The Association of Economic Universities of South and Eastern Europe and the Black Sea Region (http://www.asecu.gr/index_en.html) anticipates that the pandemic crisis we are facing hastens and intensifies (rather than generating) the evolution of underlying structural, systemic bottlenecks and inefficiencies. It requires understanding both in terms of deepness and painfulness of consequences and also of the thinkable progressive, sustainable way-outs.

Economic processes have stalled, whole industries are being closed, a tragedy of illness and death is getting aggravated by losing means of subsistence and normal living conditions. The expected policy reaction of temporary closing borders gets in line with already manifested nationalism and populism. The deepness of a socioeconomic crisis and its duration can hardly be estimated, while reality demonstrated that global community was not effectively prepared for similarly critical situations worldwide.

In periods like that, the importance of peripheral and international bodies is being reestablished according to their readiness to contribute in time and efficiently to global debates. ASECU realizes the critical moments we live in, as well as the role it must play in these circumstances.  

Our first teleconference, being our key-attempt to respond to this challenge, would not be feasible without your willingness to contribute. Therefore, ASECU Board of Governors and our respective Scientific Committee express our gratitude!