YALTA ECONOMIC FORUM 2017

Foreign Participants

1. Laurențiu Rebega, Member of the European Parliament (Romania). (The Black Sea can and must be a region of friendship and partnership. Thanks to both the proximity and interaction, Romania and Crimea have enormous potential for collaboration. This is especially so in the fields of agriculture, tourism, services, construction, high-tech industries, and scientific research. Economic collaboration on an intensive level will lead to cooperation between partners, and a softening of the political climate).
2. Andros Kyprianou, Secretary-General of the Progressive Party of Working People (AKEL),
3. Giorgos Lillikas, a former Foreign Minister of Cyprus and Chairman of the Citizens’ Alliance party,
4. Johannes Hübner, Member of Austria’s National Council (Lower House of the Austrian Parliament (The important thing now is that Crimea establishes the right climate for economic and political development. From the outset we have denounced the sanctions which the EU has imposed on Russia. These are foolish measures, and there wasn't the slightest need for them. They destroy opportunities for dialogue, as well as ruining the conditions in which economic development can take place).
5.  Hans-Jörg Jenewein, Member of the  Upper House of the Austrian Parliament . (The Austrian economy is suffering as a result of those sanctions. In particular, the Austrian agricultural sector is showing a negative effect. These sanctions are very punitive, and they need to be ended. Austrian citizens have no interest in these sanctions – they were introduced purely for political ends).
6. Detlef Wimmer, Deputy Mayor of the city of Linz (Austria),
7. Bartolomeo Amidei (the Forza Italia party) Senator of the Italian Parliament (The lesson of history is that sanctions always end badly both for markets, and economic collaboration, and for socio-political relations between nations. Such sanctions are especially harmful when they are imposed upon on a region that's so close culturally and historically and there is much that united Russia with Italy. This means it's hopeless to expect these sanctions will achieve their ostensible ends whereas in fact they lead to a dead end. They should instead have worked through a path of dialogue, negotiations and shared ideas for solutions. I believe that the Italian Government needs a complete rethink on its policies towards Russia, to restore the pre-sanctions relations Italy had with Russia economically, and to expand our export trade with Russia. Frankly a mass influx of EU business to Crimea might happen earlier than expected. In the meantime, we need to establish a business-friendly climate in Crimea for foreign investors, cut red tape, simplify procedures for food imports and exports and put more tourists on Crimea's beaches and streets).
8. Sergio Divina (the Lega Nord party), Senator of the Italian Parliament (The EU sanctions against Russia undermine European interests. They have hit us all directly in the pocket most especially for nations such as Italy, who have lost out due to reduced exports to Russia. The losses for Italy alone can be set at between €3.6 and €4 billion euros, since the sanctions first kicked-in! And their effort drags on and on until now. Veneto is one of the areas of Italy which has been hardest hit by these decisions. We really hope that Rome will find the resolve needed to reconsider its position towards Russia. Our companies want to cut through this blockade, and restore their standing in the Russian market).
9. Giuseppe Raffa, President of the Province of Reggio Calabria,
10. Roberto Ciambetti, Chairman of the Regional Council of Veneto (Italy),
11. Stefano Valdegamberi, Deputy of the Regional Council of Veneto and the author of a resolution on the recognition of the outcome of the Crimean referendum (Italy), The non binding resolution was backed by 27 out of 51 local councilors, with only nine voting against it and urges the Italian government to condemn EU policy towards Crimea that violates the norms of the international law as well as subjects Crimea to “unfair discrimination” after the peninsula’s reunification with Russia. The text calls on the Italian government to recognize the will of the Crimean people expressed during the 2014 referendum and to demand an immediate lifting of anti-Russian sanctions that “have [had a] serious [negative] impact on Veneto’s economy.” It also justifies the recognition of Crimea’s current status by referring to Italy’s Constitution and international law, which enshrines the right to self-determination of peoples. The resolution criticizes the “double standards” used by the EU in its approach toward the situation in Crimea, as well as the inconsistency of the EU policy in the context of the precedent set by Kosovo’s secession from Serbia in 2008.
12. Samil Ayrim, Head of the Board of Directors of Özgün İnşaat and member of the Board of Directors of Marmara Group Foundation (Turkey),
13. Jean-Pierre Thomas, Director of investment company Thomas Vendome Investment (France).

Italian Business Delegation

Italian companies with a foothold in Russia are particularly interested in supplying Crimean wineries with wine-making equipment. There are also plans to produce goods in Crimea. Italian businesses who are working in the Russian market are particularly interested in Crimea and have begun to invest in the region… they don’t just want to sell some stuff in Crimea but produce goods here

Members of the Delegation

1. Stefano Albrigi (owner of the company "Albrigi Srl").
2. Stefano Bargi (Lega Nord Emilia e Romagna).
3. Gian Angelo Bellati (Director of the Chamber of Commerce of the Veneto region).
4. Fabio Bosio (owner of the company "Brescia").
5. Marina Buffoni (Fratelli d'Italia).
6. Attilio Carlesso (President of the company "Cantina di Soave").
7. Roberto Ciambetti (Liga Veneta–Lega Nord).
8. Jari Colla (Lega Lombarda-Lega Nord).
9. Alessandro Gonzato (journalist).
10. Antonio Nicodemo (Manager of the company "Veronesi").
11. Roberto Penazzi
12. Alessandro Piana (Lega Nord Liguria).
13. Luciano Sandonà (Lista Zaia/Liga Veneta–Lega Nord).
14. Fulvio Scandiuzzi (CEO of the Scandiuzzi Steel Constructions Spa).
15. Luciano Solda
16. Tancredi Turco (Alternativa Libera).
17. Stefano Valdegamberi (Lista Zaia/Liga Veneta–Lega Nord).
18. Marcello Veronesi (Owner of the company "Veronesi").
19. Manuel Vescovi (Lega Nord).