On January 29th, 2025, the Institute for Global Analytics (IGA), in partnership with Free Press for Eastern Europe and SCIENCE+, hosted a regional conference in Sofia titled “Europe on Edge: Tackling Hybrid Warfare amid Elections, Foreign Influence, and Unfinished Europeanization.” The event brought together journalists, scientists, and representatives from government and civil society to address pressing challenges facing Europe today.
This conference, representing the second annual edition of a series organized by IGA and SCIENCE+, explored critical topics such as hybrid warfare, setbacks in European integration, strategies for audience engagement and independent journalism, and societal resilience against hybrid threats. The discussions had a special regional focus on Romania, Moldova, the Western Balkans, the South Caucasus and Belarus.
The event was kicked off at a reception on January 28 with a keynote speech delivered by Dominika Hajdu, Policy Director of the Center for Democracy and Resilience at GLOBSEC. She charted out the main attitudinal patterns, perceptions and threats faced by Central and Eastern Europe. The subsequent conference panels provided in-depth insights into the intersection of politics, security, and media across these regions.
Panel 1: After the Super-Election Year in Europe: Taking Stock
This session, moderated by Dr. Rumena Filipova (IGA), examined the aftermath of key elections in Europe, including the unexpected presidential results in Romania, Moldova’s high-stakes referendum, and the dramatic parliamentary vote in Georgia. The discussion highlighted the role of hybrid warfare in these political events and offered lessons on countering foreign interference while safeguarding civil liberties. Speakers included:
- Dr. Miruna Butnaru-Troncota, Professor at National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (Romania)
- Giorgi Goguadze, Director at Georgian Center for Strategy and Development (Georgia)
- Massimo Flore, Disinformation Expert, Aurora Fellows
Panel 2: Forever Standing on the EU’s Doorstep? The Path Ahead for the Western Balkans
This session explored the challenges of European integration in the Western Balkans, with a focus on foreign interference and domestic political trends. Panelists discussed how the region’s unfinished Europeanization presents a significant challenge to broader European politics. The conversation also drew comparisons to other regions, such as the South Caucasus. Speakers included:
- Miroslav Sazdovski, Senior Analyst at Hybrid CoE (Helsinki)
- Dr. Donika Emini, Director of CiviKos Platform (Kosovo)
- Dr. Shalva Dzebisashvili, Associate Professor at University of Georgia
- Daniel Sunter, Founder of Balkan Security Network (Belgrade)
- Dr. Adnan Huskic, Professor at Sarajevo School of Technology and Science
Moderated by Dr. Rumena Filipova (IGA), this panel provided actionable recommendations for European Union policies to address the challenges experienced by the Western Balkans.
Interactive Session: Audience Engagement in Polarized Times
Presented by SCIENCE+ and led by Mykola Okhotnik and Dominika Stawarz, this session focused on understanding audience vulnerabilities to disinformation and hybrid threats. It provided practical strategies for journalists and policymakers to engage with different audience groups and counter these challenges effectively.
IGA Special Session: Real-life Consequences of Hybrid Warfare – A Case Study on Bulgaria and Europe
In this session, the IGA team—Dr. Rumena Filipova, Dr. Stoyan Panov, Barbara Bačová, and Marketa Vasickova—presented IGA’s latest research on hybrid warfare tactics in Bulgaria, alongside other countries in Central and Eastern Europe. The presentations highlighted the impact of digital technologies on political corruption and provided a comparative overview of hybrid tactics between Bulgaria and Czechia, as well as an analysis of the media capture landscape across Europe (in particular France and the Netherlands).
Panel 4: An Emerging Authoritarian Axis in Eastern Europe? How Belarus and Georgia Resist Europeanization
Moderated by Maryia Sadouskaya-Komlach, Global Engagement Strategist at Free Press Unlimited, this panel examined the evolving tactics of authoritarian regimes in Georgia and Belarus. Speakers explored how these regimes adapt and collaborate, using disinformation as a tool to suppress dissent and maintain control. The panel also discussed regional security dynamics in the South Caucasus from the Armenian perspective. Speakers included:
- Armen Grigoryan, President of the Center for Policy Studies (Armenia)
- Veronica Laputska, Founder of EAST Center (Warsaw)
- Diana Petriashvili, Director of Programs, Free Press for Eastern Europe
