New Strategy Center participated in the sixth edition of the Balkan Think Tanks Convention, held in Sofia, Bulgaria, on 26–27 October, under the theme “Resilience and Cooperation in a Turbulent World”.

The event brought together representatives of leading think tanks from the Balkans and across Europe, providing a platform for dialogue on geopolitical developments, security challenges, and prospects for strengthening regional cooperation amid the ongoing transformation of Europe’s security architecture.

New Strategy Center was represented by Dilara Kakillioglu, Coordinator of the Research Department. During the session “The Balkans in the New European Security Architecture”, Dilara Kakillioglu joined discussions alongside Yordan Bozhilov, Director of the Sofia Security Forum (Bulgaria); Hüseyin Diriöz, President of the Foreign Policy Institute (Türkiye); Daniel Fazlić, Associate Fellow at the Trivelis Institute (Slovenia); and Benjamin Plevljak, Secretary General of the Centre for Security Studies (Bosnia and Herzegovina).

The discussions highlighted the interconnectedness of Black Sea and Balkan security, addressing threats to commercial shipping, critical infrastructure, and regional connectivity, as well as the risks posed by hybrid threats and disinformation. Participants also explored ways to strengthen cooperation within NATO and the European Union, including enhanced maritime security cooperation between Romania, Bulgaria, and Türkiye, the development of the Black Sea Maritime Security Hub, and the protection of strategic regional infrastructure.