The international conference Defending Democracy: The Battlefield of Truth, to be held in Skopje from 8–10 October 2025, is hosted and organized by CIVIL – Centre for Freedom. It is co-organized in partnership with the co-founding members of the Defending Democracy Global Initiative – the New European People’s Forum (international) and Media Dialogue (Germany) – and in cooperation with partner organizations of the Westminster Alliance for Ukraine, including Centro Studi Internazionali (Italy) and the Jean Monnet Association (France).

Over three days, international partners and guests — including journalists, civil society leaders, policymakers, diplomats, and academics from Europe, the Western Balkans, Ukraine, and the United States — will exchange experiences and strategies to strengthen resilience, safeguard democratic institutions and election processes, and stand in solidarity with Ukraine and democratic efforts worldwide.

The conference will explore disinformation, propaganda, and hybrid warfare as direct threats to democratic societies, undermining media freedom, weakening deffence and security, and endangering election integrity.

This conference is part of the Democracy Navigator project, financed by the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Conference Programme

Day 1 – Wednesday, October 8

Theme: Understanding the Threats – Shaping the Response
Venue: Hotel Continental

• 10:00–13:00 | Closed-door Scenario Building
  Languages: Macedonian, Albanian & English (flexible multilingual working session)
• 13:00–13:30 | International Press Conference
  Westminster Alliance for Ukraine, hosted by CIVIL – Centre for Freedom | Language: English
• 13:30–14:00 | National Press Conference
  CIVIL – Centre for Freedom | Languages: Macedonian and Albanian
• 15:00–17:00 | Networking and Meetings
• 18:00–20:00 | Opening Panel
  Ukraine’s Struggle – Europe’s Future, Our Common Reality: Lessons and Next Steps
  An event hosted by CIVIL – Center for Freedom, in cooperation with the Westminster Alliance for Ukraine and partners

Speakers and Panellists

• Roger Casale – Former MP, Founder & Coordinator, Westminster Alliance for Ukraine, United Kingdom (in person)
• Wolfgang Ressmann – President, New European People’s Forum; Head, Media Dialogue, Germany (in person)
• Oleksandr Merezhko – Member of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine
• Gudrun Steinacker – Vice-President, Southeast European Association, Germany; former Ambassador
• Emanuele Errichiello – Deputy Director, Centro Studi Internazionali, Italy
• Heather Roberson Gaston – Human rights expert; University of Virginia, USA
• Jean-Yves Leconte – Former Senator for French Citizens Abroad; Place Publique, France
• Catherine Pavlova – Civic Education & Democracy Expert, CRISP – Germany/Ukraine
• Olivier Védrine – Professor and director of the Association Jean Monnet – France
• Friso Wiersum – Communications Manager – European Cultural Foundation – Netherlands
• István Hegedűs – Chair, Hungarian Europe Society; political scientist; former MP

Moderator: Jabir Deralla – President, CIVIL – Centre for Freedom

Language: English | High-profile international panel, livestreamed

Day 2 – Thursday, October 9

Theme: Lessons Learned – Safeguarding Democracy
Venue: Hotel Continental | Language: Macedonian

• 08:00–09:30 | Closed-door Strategic Planning Meeting (partners and select participants)
• 09:30–10:00 | Registration & Coffee (doorstep statements for media)
• 10:00–11:00 | Panel 1: Democratic Backsliding: Implications and Consequences

Panelists

• Nikica Korubin – MA in Archaeology and Art Historian, former MP
• Toni Popovski – Political Scientist, Architect, Former Minister of Environment
• Sasho Ordanoski – Prof. Ph.D., Political Analyst
• Dželal Neziri – BIRC Institute, Political Analyst
• Oliver Andonov – Professor at the Military Academy
• Dželal Hodžić – Leader of the Political Party SDA – Macedonia, Columnist and Analyst
• Sefer Selimi – Democracy Lab, Political Analyst

Moderator: Diana Tahiri

• 11:30–12:30 | Panel 2: The Integrity of Electoral Processes and Democratic Resilience: Challenges and Solution

Panelists

• Aleksandar Novakoski – lawyer, former Chairman of the SEC and Chairman of the Working Group on Electoral Reform
• Aleksandar Spasov – Associate Professor of Legal Theory and Philosophy of Law
• Besim Nebiu – Political Analyst
• Xhabir Derala – President of CIVIL – Center for Freedom

Moderator: Biljana Jordanovska

• 14:00–17:00 | Closed-door Workshops
  Working groups; moderators and rapporteurs consolidate discussions into draft joint statement and strategic recommendations
• Evening | Networking & Briefings

Day 3 – Friday, October 10

Theme: From Insights to Action – Building Democratic Resilience
Venue: CIVIL premises and adjacent café

• 10:00–12:00 | Closed-door Workshops
  Topics: International (democracy, solidarity, Ukraine); National (election integrity & disinformation)
  Democracy Navigator – early assessment & planning
  Rapporteurs present outputs; joint statements and strategic recommendations finalized
• 14:00 | Final Press Releases
  Languages: Macedonian, Albanian, English, German, BCS
  Presentation of:
  • Joint Statements (International & National themes) – multilingual
  • First Democracy Navigator findings
  • Announcement of next steps, including press briefings upon request

CIVIL – Center for Freedom