On March 17, the New Strategy Center, in partnership with the Department for Emergency Situations and the General Directorate for Internal Protection within the Ministry of Internal Affairs, organized, under the patronage of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Romania, an interinstitutional exercise aimed at testing strategic-level decision-making regarding civil-military coordination in countering hybrid threats in the Black Sea region, as well as protecting critical submarine infrastructure and onshore and offshore projects of national interest.

The concept and scenario of this Table Top (TTX) exercise enabled high-level participants to gain awareness of the hybrid spectrum of security threats in the Black Sea and to assess the main legal or institutional gaps that could affect the decision-making process in ensuring a rapid, integrated response.

The exercise also highlighted the need for proper coordination in the field of strategic communication, combining the expertise of national authorities, the academic environment, and civil society. In the face of these threats, effective communication and proper information management are essential for maintaining public trust and strengthening societal resilience.

Last but not least, we note that this edition is the fourth in a series of exercises launched in 2024, aimed at joint preparedness, coordination of response actions, and strengthening resilience in the face of security and defense challenges in the Black Sea region.