IPISMembers
The Institute for Strategic Initiatives (IPIS) unites professionals with different views around the country’s core development agenda to support informed decision-making.
Executive director IPIS
Vladislav Kulminksi is an expert in strategic and political analysis and planning, public
administration and conflict resolution. He worked on public administration reforms at the World
Bank. Vladislav was Senior Adviser to Moldova’s Prime Minister when Moldova signed the
Association agreement with the EU, leading a strategic analysis unit. In 2019, he was invited to
the Government led by Maia Sandu, as Prime Minister’s Adviser on foreign policy and strategic
planning. In 2021 Vladislav headed the Ministry for Reintegration as deputy prime minister. Vladislav developed and ran conflict resolution programs in the region, including confidence-building programs, and worked as a political expert for US and UK Embassies in Moldova. He has an MPA degree from Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and an MA degree in International Relations and European studies from the Central European University. He is a Fulbright, John Smith and Munich Security Conference Young Leaders Fellow.
Executive director
Vadim is an expert in social policy and development, community development and public policy.
Mr Pistrinciuc has been a member of Parliament of Moldova from 2014 until 2019. He served as
the Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection from 2009 until 2012 and was Senior Adviser
to the Prime Minister from 2012 until 2013. He advised Prime Minister on public administration
reforms, political programs and strategies. Prior to that, Vadim served an expert, project manager
and consultant to international organizations (UNDP, UNICEF) in the areas of social protection,
human rights, public administration reforms and anti-corruption. Mr Pistrinciuc has a PhD in
sociology. In 2019 he activated as researcher in European Council on Foreign Relations, Berlin
office (ECFR), also as scholar of Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
MEDIA EXPERT
Maria has been working in the field of journalism since 2009, having established herself as an
objective journalist with critical thinking. She has been an international correspondent for the
Russian service of Radio France from 2013. In parallel, she created and ran the daily social and
political program “Honestly Speaking” on Realitatea TV channel. As part of IPIS team, she
created and produced the «Three Million» TV project as well as our others video products.
In 2011, Maria completed an internship in TV journalism at the Paris Journalism Training Center
(CFPJ), and taught television journalism at Moldova International University for two years
Expert
Expert in human rights, Inna served as executive director of IPIS from 2019 – 2022. She is former
Member of the Parliament (2009 – 2019) and Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (2018 – 2019). Last four years of her parliamentary activity she was a member of the Committee on Human Rights and Interethnic Relations. Since December 2015 till 2019 Inna Șupac was a chairwoman of PCRM parliamentary group. She was a Vice-chair of the European Union – Moldova
Parliamentary Cooperation Committee in 2011-2014. Inna has graduated from the
Faculty of History and International Relations (ULIM) in 2006 and has a Master Degree
in History of European Culture and Civilization (University of High Anthropological
School, Moldova).
Project coordinator
Marina has 5 years experience in implementing projects in such areas as respecting human rights,
local governance, preventing and combating discrimination and experience in managing grants,
working with USAID, UN, UNDP, Council of Europe, and Delegation of the EU to Moldova. In 2019,
Marina acted as consultant in the field of public administration and foreign policy in the office of the
Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova.
Marina graduated the State University of Moldova.
PROJECT COORDINATOR
From 2015 until 2018 Victoria worked in the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova
as Parliamentary Assistant to Vadim Pistrinciuc MP. Before that she did an
internship at the Government, within the Bureau for Diaspora Relations, the
economic programs division. Victoria also has experience in project management
in areas such as civic engagement, political education and social inclusion.
Victoria holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and a master’s degree in
Financial Tax Law from the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova.
IPIS founders
VASILII ȘOVA
Regional expert in conflict resolution
Mr. Șova has had along and distinguished career in the public sector and is a universally respected regional authority on conflict resolution. A member of the Moldovan parliament who signed the Declaration of Independence on August 27, 1991, Mr Sova went on to work as a Deputy Foreign Minister and Moldova’s Ambassador to China. He served as the Minister for Reintegration and the Chief Negotiator for the Transnistrian conflict from 2002 to 2009 under President V.Voronin, and was a member of the Moldovan Parliament from 2009 until 2014. In June – November 2019 he served as Deputy prime minister on reintegration.
VLADISLAV KULMINSKII
Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration
Vladislav Kulminksi is an expert in strategic and political analysis and planning, public
administration and conflict resolution. He worked on public administration reforms at the World
Bank. Vladislav was Senior Adviser to Moldova’s Prime Minister when Moldova signed the
Association agreement with the EU, leading a strategic analysis unit. In 2019, he was invited to
the Government led by Maia Sandu, as Prime Minister's Adviser on foreign policy and strategic
planning. Vladislav developed and ran conflict resolution programs in the region, including
confidence-building programs, and worked as a political expert for US and UK Embassies in
Moldova. He has an MPA degree from Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and an
MA degree in International Relations and European studies from the Central European
University. He is a Fulbright, John Smith and Munich Security Conference Young Leaders
Fellow.
ANDREI POPOV
Ambassador–at-large, MFAEI
Andrei Popov is a diplomat, political analyst and journalist. In June 2020 Andrei was appointed
as Ambassador–at-large, MFAEI. He is a former Member of Parliament (2009), Deputy Minister
of Foreign Affairs and European Integration (2009-2013), Ambassador of Moldova to Austria,
Slovakia and the OSCE in Vienna (2013-2016) and IPIS President (2016 – 2020). Andrei was the
author of the weekly TV program “Popular Diplomacy” and co-host of the weekly political talk-
show „Botan+Popov”. In 2004-2009, Mr. Popov was Executive Director of the Foreign Policy
Association of Moldova and founder of the Transnistrian Dialogues program. From 1997-2004,
he was in Moldovan diplomatic service: Embassy of Moldova in Washington (1997-2001) as
Second/First Secretary, Foreign Ministry’s General International Security Department (2001-
2004) as Deputy Director/Director. Mr. Popov studied at Geneva Centre for Security Policy
(2002-2003), Faculty of International Relations of the Bucharest National School of Political and
Administrative Studies (1994-1996) and Faculty of Journalism and Communication Studies of the
Bucharest University (1990-1994). He is a John Smith and Munich Security Conference Young
Leaders Fellow.
Iulian Groza
European integration policy moderator
Is an expert on foreign policy, European affairs and good governance. He is a former Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova responsible for European Integration (June 2013 to February 2015). Before that, he served in different capacities at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, including as Director General at the Directorate for European integration. He was posted as well to Brussels at the Moldovan Mission to the EU. Mr. Groza was a member of the Moldovan negotiation team of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement and led the Moldovan Task Force in the EU-Moldova Visa Liberalization Dialogue. Currently he is the Executive Director of the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE). Mr. Groza is a PhD candidate at the Moldovan State University and holds a degree in law. He also did postgraduate European Studies at Birmingham University and NATO Security Studies at National School of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) in Bucharest.
VADIM PISTRINCIUC
Executive director
Vadim is an expert in social policy and development, community development and public policy.
Mr Pistrinciuc has been a member of Parliament of Moldova from 2014 until 2019. He served as
the Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection from 2009 until 2012 and was Senior Adviser
to the Prime Minister from 2012 until 2013. He advised Prime Minister on public administration
reforms, political programs and strategies. Prior to that, Vadim served an expert, project manager
and consultant to international organizations (UNDP, UNICEF) in the areas of social protection,
human rights, public administration reforms and anti-corruption. Mr Pistrinciuc has a PhD in
sociology. In 2019 he activated as researcher in European Council on Foreign Relations, Berlin
office (ECFR), also as scholar of Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
The Institute for Strategic Initiatives (IPIS) 2018. All rights reserved.
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