Defence and Democracy Forum

site.btaChairman of Centre for Study of Democracy: We Can no Longer Separate Defence and Democracy

Chairman of Centre for Study of Democracy: We Can no Longer Separate Defence and Democracy
Chairman of Centre for Study of Democracy: We Can no Longer Separate Defence and Democracy
Ognian Shentov, Chairman of the Centre for the Study of Democracy, speaking at the opening of the Fortifying Freedom: Defence and Democracy Dialogue conference, Sofia, November 11, 2025 (BTA Photo/Milena Stoykova)

Ognian Shentov, Chairman of the Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD), said at the conference Fortifying Freedom: Defence and Democracy Dialogue, on Tuesday, in Sofia, that “We can no longer separate defence and democracy”.

At the opening, Defending Democracy in an Age of Disruption, Shentov addressed the policymakers, security experts, and civil society leaders gathered to discuss the strategic decisions that will shape Europe’s next decade. The event is organized by the Centre for the Study of Democracy.

“We must adopt a new strategic ontology in which the protection of democracy is synonymous with defence policy,” Shentov said.

“The health of our institutions is as important to national security as the capacity of our armed forces. Our collective task is clear, we must build a social, economic, and technological system that is inherently more sustainable, more adaptive, more secure, and more future-oriented. It is not just about defence, but about achieving a sustainable, strong, and democratic social system. This is the imperative of strengthening freedom,” Shentov added.

“While the US and China are racing for supremacy in the field of artificial intelligence, Europe is rightly seeking to accelerate its own path to technological sovereignty. This race is not just about economic advantage or market share, but a fundamental clash over the future of our democratic way of life,” Shentov said.

/RD/

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By 05:30 on 15.11.2025 Today`s news

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