Roundtable on Energy Security in SE Europe

Programme

Roundtable on Energy Security in SE Europe
Thursday, 19 March 2026
European Parliament, Room 7C050, Paul-Henri Spaak (PHS) Building, Brussels


PROGRAMME


10.00 - 10.45 Registration

SESSION A

10.45 - 11.30  Opening Session

Chair and Introductory Remarks by Costis Stambolis, Chairman, & Executive Director,IENE

Welcome Remarks - Prof. Nikolas Farantouris, Member of the European Parliament - Jean Monnet Professor of Energy Law

Opening Remarks

  • Prof. Yannis Maniatis, MEP, Vice Chair – Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, Member ITRE, former Minister of Environment, Energy & Climate Change

Commentary

  • John Roberts, Energy Security Specialist, Methinks Ltd, Scotland, UK, Senior Visiting Research Fellow, IENE
  • Dr. Amit Mor, IENE Partner, CEO of Eco Energy, Financial & Strategic Consulting and Senior Lecturer at Reichman University (online)
  • Dr. Charles Ellinas, Senior Fellow, Global Energy Center of the Atlantic Council, Senior Visiting Research Fellow, IENE

SESSION B

11.30 - 13.00 The Energy Security Dimension in SE Europe

Moderator: Michael B. Christides, Ambassador (a.h.) Balkans and Black Sea Forum, Diplomatic Advisor, IENE

  • Presentation of IENE Study “SEE Energy Outlook 2025/2026”, By Costis Stambolis, Chairman, IENE
  • Cristina Lobillo Borrero, Director, Energy Security and International Relations, DG Energy, European Commission

Discussion

  • Ronald Pinto, Principal Insight Analyst- Gas & LNG, Kpler (online)
  • Prof. Ionut Purica, IENE Partner, Executive Director, Advisory Center for Energy and Environment - Romanian Academy, Romania (online)
  • Dr. Halil Yurdakul Yigitgüden, IENE Partner, Independent Energy Advisor, Ankara, Türkiye (online)
  • Jakub Przyborowicz, Brussels Representation  Office Manager, Gas Transmission Operator GAZ-SYSTEM S.A., GIE, Chair of the CEE-SEE working group, Brussels, Belgium
  • Prof. Neven Duić, Co-Chair Energy Steering Panel, European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC)

Q & A

13.00 – 14.00 Lunch Break

Roundtable Discussion Group A - Oil & Gas

Moderator: John Roberts, Energy Security Specialist, Methinks Ltd, Scotland, UK

14.00 - 15.15 Participation by:

  • Maria Karagiannidou-Rosiek, Head of Policy, IOGP Europe, The International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP), Brussels
  • Liana Gouta, Director General, FuelsEurope, Brussels
  • Kostis Oikonomopoulos, Petroleum Geologist, Research Fellow, Research Coordinator, IENE
  • Nurzhan Aitmakhanov, Counsellor of the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Brussels
  • Murad Heydarov, Head of Regional Office for Balkan Region, SOCAR (online)

Roundtable Discussion Group B - Energy Efficiency, Renewables & Hydrogen

Moderator: Nikos Sofianos, General Secretary, IENE, Chairman of IENE’s RES Committee

15.15 - 16.15 Participation by:

  • Konstantinos Theofylaktos, Deputy Chairman, IENE, and Chairman of IENE’s Energy Efficiency Committee
  • Tue Lippert, Advisor - Defence & Security, WindEurope, Brussels
  • Ivan Delibasic, Executive Director EU Advocacy, Hydrogen Europe, Brussels, Belgium
  • Dimitris Triantafyllopoulos, Managing Director, Hellenic Hydrogen

16.15 – 16.30 Coffee Break

Roundtable Discussion Group C - Electricity & Gas Grids

Moderator: Dr. Charles Ellinas, Senior Fellow, Global Energy Center of the Atlantic Council, Senior Visiting Research Fellow, IENE

16.30 - 17.45 Participation by:

  • Panagiotis Panousos, Director, System Operation, ENTSOG
  • Kristin Lucie Munthe, Board Member, ENTSO-E, Brussels, Belgium
  • Davor Bajs, Electricity Infrastructure Expert, Energy Community Secretariat (online)
  • Aliki van Heek, Independent nuclear consultant, Bèta Research GmbH, Associate to Nuclear-21, Vienna, Austria (online)

Roundtable Discussion Group D - Protection of Energy Infrastructure

Moderator: John Roberts, Energy Security Specialist, Methinks Ltd, Scotland, UK

17.45 - 18.45 Participation by:

  • Kristina Rimkūnaitė, Subject Matter Expert, Research and Lessons Learned Division, NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence, Vilnius, Lithuania 
  • Konstantinos Ι. Chatzifotis, European Affairs Manager, Motor Oil Group 
  • Felipe Castro-Barrigon, Policy Officer, Energy Security and Safety Unit, DG Energy, European Commission
  • Vytautas Butrimas, Industrial cybersecurity consulting, Voting member ISA 99, Member ISA 99 Substation Security Profile Workgroup 14, Lithuania (online)

18.45 - 19.00 Concluding Remarks & Close of Roundtable