Meet our 2026-2028 Working Group Coordinators

Samir Aliyev is a Public Policy and Economic Analyst representing the Center for Support for Economic Initiatives. His expertise covers economic policy, public finance, financial sector development, local governance, and monitoring and evaluation. He has contributed to policy dialogue and institutional reform through cooperation with national and international organisations, including as an independent expert for the Council of Europe. He serves as the Coordinator of Working Group 2 for the Eastern Partnership and is a member of the Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum. 

Anastasia Pociumban is a Research Fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), where she leads the Eastern Partnership Think Tank Network. Her work focuses on EU enlargement, democratisation, hybrid threats, and dynamics in the Eastern Partnership region. She has previously worked with organisations such as Democracy Reporting International, the European Endowment for Democracy, and Equal Rights & Independent Media, with expertise in governance, reform processes, and EU–Eastern Partnership relations. She is Coordinator of Working Group 2 for the EU and a member of the Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum.

Nataliya Andrusevych is Chair of the Board of the Resource and Analysis Center “Society and Environment” and an environmental policy expert with more than twenty years of experience. She leads analytical and policy work on environmental governance, sustainable development, Ukraine’s approximation to the EU environmental acquis, green recovery, and public participation in decision-making. Through her work, she has contributed extensively to environmental policy development and European integration. She serves as the Coordinator of Working Group 3 for the Eastern Partnership and is a member of the Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum. 

Sofia Strive is Project Manager at the Stockholm Environment Institute supporting a green and just transition in Armenia, Moldova, and Ukraine through technical assistance and policy alignment with EU accession objectives. She has extensive experience supporting civil society in Eastern Europe through project implementation, evaluation, and policy advocacy. Drawing on a cross-sectoral background spanning the public, private, and civil society sectors, she has strong expertise in the region’s socio-political landscape, EU–Eastern Partnership relations, and Sweden’s international development cooperation. She serves as the Coordinator of Working Group for the EU.

Liliana Palihovici is President of the NGO “Institutum Virtutes Civilis” and Co-Chair of the EU–Moldova Civil Society Platform. A former Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova and former Special Representative on Gender Issues of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, she has extensive experience in democratic governance, parliamentary development, human rights, and civil society participation. She has been at the helm of the Academy for Women Leadership, a platform that strives to empower a new generation of women for civic and political participation. She serves as the Coordinator for Working Group 4 for the Eastern Partnership and is Co-Chair of the Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum.

Raisa Lång Velazco is Director of International Relations at Fryshuset, one of Sweden’s leading civil society organisations focused on empowering young people. With nearly thirty years of experience in education, youth work, leadership development, and international cooperation, she leads strategic partnerships and programmes across Europe, the Eastern Partnership region, Latin America, and Africa. Her work promotes democratic participation, social inclusion, civil society development, and meaningful youth engagement through collaboration with public institutions and international partners. She serves as the Coordinator of Working Group 4 for the EU and is a member of the Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum.

Anh Helge is Regional Representative for Eastern Europe at the Olof Palme International Center, a Swedish civil society organisation promoting democracy, human rights, and international solidarity. With more than fifteen years of experience across the Eastern Partnership region, including seven years living in Ukraine, she has worked with international organisations and civil society actors, including the United Nations, International IDEA, Civil Rights Defenders, and ForumCiv. She serves as the Coordinator of Working Group 5 for the EU and is Co-Chair of the Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum.