🇩🇪🇧🇬 Dimitar Keranov, PhD

New report: Countering Hybrid Threats, Lessons from Eastern Europe with @rnierhaus.bsky.social @dgap.org

@dimker.bsky.social @laurentiuplesca.bsky.social @iraklisirbiladze.bsky.social @malwinatalik.bsky.social @mariannaprits.bsky.social Marianna Prysiazhniuk

dgap.org/en/research/...

Moldova’s Window of Opportunity for Rapid EU Membership

📢 New analysis with @laurentiuplesca.bsky.social on #Moldova 🇲🇩 & #EU 🇪🇺

👇👇👇

www.gmfus.org/news/moldova...

@gmfus.bsky.social

Today’s episode is the second in a three-part series that examines the potential consequences for China if a military operation against Taiwan were to fail. In each of these episodes, we’re speaking… China Global Podcast - Ep 118 - ft. Sheena Chestnut Greitens and Jake Rinaldi

🇨🇳 New China Global Podcast episode is out!

This is part 2 of 3-part series that examines the potential consequences for China if a military operation against Taiwan were to fail.

🇪🇺 Tensions over Greenland and US President Trump’s now-rescinded threats to impose additional tariffs on European goods have revived discussion in Brussels on the EU’s Anti‑Coercion Instrument (ACI) to bolster the bloc’s trade and economic security.

Bulgaria is joining the euro. Here's what it means for consumers and businesses Bulgaria is welcoming a new year and a new currency. The nation of 6.4 million in southeastern Europe will become the 21st member of the shared euro currency on Jan. 1.

“Much of that resistance appears to come from fears that inflation will increase as merchants round prices up during the changeover. Those fears are not so much about the euro but about general economic worries and skepticism about officialdom”, GMF’s Dimitar Keranov told AP News.

Bulgaria is joining the euro. Here's what it means for consumers and businesses Bulgaria is welcoming a new year and a new currency. The nation of 6.4 million in southeastern Europe will become the 21st member of the shared euro currency on Jan. 1.

As Bulgaria debates joining the euro, fears over inflation and distrust in institutions — amplified by disinformation — are shaping public resistance.

Read the full article: apnews.com/article/bulg...

Bulgaria is joining the euro. Here's what it means for consumers and businesses Bulgaria is welcoming a new year and a new currency. The nation of 6.4 million in southeastern Europe will become the 21st member of the shared euro currency on Jan. 1.

"Those fears are not so much about the euro but about general economic worries and skepticism about officialdom, said Dimitar Keranov, program coordinator for engaging Central Europe at the German Marshall Fund in Berlin."

@gmfus.bsky.social

#Bulgaria #EU #Euro

Read what else I said👇

Bulgaria to become the 21st country to join the euro, deepening EU ties despite fears Bulgaria is joining the euro on New Year's Day. The East European nation of 6.4 million becomes the 21st member of the shared EU currency.

"Anti-euro disinformation spread by pro-Russian politicians and social media aim “to reduce support for the European Union, NATO and Ukraine,” said Dimitar Keranov, program coordinator for engaging Central Europe at the German Marshall Fund in Berlin."

#Bulgaria

@gmfus.bsky.social

More here👇

Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Resigns in the Face of Mass Protests Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, the sixth prime minister in five years, bowed out amid public anger over corruption and democratic dysfunction.

GMF’s Dimitar Keranov told The NYT: “The protests may have started because of the budget, but actually it’s about where there is corruption in the government, which ultimately serves the public interest.”

➡️ Read the article: www.nytimes.com/2025/12/11/w...

Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Resigns in the Face of Mass Protests Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, the sixth prime minister in five years, bowed out amid public anger over corruption and democratic dysfunction.

Mass protests in Bulgaria have triggered the resignation of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov after less than a year in office.

The EU’s Adoption Bet: Breaking Down Brussels’ Apply AI Strategy Fewer than 14% of businesses in the EU use artificial intelligence (AI). The European Commission hopes to change that with its new Apply AI Strategy, which mobilizes €1 billion to encourage AI…

🇪🇺 Fewer than 14% of EU businesses use AI. Brussels hopes to change that with its new Apply AI Strategy, a €1 billion plan to boost adoption across strategic sectors.

➡️ GMF’s Adrienne Goldstein and Alexandra Pugh unpack the strategy’s key themes: www.gmfus.org/news/eus-ado...

GMF is pleased to announce that Dr. Clara Volintiru has been appointed Romania's Secretary of State within the MFA.

Democracy as Security Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine placed the Black Sea region at Europe’s security vanguard. Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Romania are now the fault lines for an intense geopolitical…

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has pushed the Black Sea region to the forefront of Europe’s security concerns.

Can Germany Afford to Be Europe’s Protector? A stronger military requires a stronger economy.

🇩🇪 “Merz’s bold moves on defense spending have confirmed Germany’s leadership role in Europe, but at a cost to his domestic popularity," write GMF’s Sudha David-Wilp and CFR's Liana Fix in their Foreign Affairs op-ed.

YouTube video by The German Marshall Fund of the United States China’s Quiet Strategy in Bulgaria: Economic Appeal, Political Constraints

🎥 It was an honor to join Dr. Mareike Ohlberg (@mareikeohlberg.bsky.social) and Dr. Asya Metodieva for a @gmfus.bsky.social discussion on 🇨🇳 China’s growing presence in 🇧🇬 Bulgaria.

Watch the full webinar here 👉 youtu.be/ELmX48YgS9M?...

#China #Bulgaria

📣 𝗨𝗽𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁: China’s Quiet Strategy in Bulgaria: Economic Appeal, Political Constraints
🗓️ October 30, 2025
4:00 – 5:30 PM CET

🔗 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻: buff.ly/Cq4Z8dZ

China’s Quiet Strategy in Bulgaria: Economic Appeal, Political Constraints Bulgaria is a potential entry point for Chinese influence in Central and Eastern Europe. Some Bulgarian stakeholders are keen on attracting Chinese investment, but they frequently disregard the associ...

Honored to speak at GMF’s event “China’s Quiet Strategy in Bulgaria".

We’ll discuss how China's economic footprint intersects with Bulgaria’s political & strategic choices within the EU & transatlantic context.

Join us: www.gmfus.org/event/chinas...

@gmfus.bsky.social
@engagingce.bsky.social

📣 𝗨𝗽𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁: Habits of Democracy: Civic Culture and Civic Education in the Western Balkans
October 28, 2025
3:00 – 4:00 PM CET

Join the virtual event to learn how democratic participation is taught, experienced, and practiced in the Western Balkans.

🔗 Register: buff.ly/ErSEaVq

The Links Between Bulgaria’s Revival Party and United Russia Merit Scrutiny Dimitar Keranov (GMF) explains how the rise of the far-right party, institutional paralysis, and state capture threaten Bulgaria’s democratic path.

If you’re interested in how the rise of a far-right party, institutional paralysis, and state capture are threatening Bulgaria’s democratic path, you can read my latest analysis for @authlibeu.bsky.social:

www.authlib.eu/bulgaria-rev...

@gmfus.bsky.social
@engagingce.bsky.social

"PAS secured a national majority to keep EU-accession reforms moving, but Taraclia—home to 🇲🇩 Moldova’s Bulgarian minority—again voted heavily for the pro-Russia Patriotic Bloc."

More in my commentary here:

biip-varna.github.io/articles/tar...

China’s Quiet Strategy in Bulgaria: Economic Appeal, Political Constraints

"As an #EU and #NATO member, #Bulgaria 🇧🇬 must balance economic opportunities with #China 🇨🇳 against risks to national security, Western alliances, the rule of law, and democracy."

Read more in my & A. Metodieva's analysis:

www.gmfus.org/news/chinas-...

@gmfus.bsky.social @engagingce.bsky.social

Anti-Foreign NGO Laws: A Tool to Repress Civil Society Transatlantic Trusts Central Europe Regional Director Daniel Hegedüs appeared before the US House of Representatives’ Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission to give testimony for a hearing on laws outside...

How do anti-NGO laws impact human rights & democracy in Central Europe?
Check out my written testimony to the
@tlhumanrights.bsky.social on the topic, now published by
@gmfus.bsky.social @engagingce.bsky.social @authlibeu.bsky.social
👉 gmfus.org/news/anti-fo...

We had an extremely informative and in-depth election readout with Andrea Michalcová, @petraguasti.bsky.social & Vít Dostál about the domestic and EU & foreign policy implications of the 🇨🇿 elections.
Key takeaway & video in THREAD
@gmfus.bsky.social
@authlibeu.bsky.social
@engagingce.bsky.social

📢 Figyelem, magyarországi civil szervezetek és informális csoportok!
Jelentkezzetek most a #FOREST programra, hogy fejlesszétek jogi, digitális, pénzügyi és mentális ellenállóképességeteket.
Mentorálás, képzések és kapcsolatépítési lehetőségek várnak rátok!
ℹ️Jelentkezési határidő: 2025. október 20.

📢Výzva pre všetky mimovládne organizácie a občianske iniciatívy na #Slovensku!
Prihláste sa do programu #FOREST a posilnite svoju právnu, digitálnu, finančnú a psychickú odolnosť.
Čakajú na vás mentoring, školenia a príležitosti na networking!
➡️Info: tinyurl.com/2d5txbx3

FOREST Fostering CSOs’ Resilience to Shrinking Spaces and Strengthening their Capacities through Individual Mentoring and Value Mainstreaming in Hungary and Slovakia Fostering CSOs’ Resilience to Shrinking S...

📢Calling all CSOs & civic groups in #Hungary & #Slovakia!
❗️Apply until Oct 20, 2025 for #FOREST to boost your legal, digital, financial & psychological resilience.
Mentoring, trainings & networking opportunities await!
⬇️Info⬇️

@gmfus.bsky.social

Risk Assessment: Electoral Integrity in Moldova Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine since February 2022 has not only destabilized European security but has also intensified hybrid threats across Eastern Europe. In the Republic of Moldova…

🇲🇩 "Moldova is confronted with a growing web of internal and external threats as well as risks to electoral integrity."

Ahead of this weekend's elections in Moldova, explore a risk assessment of electoral integrity there:

Time to re-up our recent @gmfus.bsky.social paper by @laurentiuplesca.bsky.social setting out three election and post-election scenarios in Moldova. The final score for Alternativa and Our Party will be determinant in two of them.

Russia Has Lost Moldova The results of Moldova’s parliamentary elections demonstrate a decisive political shift. Pro-Russian narratives, propaganda networks, and entrenched corruption can no longer dominate the national…

🇲🇩 The results of Moldova’s parliamentary elections demonstrate a decisive political shift and confirm the nation's democratic resilience.

🗳️ Read Will Kingston-Cox and GMF's Laurențiu Pleșca's analysis on the Moldovan elections here:

"From the first day of Russia’s full-scale invasion, it has been clear that the consequences of the war would not be limited to physical destruction. What Ukraine faced was a systemic breakdown of infrastructure...," writes GMF's Valeriia Ivanova.

➡️ buff.ly/RUkaNoY