Strengthening Civil Society in Eastern Partnership Countries

About the workshop

The workshop “Strengthening Civil Society in Eastern Partnership Countries,” held on November 11-12, 2024, in Bucharest, focuses on enhancing civil society in Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia and Armenia. Organized by the European Liberal Forum and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, it brings together experts and participants to share experiences from EU accession countries and explore strategies for improving democratic institutions. 

Through sessions, discussions, and networking, participants will develop actionable steps to strengthen civil society and build partnerships for future EU integration efforts. 

Programme

11-12 November 2024 

Session 1: Understanding the Context of Civil Society in EaP Countries. Overview of the current state of civil society in Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia and Armenia. 
Session 2: EU Accession Experiences and Lessons Learned. Case studies from Romania, Bulgaria, and Croatia. Best practices and challenges faced during the EU accession process. Group discussions and Q&A. 
Session 3: Current Challenges in EU Member States. In-depth look at Poland, Hungary, and Slovenia. 
Networking Session –
Informal discussions and networking among participants. 
Session 4: Preparing Civil Society for EU Integration. Strategies for strengthening civil society in EaP countries. Collaborative workshop to develop actionable recommendations. 
Session 5: Building Networks and Partnerships. Exploring ways to enhance cooperation between civil society organizations in EaP countries and the EU. Roundtable discussions and group activities. 
Summary of workshop outcomes. Closing remarks and next steps leading to the conference 

About the conference

The event “Strengthening Civil Society in Eastern Partnership Countries” will focus on the current state and future prospects of civil society in Moldova, Ukraine, and the Republic of Georgia. Through keynote speeches and panel discussions featuring speakers from the EU, Germany, France, and various Eastern European nations, the conference aims to share lessons learned from recent EU accession countries and address concerns in countries like Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia. The event will also assess the readiness of Eastern Partnership countries’ civil societies for potential EU integration, providing a platform for dialogue and exchange of best practices. 

Programme

09:30  Welcome Coffee & Registration 

10:00 ELF welcome 

Violetta Pashutina, Member of the Board, European Liberal Forum (ELF) 
Raimar Wagner, Wagner, project director Romania and Moldova, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) 
Prof. univ. dr. Rodica Grama, Liberal Action, Moldova 

10:15 Keynote: Why do we need a strong civil society? 

Speaker: Magdalena Poirier, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Chisinau, dep. politics, press, culture and cooperation with civil society 

11:45 “Lessons from the Late Joiners” covering experiences from Romania, Bulgaria, and Croatia during EU accession. 

Speaker: Cristian David, Institute for Freedom and Democracy (ILD), Romania 
Speaker: Zinaida Zlatanova, Liberal Institute for Policy Analysis, Bulgaria 
Speaker: Marijana Puljak, Member of Parliament, Croatia
Moderator: Raimar Wagner, FNF Romania and Republik of Moldova

12:00 Coffee break 

12:30 Under the EU watch! The worrying cases of Poland, Hungary and Slovakia 

Speaker: Milosz Hodun, Project Polska, Poland 
Speaker: Zoltán Ranschburg, Republikon Institute, Hungary (online) 
Speaker: Sebastjan Pikl, Novum – Institute for Strategic and Applicable Research, Slovenia 
Moderator: Sergiu Boghean, Project Coordinator, FNF Moldova (tbd) 

13.30 Is civil society in EaP countries ready for the EU? 

Speaker: Igor Munteanu, Liberal Action, Moldova 
Speaker: Violetta Pashutina, Land of Freedom Foundation, Ukraine
Speaker: Georgi Sirbiladze, Europe Georgia Institute, Georgia
Speaker: Hasmik Harutyunyan, EU-Armenia Civil Society, Armenia 
Moderator: Viktorya Muradyan, Communication Officer, European Liberal Forum, Belgium 

14.30 Closing Remarks & Lunch 

16:00 End of the event