EU IFI Conference Cyprus

Fiscal Management in Changing Times:
The Initial Responses

1st Day (10 Feb 2026)

9:00 - 9:45

Registration & Welcome Coffee

10:00

Master of Ceremony: Stavriana Kofteros

10:10

Salutations & Welcomes

11:00

Keynote Speech: Hugo Dixon

11:40

Panel Discussion: Quantifying new risks

Climate and geopolitical risks are emerging as key game changes in fiscal planning as well as investment decisions. In economic forecasts and projections, these are increasingly likely to throw businesses and governments off track. How can we better quantify such risks and how can we incorporate them more fully in our medium and long-term planning?

Moderator: Yiangos Hadjiyiannis

Speakers: George Boustras, Kyriaki Pilia, Dr. Theodoros Zachariadis

12:20

COFFEE BREAK

12:40

Keynote Speech: Tassos Yiasemides

13:00

Panel Discussion: Communicating complex ideas to the public

At times of social and societal pressure, increased populism and rapid technological disruption, fiscal and financial authorities need to better communicate realities, both to decision makers and to the broader public. At the same time, finance and fiscal management are becoming more intricate and opaque. How can we better communicate complex issues in the era of Instagram?

Moderator: Tassos Yiasemides

Speakers: Natasa Kyprianides , Bogdan Capraru, Shemaine Bushnell

13:40

LUNCH BREAK

14:40

Panel Discussion: Digital Transformation of Public Finance

As markets continue to gravitate towards digital currencies, Central Banks are preparing their response with CBDCs. At the same time, tax administrations and expenditure monitoring are turning to AI. Are there fiscal implications from these developments? Should IFIs and other observers concern themselves with the fiscal impact in terms of monitoring these developments?

Moderator: Christiana Aristidou

Speakers: Stella Ioannidou , Vassilios Vrachimis

15:20

COFFEE BREAK

15:50

Panel discussion: Emerging trends in sovereign debt: A view from the markets

Investors are increasingly focusing on cryptocurrencies and digital currencies and are showing less interest in sovereign debt. Sovereign debt is on the rise across the developed world. Rates are slowing but are under upward pressure. Are there discernible trends in the attitudes of markets which could potentially change the game in sovereign debt, debt servicing costs, snowball effects and market responses to new debt issuance (eg new preferences on maturities)?

Speakers: George C. Georgiou, Dr. Snezana Eminidou , Ruslan Patlavsky

2nd Day (11 Feb 2026)

Conference Schedule

9:00 - 10:00

Registration & Welcome Coffee

10:00

Moderator : Michalis Persianis

10:20

Fireside Chat

10:35

Panel Discussion: IFIs a year in EGR: What are the first impressions?

The first stocktaking efforts from the EGR are coming in. What is the experience of IFIs? Has our mission become easier, or harder? How has our role been impacted by EGR? Are there day-to-day changes? Has it created gaps between missions and capacity?

Moderator: Sandra Krtalic

Speakers: Flavio Padrini , Natasha Miaouli , Patricia Semiao

11:20

COFFEE BREAK

11:50

Panel Discussion: AI for fiscal institutions

AI has already changed how businesses, analysts, investors and consumers decide. Have IFIs started incorporating AI in their models and analysis and in the day-to-day work? What are the initial, perhaps exploratory, efforts to gauge and leverage AI to better fulfil our missions?

Moderator: Nektarios Michael

Speakers: Georgiana Camelia Georgescu, Andrés Martínez Gonzalez , Antonis Houry

12:30

Concluding remarks and EU IFI Housekeeping: Lilia Cavallari

13:00

LUNCH BREAK