Interviews

Mr. Ekke Nōmm, Director, Estonian School of Diplomacy, Tallinn, honored us with his views on some of the key implications for the South Caucasus of the global struggle between democratic and autocratic great powers. This discussion took place during the REDEMOS Public Stakeholders Conference ‘What Future for Georgian Democracy? Challenges and Opportunities Ahead of Georgia’s Parliamentary Elections 2024’, that took place in Tbilisi, Georgia, on 19 September 2024. 

Mr. Rikard Jozwiak, Europe Editor, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Prague, honored us with his views on whether the EU has been good at providing both democracy and security support or did it (have to) trade one for the other. This discussion took place during the REDEMOS “Mid-term Conference: Eastern Europe andEU Democracy Support in Times of War”, that took place in Chişinău, Moldova, on 7 June 2024.

Mrs. Laura Hruby, Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy in Moldova, Chişinău, honored us with her views on US democracy support in Moldova and how does it relate to what the EU does in Moldova. This discussion took place during the REDEMOS “Midterm Conference: Eastern Europe and EU Democracy Support in Times of War”, that took place in Chişinău, Moldova, on 7 June 2024.

Dr. Mareike Ohlberg, Lead, Stockholm China Forum, German Marshall Fund, Berlin, honored us with her views upon China’s engagement in the EU’s eastern neighborhood, and on how does it impact EU democracy support. This discussion took place during the REDEMOS “Mid-term Conference: Eastern Europe and EU Democracy Support in Times of War”, that took place in Chişinău, Moldova, on 7 June 2024.

H.E. Amb. Thomas Mayr-Harting, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-In-Office for the Transdniestrian Settlement Process, honored us with his views about the OSCE’s role in the EU’s eastern neighbourhood as far as democracy- and resilience-building are concerned. This discussion took place during the REDEMOS “Mid-term Conference: Eastern Europe and EU Democracy Support in Times of War”, that took place in Chişinău, Moldova, on 7 June 2024.

Mr. Ion Manole, Executive Director, Promo-Lex, Chişinău, Moldova honored us with his views on how is the EU perceived by civil society in Moldova to the extent that we can speak of a coherent image. This discussion took place during the REDEMOS “Mid-term Conference: Eastern Europe and EU Democracy Support in Times of War”, that took place in Chişinău, Moldova, on 7 June 2024.

Mr. Franak Viačorka, Chief Advisor of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, President-elect of Belarus & Head of the United Transition Cabinet , honored us with his views on how Russia’s war has impacted the consolidation of Lukashenka’s dictatorial rule. This discussion took place during the REDEMOS “Mid-term Conference: Eastern Europe and EU Democracy Support in Times of War”, that took place in Chişinău, Moldova, on 7 June 2024.

Mrs. Natia Natsvlishvili, Permanent Representative of the UNDP to Armenia, Yerevan honored us with her views on the key challenges Armenia is faced with when it comes to advancing democratic reforms. This discussion was held during the REDEMOS Public Stakeholders Conference: Looking Backwards, Moving Forward – The EU and Support for Democracy in a Fragmented and Troubled Neighbourhood, that took place in Yerevan, Armenia, on 13–14 May 2024.

Mrs. Sona Ghazaryan, MP, Standing Committee on European Integration, National Assembly, Yerevan, honored us with her views on the prospects of closer integration by Armenia into the EU. This discussion was held during the REDEMOS Public Stakeholders Conference: Looking Backwards, Moving Forward – The EU and Support for Democracy in a Fragmented and Troubled Neighbourhood, that took place in Yerevan, Armenia, on 13–14 May 2024.

Prof. Dr. Marianne Kneuer, representing Technische Universität Dresden (TUD), and a member of the REDEMOS Consortium, shared her views on why REDEMOS is important with respect to the scholarly debate on democratisation. This discussion was held during the REDEMOS Public Stakeholders Conference: Looking Backwards, Moving Forward – The EU and Support for Democracy in a Fragmented and Troubled Neighbourhood, that took place in Yerevan, Armenia, on 13–14 May 2024.

Dr. Ragnar Weilandt, representing the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and a member of the REDEMOS Consortium, shared his views on the link between democracy-building and security in the EU’s eastern neighbourhood. This discussion was held during the REDEMOS Public Stakeholders Conference: Looking Backwards, Moving Forward – The EU and Support for Democracy in a Fragmented and Troubled Neighbourhood, that took place in Yerevan, Armenia, on 13–14 May 2024.

Assoc. Prof. Arusyak Aleksanyan, representing Yerevan State University (YSU) and a member of the REDEMOS Consortium, shared her views on the relevance and importance of REDEMOS from the perspective of a partner coming from within the region REDEMOS is targeting. This discussion was held during the REDEMOS Public Stakeholders Conference: Looking Backwards, Moving Forward – The EU and Support for Democracy in a Fragmented and Troubled Neighbourhood, that took place in Yerevan, Armenia, on 13–14 May 2024.

Dr. Koba Turmanidze, President of the Caucasus Research Resource Center (CRRC), Tbilisi, Georgia, and a member of the REDEMOS Consortium, shared his views on how the EU democracy building is perceived across the South Caucasus region, and if there are any trends or patterns that have been detected in recent years. This discussion took place during the REDEMOS “Mid-term Conference: Eastern Europe and EU Democracy Support in Times of War”, that took place in Chişinău, Moldova, on 7 June 2024.

REDEMOS Deputy Project Coordinator, Prof. Dr. Tobias Schumacher, Professor of European Studies, NTNU, Trondheim-Norway, and Senior Professorial Fellow, College of Europe in Natolin, on the REDEMOS 2nd Multi-stakeholders’ Meeting that took place in Yerevan-Armenia, on May 13, 2024.