South East Europe and Black Sea Region Programme
Issue 19: March 2026
Table of contents
Securing Black Sea Undersea Cables: A Resilience-Based Approach to European Security
North Kosovo: An Analysis of Ethnic Representation as A Contested Issue (2021-2025)
Bulgaria’s Energy Transition: Between Resilience and Historical Dependence
Issue 17: September 2025
Table of contents
Activities
On 9 June, the Platform for Peace and Humanity, in partnership with the Strategic Security Initiative – SSI, organised a webinar marking the launch of a new report examining the dynamics of foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) in Armenia’s information environment. Bringing together leading researchers, policy experts, and practitioners, the discussion explored the report’s key findings, assessed information threats surrounding Armenia’s electoral environment, and examined the broader implications of FIMI for democratic resilience across the region.
Moderated by Megi Benia, Founder and Director of the Strategic Security Initiative – SSI and Project Coordinator of the SEEBSR Programme at Platform for Peace and Humanity, the event featured Tigran Melikian, Researcher at the SEEBSR Programme; Thomas de Waal, Senior Fellow at Carnegie Europe; Jan Cingel, President and Founder of Strategic Analysis Think Tank; and Mariam Gamdlishvili, Associate Director of the Strategic Security Initiative (SSI).
The discussion addressed:
-The concept and evolution of Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI);
-Key findings from the newly released report on FIMI in Armenia;
-Information threats and influence activities surrounding Armenia’s electoral environment;
-Regional and international dimensions of FIMI, including the role of Russian information operations;
-Lessons for strengthening democratic resilience, electoral integrity, and societal preparedness against information manipulation.
On 4 June 2026, the Platform for Peace and Humanity, in partnership with the Strategic Security Initiative – SSI, published a new report “Foreign Influence and Information Manipulation in Armenia’s Electoral Context: Assessing Russian Narratives, Networks, and Pre-Election Risks Ahead of the 7 June Vote”.
The report expands the Platform’s expertise in mapping Russian war propaganda and hostile narratives and identifies a coordinated ecosystem of Russian-aligned influence activity operating through Telegram channels, proxy media platforms, politically affiliated online communities, and amplification networks. It examines how narratives surrounding security, democratic legitimacy, geopolitical orientation, and Armenia’s relations with Russia and the West are shaping the pre-election information environment.
The first webinar in the series titled “Georgia at the Crossroads: Democracy, Society, Future” provided an in-depth discussion of the upcoming local elections and their significance within Georgia’s evolving political environment. Bringing together experts from academia, human rights organizations, politics, and public service, the session examined the current trajectory of democratic backsliding and its implications for governance and civic participation.
Panelists explored how institutional shifts, political polarization, and civic activism intersect in shaping the country’s future. The discussion also addressed the broader regional and international dimensions influencing Georgia’s domestic politics. Participants gained insights into the challenges and opportunities facing Georgia as it navigates this critical juncture.
Speakers:
· Shalva Dzebisashvili – Professor, The University of Georgia (Tbilisi)
· Giorgi Butikashvili – Foreign Secretary, Political Party “Ahali”, Hybrid Warfare Expert, PhD Candidate
· Tina Bolokadze – Politician, Political Party “Girchi – More Freedom”
· Megi Benia – SEEBSR Programme Researcher, Platform for Peace and Humanity, PhD Candidate at Tbilisi State University
Moderator:
Richard Bowd, PhD – SEEBSR Programme Director, Platform for Peace and Humanity
This report aims to depict how the social media landscape looked ahead of the 2022 Bosnia & Herzegovina general election and how the political environment manifests online. As part of the Election Observation Mission in Bosnia & Herzegovina carried out by the Danish NGO Silba – Initiative for Dialogue and Democracy, 60 social media posts were collected by the 39 international short term observers deployed by Silba, in the two weeks leading up to the election.
5 members of the South East Europe and Black Sea region programme of Platform for Peace and Humanity participated in the Election Observation Mission.
Luke James, Director of the South East Europe and Black Sea Region Programme at Platform for Peace and Humanity, spoke at “War in the Digital Age: A Case Study of the Impact of Digital Technologies on the War in Ukraine” hybrid forum. Watch his presentation at 14:25 on “Military Information Sharing by Citizens in the Digital Environment: A Loss of Non-Combatant Status?”
Events
OnlineWe take deep dives into the South East Europe and Black Sea region, distilling actionable policy recommendations, providing clear analysis to decision makers and supporting the Platform for Peace and Humanity organisational objectives.