Dr Drage Petreski & Lt Col Nikola Kletnikov, Macedonia, Military academy “Gen. Mihailo Apostolski": “Historical Development and Perspectives of Hybrid Warfare”
14:30 – 14:45 Industry presentation, TECHNOLOGICA, Georgi Dukov, „Cyber security, Cyber Defense  and Hybrid Warfare“


14:45 – 15:15 Coffee Break


15:15 – 15:30 Dr. Arnold C. Dupuy, USA, Virginia Technological University: “Cyber-Energy Infrastructure Vulnerabilities in the Hybrid Warfare Environment: Some DoD Mitigation Efforts” (VTC)
15:30 – 15:45 Assoc. Prof. Dr. Veselina Aleksandrova, Bulgaria, G. S. Rakovski NDC: “Interface Solutions for Improving Information Interoperability in the Conditions of Hybrid Threats”
15:45 – 16:00 Capt. Dobrin Mahlyanov, Bulgaria, MoD, Information Security Directorate: “Internet of Things (IOT) – a New Attack Vector for Hybrid Threats”
16:00 – 16:30 General discussion 16:30 Closing of the Conference Major General (BGR-A) Todor Dochev, Commandant of G. S. Rakovski National Defense College