OSCEs Parlamentariske Forsamling 2021-22
OSCE Alm.del Bilag 23
Offentligt
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AUTUMN MEETING
of the
OSCE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY
GENERAL INFORMATION
(as of July 2022)
Sofia, Bulgaria
14-16 October 2022
National Palace of Culture
 OSCE, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 23: Invitation til det årlige efterårsmøde i Sofia, Bulgarien
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VENUE OF THE MEETING
National Palace of Culture
1, Bulgaria square, 1463 Sofia, Bulgaria
Tel: +3592 916 6830
Web site:
https://www.ndk.bg
All meetings will take place at the National Palace of Culture.
For more information, please contact the staff listed below:
CONTACTS
Secretary of the Bulgarian Delegation to the OSCE PA
Ms. Dessislava Nakova
Tel.: + 35929393635
Email:
[email protected]
OSCE PA International Secretariat
Ms. Odile Lelarge, Head of Conference Services
Tel.: +45 33 37 80 40
Email:
[email protected]
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DRAFT PROGRAMME*
THURSDAY, 13 OCTOBER 2022
Arrival of Delegates
Accommodation and Registration
14:00
–
19:00
Registration open at the National Palace of Culture
18:00
–
19:00
Information meeting for Secretaries and Staff of Delegations
FRIDAY, 14 OCTOBER 2022
08:30
–
10:00
10:00
–
12:30
12:30
–
15:00
Time reserved for various meetings
MEDITERRANEAN FORUM
Lunch break
PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE
on “The
Contribution of Parliaments in the OSCE
Region in Facing the Hybrid Threats of the 2020s. Promoting Security in the
Black Sea Region and Beyond”
15:00
–
15:45
15:45
–
16:00
16:00
–
18:00
Evening
INAUGURAL SESSION
break
SESSION 1
TBC Reception hosted by the Bulgarian Parliament
SATURDAY,15 OCTOBER 2022
08:30
–
09:30
Time reserved for various meetings
PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE
on “The
Contribution of Parliaments in the
OSCE Region in Facing the Hybrid Threats of the 2020s. Promoting Security in
the Black Sea Region and Beyond” - continuation
09:30
–
12:30
12:30
–
15:00
15:00
–
18:00
Evening
SESSION 2
Lunch Break
MEETING OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE
TBC Social event
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SUNDAY, 16 OCTOBER 2022
08:00
–
09:00
Time reserved for various meetings
PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE
on “The
Contribution of Parliaments in the
OSCE Region in Facing the Hybrid Threats of the 2020s. Promoting Security in
the Black Sea Region and Beyond” - continuation
09:00
–
11:45
11:45
–
12:00
Afternoon
SESSION 3
CLOSING SESSION
CULTURAL PROGRAMME / DEPARTURES
MONDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2022
DEPARTURES
*
Please note that this preliminary draft programme is subject to change. A detailed programme will be
distributed to all participants in due course.
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HOTELS AND ACCOMMODATION
Rooms in the hotels listed below are blocked for the Autumn Meeting participants at special prices:
GRAND HOTEL SOFIA
Address:
1, Gen. Gurko str.; 1000 Sofia
Website:
https://www.grandhotelsofia.bg/
GRAND HOTEL MILLENNIUM
Address:
89 B, Vitosha Blvd., 1000 Sofia
Website:
https://grandhotelmillenniumsofia.bg/
HOTEL HYATT REGENCY SOFIA
Address:
Vasil Levski Square, 1504 Sofia
Website:
https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/bulgaria/hyatt-regency-sofia/sofrs
ROSSLYN CENTRAL PARK HOTEL
Address:
106 Vitosha Blvd., 1463 Sofia
Website:
http://www.centralparkhotel.bg/
Prices, cut-off dates, cancellation policies, and booking instructions: Kindly refer to the separate
document on Hotel Information.
Reservations must be made no later than the deadlines set in the document. Please note that
reservations after the date set by the hotels will be upon availability. Negotiated rates cannot be
guaranteed after the deadlines.
Reservations will be treated on a first-come, first-served basis. After this date, hotel room availability
cannot be guaranteed.
When booking, you will need to provide credit card information to guarantee the reservation.
REGISTRATION
Secretaries of Delegations should register participants via the OSCE PA
Registration Website
by
Tuesday 6 September 2022. Note that the registration website will be accessible from Wednesday
10 August.
The Registration and Information Desk will be open at the National Palace of Culture
entrance A4
on
Thursday 13 October 2022 from 14:00 to 19:00. On Friday 14 October and Saturday 15 October,
registration will be open at the National Palace of Culture
entrance A4
from 08:00 until the end of
official meetings.
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All participants are kindly requested to register as soon as possible after their arrival. Participants will
be required to show official identification when registering (passport or identity card). All participants
will be able to collect conference bags, handbooks, etc. after their registration. Participants and
accompanying persons will receive their badges and information about the conference at the
Registration and Information desk located at the National Palace of Culture
entrance A4.
A provisional List of Participants will be made available. To enable the OSCE PA International
Secretariat to issue the final list and to ensure the accuracy of its contents, national delegations are
kindly requested to indicate any corrections to the provisional list at the Registration desk.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
Secretaries of Delegations are requested to indicate - and update when necessary - information
about accommodation and flight numbers, as well as arrival and departure dates and flight
schedules, via the OSCE PA online registration system for all participants from their delegation,
including accompanying staff and accompanying persons.
Sofia International Airport
is located 10 kilometers from the city center. There will be an information
desk with the logo of the OSCE PA Autumn Meeting in the arrival hall.
On 13 October and the morning of 14 October 2022, staff will be at Sofia International Airport to greet
and help those arriving find their way to the buses.
A transfer service will be provided from the conference hotels to the airport after the Closing Session
on 16 October and in the morning of 17 October according to the departure details of delegations.
Transportation schedules will be available at the information desks at the hotels in due time.
Delegates are kindly asked to confirm the date and time of their departure at the Registration and
Information Desk when registering.
On all other dates, participants are kindly asked to make their own travel arrangements.
TRANSPORTATION DURING THE AUTUMN MEETING
At each hotel there will be an information stand each morning with staff to provide directions and
advice on how to get to the venue.
Kindly note that the entrance for the Autumn Meeting is A4.
The Grand Hotel Millennium and Rosslyn Central Park Hotel are a short walk from the National Palace
of Culture.
Shuttle buses will be provided between the Hyatt Regency Hotel and the Grand Hotel Sofia to the
National Palace of Culture.
Transportation schedules will be available at the information desks at the hotels in due time.
Bus transportation will be organized to and from evening events where necessary and for the
accompanying persons’ programme.
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PASSPORTS AND VISAS
It is the responsibility of delegates who need an entry visa to check the necessary formalities. It is
strongly advised not to postpone visa applications to the last minute.
To enter and stay in the Republic of Bulgaria you must hold a valid passport.
COVID-19
The Covid-19 situation will be kept under review and updates for preventive measures will be
provided. We advise delegations to refer to their respective diplomatic missions for information.
Support and advice will be provided where possible to delegates during the session to help comply
with any rules or recommendations. If required, this will include masks, sanitisers, and help with any
testing.
Delegates are responsible for complying with all rules when travelling to and from the Autumn
Meeting and for any costs or arrangements if they are required to isolate. It is recommended that
Delegates take out travel insurance that includes medical coverage.
IDENTIFICATION AND SAFETY
For security purposes, all participants, including accompanying persons, observers, delegation staff
and members of the press, are requested to wear their identity badges at all meetings and social
events. Identity badges will be needed to access all conference events. Loss of identity badges should
be reported immediately to the conference staff.
For security reasons, all participants, observers, delegation staff, and members of the press must also
be able to show their identity card or passport upon request.
DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS
Participants who wish to contact their diplomatic mission may consult the list of missions on the
website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria:
https://mfa.bg/en/
DOCUMENTATION AND COPYING SERVICES
The OSCE PA International Secretariat will send electronic documentation folders in PDF format to all
delegations. Most of the documents related to the Autumn meeting can be downloaded from the
OSCE PA website
and on the APP of the event.
A limited number of documents will be printed. Secretaries of Delegations are advised to make
arrangements to print documents needed in advance.
Printers and photocopying machines will be at the disposal of the Secretaries of Delegations.
INTERPRETATION
During the Autumn Meeting simultaneous interpretation will be provided in Bulgarian and all six
official OSCE languages: English, French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish.
Written translation will not be provided.
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CULTURAL PROGRAMME
A Cultural Programme will be offered to participants on Sunday, 16 October 2022. More information
will be communicated in due course.
PROGRAMME FOR ACCOMPANYING PERSONS
A programme for accompanying persons will be arranged while delegates are engaged in the Autumn
Meeting.
The accompanying persons’ programme will be available to badge
holders, and they are asked to wear
their badges during every part of the programme. Accompanying persons are requested to sign up
for excursions at the hotels´ information desks upon arrival in Sofia. Additional information will be
distributed in due time.
CATERING
Numerous restaurants and cafes are located within walking distance from the National Palace of
Culture.
INSURANCE
Personal travel and medical insurance is the responsibility of individual participants. The host
Parliament will not be responsible for any lost luggage, currency or personal effects, or any medical
costs, including any Covid-19 related costs.
MEDICAL FACILITIES
First aid will be available throughout the meetings. However, illness requiring medical treatment or
hospitalization is the responsibility of the individual. Participants taking medicine should bring enough
to cover their needs and where possible carry it in hand luggage.
Please note that the general telephone number in case of emergency (medical, fire or security) is 112.
DRESS CODE
Business attire is required for formal occasions and social events.
Casual dress (jacket, no tie) is suitable for the accompanying persons’ programme.
CLIMATE AND TIME
It will be Eastern European Summer Time in Sofia in October (UTC +3)
Usually, the weather is very pleasant in October. There may be light rain.
CURRENCY AND BANKING SERVICES
The currency in the Republic of Bulgaria is Bulgarian LEV (BGN). Major credit cards are accepted
everywhere. Cash can be obtained from ATMs.
ELECTRICITY
The voltage in the Republic of Bulgaria is 220V/50Hz and European style two-pin sockets are used.
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TELECOMMUNICATION
The international code for Bulgaria is +359. Access to free Wi-Fi will be available at the venue and free
Wi-Fi will also be available in every hotel.
SMOKE-FREE POLICY
Smoking is forbidden in all public places in Bulgaria (restaurants, bars, hotels, public transport, etc.).
Smoking is allowed outdoors.
TOURIST INFORMATION
The multilingual website:
https://www.bulgariatravel.org
provides
tourist and practical information about Bulgaria.
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