Pavle Trajanov, Macedonia
Former Minister of Interior
Pavle Trajanov was born on December 25, 1952 in Radesh, Radovish. After completing the Law School, in 1977 he was employed in the Ministry of Interior, where during his career he was the head of the Sector for Security Analysis and Research, deputy secretary of the Public Security Service, Assistant Minister of Operations Affairs, and completed his career as Minister of the Interior (1998-1999).
In 1989, along with seven members of the Ministry of the Interior (the so-called "eight" of the RSVR) announced the democratic spring in Macedonia, advocating the introduction of a multi-party system, opposing the State Security Service to continue drumming fist of the Union of the Communists and an instrument to eliminate political opponents. Pavle Trajanov, as part of the eight in the Ministry of Interior, is actively involved in overcoming the deformations of the security services, as well as in reforms of the Ministry of Interior.
Pavle Trajanov as Undersecretary for Public Security has made a significant contribution to the independence of Macedonia (1991-1993) and in the fight against crime, corruption and especially in the fighting against organized crime.
In the period 1991-1993, together with the leaders and members of the Ministry of Interior, included the entire security system support the ideas for independent Macedonia.
Pavle Trajanov initiates, organizes and conducts the riskiest and most significant operation (in August 1991) for seizure of military records for the reserve force of the Republic Secretariat of defense, which prevents thousands of young reservists from being sent to the fronts in Yugoslavia.
Pavle Trajanov prepares the dislocation agreement of Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) from Macedonia, organizes defense of the borders by the police and strongly opposes the JNA's ideas and plans for a military coup in Macedonia.
In 1998 becomes a minister of Interior, prevent the attempts to destabilize Macedonia and successfully dealing with the security crisis, extremism and terrorism, undergoing thorough reorganization of the Ministry of Interior with the introduction of an anti-terror center, a department for fight against organized crime, emigration bureau, etc.
During 1999, under his leadership, Macedonia accept over 500,000 refugees from Kosovo.
In January 2000, he initiated the formation of a new political party - a democratic Alliance
From 2006 to 2017 he is an MP in the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia.
On December 6, 2017, the Parliament of North Macedonia at the 41st session appointed him the national coordinator for the implementation of the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Republic of Northern Macedonia.
Prof. Dr. Milenko Kreca, Serbia
Member of Venice Commission
and
Judge ad hoc of the International Court of Justice
Prof. Dr. Milenko Kreca is a Judge ad hoc of the International Court of Justice since 1993 in the cases related to the Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and the Legality of the Use of Force. Judge ad hoc the European Court of Human Rights; Member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague and since 2013 a member of the Venice Commission.
Graduated from the Law Faculty of the University of Belgrade. Earned an LLM degree in 1974 and upon graduation, practiced law as an attorney. In 1977 obtained Ph.D. in Law.
Full time Professor of International Public Law at the Belgrade University Faculty of Law since 1990; Head of Chair of International Law and International Relations at the Faculty of Law in Belgrade (since 1997); Member of the Board of the Faculty of Law in Belgrade (1998-2000); President of the Scientific Council for Legal and Political Sciences at Belgrade University (1999-2004); Director of the Institute for Legal and Social Studies, Faculty of Law, Belgrade (2004-2006); President of the Board of the Faculty of Law in Belgrade (2006-2009);
Director of the Institute for International Politics and Economics (1997-2000); President of the Council of the Institute for Comparative Law (1997-2000); Member of the Federal Commission for Harmonization of FRY Law with the Laws of EU, EC and WTO (1998-2000); President of the Serbian International Criminal Law Association since 2002 and the President of the Serbian Association of International Law Since 2013.
Author of various books, articles and monographs.
Goranco Savovski, Macedonia
Former Head of Public Security Bureau at the Ministry of Interior
Mr. Goranco Savovski has been worked at the Ministry of Interior since 1999 and during his career at the Ministry, passed through all the steps for career advancement starting from Junior Inspector for criminal delicts in Sector for Interior Affairs (SVR) Skopje; inspector for criminal delicts - department for Operational Matters; head of the Department for General Crime in Sector for Interior Affairs (SVR) Skopje; deputy chief of the Criminal Investigation Department at the Ministry of Interior (SVR) Skopje - Commission for Criminal Investigation; chief of Center for fighting of Organized and Serious Crime in the Central Police Services of the Public Security Bureau at the Ministry of the Interior; chief of Central Police Services at the Public Security Bureau at the Ministry of the Interior;
Since November 2013, in addition to the position of Chief of Central Police Services, he also serves as the Chief of Sector for Interior Affairs (SVR) Skopje at the Macedonian Public Security Bureau at the Ministry of Interior;
Since May 2015 chief of Macedonian Public Security Bureau at the Ministry of Interior and served in this position until September 2016
During his career he participated in many domestic and international seminars and conferences as well as participation in several courses, among which International Academy of FBI-ILEA Budapest, where he obtains an internationally recognized certificate from the FBI-ILEA –Budapest and workshops organized by the OSCE for police reform.
Col. (res.) Itshak Turgeman, Israel
Former Head of the Ministry of Defense Security-Society branch
Itshak Turgeman served as electronic engineer in a wide range of technical positions in the R&D unit of the IDF Intelligence Corps between 1975 and 2002 with his last position – Department head for electronics and production technology administration.
In 1999 one of the founders, leaders and administrative director until 2003 of the Atidim Program, established in order to assist youth with potential from developing towns in the periphery to acquire an academic education in engineering or the exact sciences within the framework of the IDF’s academic reserve.
Since 2003 Head of the Ministry of Defense (M.O.D) Security-Society branch; 2004-2006 CEO “Friends of Atidim”; 2006-2007 President “Friends of Atidim”; since 2008 is Deputy General Director Promotion of Excellence, Rashi Foundation and in 2012 becomes a General Director of the Rashi Foundation, position that he held until 2016.
During his career Itshak Turgeman awarded with Israel Defense Prize (1988) - awarded by the President of the State of Israel to for activities that contributed the most significant contribution to the security of the State of Israel; Head of IDF Intelligence Prize for Creative Thinking (1999); Technion Honorary Fellowship (2003); Lions Israel's - Man of the Year in the field of education (2007).
Currently Itshak Turgeman is a Chairman of the Executive Committee of Ben Shemen Youth Village; member of the Executive Committee and Co-Founder of Israel Living Lab Smart Mobility; member of the Executive Committee of Technion - Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa; member of the University Council – Open University; member of the Board of Directors - SCE-Sami Shamon Academic College of Engineering; member of the General Assembly - Friends of Atidim; member of the Executive Committee – Shetufim - Strategies For Social Impact; member of the Executive Committee - Ma'ase Center Association; member and Executive Committee - Knowledge Tech and member of the Steering Committee in Madaney Haatid - Future scientists for the gifted and outstanding children.
Itshak Turgeman obtained B.Sc. in electrical engineering and M.B.A. from Ben Gurion University of the Negev and M.A. in quality assurance and reliability from the Technion in Haifa.
Prof. Dr. Jove Kekenovski, Macedonia
Former Mayor of Skopje
Prof. Jove Kekenovski graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” – Skopje, Judiciary Department and political science, and gained PhD degree in Political Science with a dissertation in local self-government titled “Citizen Participation in a Political Processes of Decision Making on local level in Republic of Macedonia”, full Professor in “St. Kliment Ohridski” University – Bitola.
Began his carrier as a vice President of the Assembly of City of Skopje, served as an officer in the Experts Office and later as a secretary of the Assembly of Čair Municipality. In 1996 became a Mayor of Skopje, later a President of the Council of City of Skopje and after a state secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning of Republic of Macedonia.
In addition to his political career worked in Universities like FON University Skopje - Faculty of Social Sciences known as the first private University in Macedonia, “Pjeter Budi” University in Priština, on 05.04.2008 elected as a member of the Accreditation Committee by the Inter-University Conference of Republic of Macedonia. A regular contributor to the European Center for Peace and Development (ECPD) of the University for Peace United Nations to carry out works in the international transfer of knowledge by conducting international graduate master and doctoral studies, summer schools, courses and seminars.
Member of several management boards of public enterprises as President of the Chamber of Councils of the Community of Local Self-government Units of Republic of Macedonia and Vice-President of the Local Self-government Units of Republic of Macedonia, President of the Board of Directors of the Public Transportation Enterprise – Skopje, Member of the board of the Regional Environmental Centre of Republic of Macedonia, while being state secretary, President of the Management Board of Lake Ohrid and member of the Board of Directors of Directorate for Free Economic Zones.
Prof. Kekenovski author of almost 300 scientific papers presented at scientific conferences and published in scientific journals and 9 books.
Martin Bezak, Slovakia
Ambassador, Director of Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs
Martin Bezak is a professional diplomat, in 1997 began his career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic as a desk officer at the Department of South-Eastern and Eastern Europe. Since 1999 served as the Third Secretary at the Slovak Embassy to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, accredited also to the Republic of Macedonia and Republic of Albania; since 2003 as the Coordinator in the Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs; between 2005 - 2006 again at the Department of South-Eastern and Eastern Europe as the Deputy Director and Head of the Balkans Unit; in the period of 2006-2010 was posted at the Slovak Embassy to the Hellenic Republic as the First Secretary and Deputy Head of Mission; between 2010-2013 served in the Office of the President of the Slovak Republic at the Department of Foreign Policy as the Deputy Director and since 2013 as the Slovak Ambassador to the Republic of Macedonia.
Since 2017 Amb. Bezak has been the Director of the Consular Department at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic.
Amb. Bezak studied Regional and Political Geography at the Comenius University in Bratislava and Public Administration at the School of Public Administration of Academia Istropolitana Bratislava.
In 2017 awarded with the Medal of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Macedonia and in 2018 with the Medal of the European Movement in the Republic of Macedonia.
Vuksan Simonovic, Montenegro
Former Chairman of the Committee on Human Rights and Freedoms of the Parliament
Vuksan Simonovic is one of the most active politicians in Montenegro for the last 25 years. He began his career as a sports journalist and collaborated with several Montenegrian and Yugoslavian radio stations and newspapers like Radio “Titogard”, Radio “Beograd”, “Politika Ekspres” – Belgared, “Mladost” Belgrade and “Pobjeda” Titograd. In 1985 began his career as a lawyer at the legal department of “Pobjeda” and later as a legal officer at the Technical Faculties and Secretary at the Faculty of Metalurgy, University “Veljko Vlahovic” in Titograd.
Since 1990 is a member of the Municipal Committee of the Union of Communists of Podgorica; since 1992 is a member of the Municipal Committee and Executive Committee of the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro in Podgorica; one of the founders and a member of the Main Board of the Socialist People's Party of Montenegro since its founding on 21 March 1998 and a member of the Executive Board of the Socialist People's Party of Montenegro, at the same year was appointed as a Director of the Socialist People's Party of Montenegro, position that he held until 2003.
Member of the Municipal Assembly of Podgorica in five convocations in the period 1992-2003; between 1992 and 1996 is Vice President of the Municipal Assembly of Podgorica; between 1996 and 1998 is Vice President of the Municipality of Podgorica.
Member of the Parliament of the Republic of Montenegro in five convocations, first on behalf of the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro from 1996 to 1997 and after the split of Democratic Party of Socialists, on behalf of the Socialist People's Party of Montenegro in the period 1997-2009. During these years was a member of different working bodies of the Parliament of the Republic of Montenegro - Chairman of the Committee on Human Rights and Freedoms of the Parliament of the Republic of Montenegro; member of the Constitutional Affairs Committee in three terms; member of the Legislative Committee in four terms; member of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs and Legislation; member of the Committee on Political System, Judiciary and Administration; member of the Committee on Labor, Health and Welfare and President of the Parliamentary Multi-Party Commission of the Parliament of Montenegro for Determination of Facts on Cigarette Smuggling.
Member of the Working Group on Writing the Law on Election of Councilors and Members of Parliament, Law on Voters Sheets, Law on Financing of Political Parties and Law on Public Information in 1997/98; member of the Working Group on Writing the Law on Election of Councilors and Deputies and Law on Voters Sheets in 2001; member of the Working Group on Writing the Law on Election of the President of the Republic in 2003; member of the Working Group of the Ministry of Justice of Montenegro on writing the Law on Non-Governmental Organizations; member of the Working Group for Writing the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament of Montenegro; member of numerous working groups for legal issues of the Socialist People's Party of Montenegro.
In 1992 is a member of the Republican Election Commission of Montenegro - Federal elections; since 1997 until 1998 is a member of the Judicial Council of Montenegro; since 1999 until 2003 is a President of the Socialist People's Party of Montenegro Members' Club in the Parliament of Montenegro in two terms; member of the Expert Legal Team for Arranging Relations between Montenegro and Serbia and coordinator of the Socialist People's Party of Montenegro for implementation Census in Montenegro in 2011.
Prof. Dr. Sreto Nogo, Serbia
Secretary General of International Criminal Law Association of Serbia
Dr. Sreto Nogo is a Professor of the Criminal Law, the International Criminal Law and the Trial Law at Faculty of State Administration of Megatrend University in Belgrade and for many years he worked at the Federal Ministry of Justice and also as a high official within the Government of Serbia.
He was a member of the working groups for drafting the Criminal Law of FRY, for drafting the Law on Criminal Procedure FRY, for drafting the Law on Criminal Procedure of the Republic of Serbia; Secretary and member of the Federal Government Working Group for creation of recrimination of a dispute, initiated by the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina at International Court of Justice in The Hague, member of the Federal Government Working Group for the succession of the former Yugoslavia (subgroups of demarcation with Macedonia).
For many years he was a member of the Presidency of the Association for Criminal Law and Criminology of Yugoslavia and a member of the Editorial Board of “Yugoslav Review for Criminology and Criminal Justice”. Currently he is a member of the Editorial Board of the “Macedonian magazine for Criminal Law and Criminology”.
Professor Nogo obtained Ph.D. in law and has published over 100 scientific papers in the field of Criminal Law and International Criminal Law.
Currently Prof. Nogo is the Secretary General of International Criminal Law Association of Serbia.