November 18th, 2021
13:00–18:00 CET
The Oligarchs – Economic Power, Democracy and the Responsibility of the West
Berlin // Online
The conference brought together academics, journalists, think tank experts and policy makers who analyzed the impact of oligarchs on democracy, the oligarchic power strategies and tactics and the role of Western infrastructure.
Academics
Experts
Media
Agenda
13:00 CET – Opening remarks
Dr. Sebastian Schwark, Visiting Fellow GMF, APSA’06
Artem Shaipov, GMF Policy Designers Fellowship Program'19
Vasyl Myroshnychenko, Partner, CFC Big Ideas, MMF’18
13:15 CET – Panel I
What is the impact of oligarchs on democratic transition?
The oligarchic power strategies and tactics and the role of Western infrastructure and the complicity of Western actors for oligarchic power
Edward Lucas
Non-Resident Senior Fellow
Center for European Policy Analysis
John Lough
Associate Fellow,
Russia & Eurasia Programme,
Chatham House
Dr. Taras Kuzio
Associate Research Fellow,
Henry Jackson Society
Adjunct Professor,
National University
of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy
Vasyl Myroshnychenko
moderator
Partner, CFC Big Ideas
Marshal Memorial Fellow’18
14:15 CET – Special guest
Interview with Casey Michel
Casey Michel is a journalist whose writings on offshoring, kleptocracy, and financial secrecy have appeared in Foreign Affairs, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Vox, The New Republic, and POLITICO Magazine, among others. He is an Adjunct Fellow with the Hudson Institute's Kleptocracy Initiative, and has contributed research pertaining to offshoring, illicit finance, and foreign interference to the German Marshall Fund, the Human Rights Foundation, and others.
15:30 CET – Panel II
How to advance democracy in an economy dominated by oligarchs?
What are the best practices for civil society and political leaders in their struggle for more democratic political representation and government in dealing with oligarchs and oligarchic power structures?
Daria Kaleniuk
Executive Director,
Anti-Corruption Action Center
Anna Babinets
Chief Editor and Director,
Slidstvo.Info
Dr. Oleksandra Keudel
Researcher of Local Government Anti-Corruption Policies,
Free University Berlin
Artem Shaipov
moderator
GMF Policy Designers Fellowship Program'19
16:30 CET – Panel III
How can policymakers constrain the influence of oligarchs?
The loopholes in the West allow the oligarchic power structures to flourish, particularly in the financial system, but also in real estate, tourism, consulting and other economic areas. How can it be addressed effectively on a policy level?
Viola von Cramon-Taubadel
MEP, Group of the Greens / European Free Alliance, Vice Chair Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee
Dr. Iryna Solonenko
Senior Fellow,
Zentrum Liberale Moderne
Dr. Julia Langbein
Head of Research Cluster Political Economy and Integration, Centre for East European and International Studies (ZOiS)
Dr. Sebastian Schwark
moderator
Visiting Fellow GMF, APSA’06
17:30 CET – Closing remarks
Dr. Sebastian Schwark, Visiting Fellow GMF, APSA’06
Artem Shaipov, GMF Policy Designers Fellowship Program'19
Vasyl Myroshnychenko, Partner, CFC Big Ideas, MMF’18
This hybrid event brought together academics, journalists and experts in the office of the GMF in Berlin, accessible for participants and media via the on-line conference program upon registration.
Partners and supporters
This project is supported financially by the German Marshall Fund of the United States and implemented by alumni of its leadership programs, namely Vasyl Myroshnychenko, Dr. Sebastian Schwark, and Artem Shaipov.
GMF offers a portfolio of leadership development initiatives for established, mid-career, and next-generation leaders who are committed to strengthening transatlantic relations to make a free, prosperous, and peaceful world possible. Upon successful graduation from one of these programs, participants join a 4-thousand-strong GMF alumni network that deploys their talents to advance democracy, inclusive leadership, and global engagement for a new century of transatlantic collaboration.
Opinions expressed in this conference do not necessarily represent those of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, or its partners.
CFC Big Ideas is a strategic communications company that specializes in corporate and crisis communications, public affairs and reputation management.
Since its inception in 2002, CFC has managed to build a portfolio of clients across various sectors such as telecom, energy, agro, pharmaceuticals, FMCG, IT, banking and finance.
CFC’s portfolio includes numerous special projects that the company implemented on the margins of the UN General Assembly, World Economic Forum in Davos, the G20 Summit in Argentina, and other important international events.
In 2014, CFC’s leadership team joined efforts with other communications consultants to establish Ukraine Crisis Media Center, a media NGO, which has been focused on amplifying Ukraine’s voice internationally and countering Russian disinformation.
Slidstvo.Info is an independent Ukrainian agency of journalist investigations, specializing in discovering corruption within the government and high-profile criminal investigations.
Slidstvo.Info was founded in 2002 by journalists Dmytro Hnap and Anna Babinets. Among the donor organizations of Slidstvo.Info are the International Renaissance Foundation, Internews Network, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, and Journalism Development Network.
Slidstvo.Info is an affiliated partner of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.
Anti-Corruption Action Center is a Ukrainian NGO founded in 2002. Among its main scope of activity are: policy development and advocacy, initiating the assessment of laws on National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, supervision over public procurement, launching the system of e-declarations, establishment of the open register of beneficiaries of legal persons, and disclosing the asset registry.
– We work to make corruption in our country an exception
– We develop legislation and achieve not just adoption but complete implementation
– We seek irreversibility of punishment for TOP kleptocrats even outside of Ukraine
– We help partners to become more efficient to make systemic changes in Ukraine together