As a member of the Horizon Europe-funded consortium REDEMOS, EDP member Tina Freyburg actively contributed to high-level stakeholder conferences held in the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood. REDEMOS focuses on exploring sustainable strategies for supporting democracy in this region. These conferences provided a timely opportunity to engage with scholars, observers, and activists in Armenia, Moldova, and Georgia—countries where critical events shaping the future of democracy are unfolding.

The first workshop took place in Yerevan, Armenia, in May 2024. Tina Freyburg contributed to a panel discussing two decades of EU democracy support. While other speakers focused on Armenia’s domestic and regional challenges, Freyburg examined the models of democracy the EU has been funding and the underlying principles shaping its support initiatives.

In June, the REDEMOS Mid-Term Conference in Chişinău, Moldova, examined the impact of Russia’s war on Ukraine on Eastern Europe’s democratic trajectory. Tina Freyburg participated in a panel analysing perceptions of EU democracy support, providing insights into how the EU’s external action is perceived and the implications for the EU’s credibility as a democracy promoter.

The third workshop, held in Tbilisi, Georgia, in September, centered on the 2024 parliamentary elections and Georgia’s democratic trajectory amidst regional tensions. Panelists debated how Georgia balances democratic aspirations with autocratic pressures, emphasizing the need for external actors like the EU to engage civil society and support grassroots demands.