Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Foreign Perpetrated Disinformation in 6 Western Balkans Countries

The Mirage of Truth: Complexities and Challenges of Disinformation in the Western Balkans

27. 6. 2024 | PR, Regional cooperation, Strategic Communication, Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Foreign Perpetrated Disinformation in 6 Western Balkans Countries

Today, the Centre for European Perspective is launching a new publication, »The Mirage of Truth: Complexities and Challenges of Disinformation in the Western Balkans«, in the scope of the Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Foreign-Perpetrated Disinformation in 6 Western Balkan Countries project.

The publication is the last activity upon the conclusion of this project as of June 30th, 2024. It touches upon the following topics: governments’ capacities to tackle disinformation, legislative venues for counter-disinformation tactics, regulation of the digital space, adaptations to education curricula, and possibilities and limits to whole-of-society cooperation mechanisms.

Disinformation is about intent. More specifically, intent to manipulate. Information is not accidentally skewed; the context is not taken out of the equation by chance. The source of disinformation carefully tailors the product following its aims and targets. It is a long-term, coordinated action seeking to undermine another society’s values, cohesion and institutions. In other words, disinformation is not a phenomenon – it is a threat, and even more, a security threat. It is a direct manifestation of foreign interference in domestic affairs, and it should be treated as such. The easiest and most vulnerable targets of disinformation are countries still developing their democratic and economic capacities with a recent history of conflict, like the Western Balkans. Disinformation that targets this region is a threat to the idea of Europe and we must, and we will resist – together.

The publication does not pretend to offer answers or an overview of all the challenges each Western Balkan country is struggling with. However, it does encourage future researchers and practitioners to think about the issue more comprehensively and to consider how disinformation affects the entire societal ecosystem, from security and foreign policy to governance, media, and education. Moreover, it also urges calls for an expansion of the comparative perspectives for which, at this time, we lacked sufficient space.

We would like to thank the following authors for their contribution to the publication: Kristina Voko (BIRN Albania), Vuk Vučetić (University of East Sarajevo), Kreshnik Gashi (Kallxo.com and Birn Kosovo), Marko Banović (Digital Forensic Centre / Digitalni forenzički centar – DFC), Bardhyl Jashari (Metamorphosis Foundation) & Tijana Femić (Novi Sad School of Journalism).

As the project concludes, our commitment to this cause remains unwavering. We will continue our efforts in this area, recognizing that change is only possible with consistency. It would be a disservice to the four years of hard work not to carry it forward in other ways.

The Project Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Disinformation in the Western Balkans is funded by the National Endowment for Democracy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia through development cooperation funds.

Read the publication HERE.

Conclusion of the ‘Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Foreign Perpetrated Disinformation in the Western Balkans’ project

12. 4. 2024 | Development (ODA), PR, Regional cooperation, Strategic Communication, Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Foreign Perpetrated Disinformation in 6 Western Balkans Countries

The final act of the ‘Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Foreign Perpetrated Disinformation in the Western Balkans’ project unfolded as a comprehensive three-day regional training held online from April 9 to April 11, 2024. This event served as a platform for civil society, media, and government representatives from the six Western Balkan countries to collaborate on addressing and combating the extensive issue of disinformation in the region.

The conference began with an address by Ingrid Omahna (CEP), setting the stage for subsequent discussions. After that, on the first day, we had experts from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Global Engagement Centre (GEC) and European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) with us. Craig Matasick (OECD) emphasised the importance of robust governance measures and institutional frameworks in safeguarding the information space’s integrity; Iva Nenadić (EDMO) talked about actionable insights for combating disinformation, and experts from GEC presented a Framework to Counter Foreign State Information Manipulation, new tool addressing the challenge of disinformation.

On the second day, the focus was on best practices to counter disinformation. The Elves, a Lithuanian civil society initiative, joined us, presenting the perspective of non-governmental organisations on disinformation. The governmental viewpoint was discussed by the Czech Centre against Hybrid Threats. The media’s perspective was discussed with Joscha Weber from Deutsche Welle. He highlighted the media’s role and the importance of responsible journalism in countering disinformation effectively. The program offered a comprehensive understanding of disinformation from diverse stakeholder perspectives. On the final day, they showcased case studies from Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, addressing different aspects of disinformation. They revealed distinct challenges and strategies.

The group work sessions were a pivotal aspect of the training, providing attendees with the opportunity to engage in collaborative discussions and exchange ideas. These interactive sessions were not just about preparing national proposals to counter external disinformation but also about recognising the crucial role of each participant in this process.

Overall, the regional training was not just a platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing but also a source of empowerment. Led by leading experts in the field, it equipped participants with practical tools, methodologies, and best practices to address the multifaceted challenge of disinformation effectively.

The Project Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Disinformation in the Western Balkans is funded by the National Endowment for Democracy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia through development cooperation funds.

The third and final Regional Capacity-Building Training of the ‘Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Foreign Perpetrated Disinformation in the six Western Balkan Countries’ Project

2. 4. 2024 | Development (ODA), PR, Regional cooperation, Strategic Communication, Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Foreign Perpetrated Disinformation in 6 Western Balkans Countries

Več o projektnih aktivnostih v slovenskem jeziku najdete tu.

Our Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Foreign Perpetrated Disinformation in the Western Balkans project is slowly coming to an end. We are organising the last event, the third regional capacity-building training, in this project’s circle. It will take place online next week, from April 9 to 11, 2024. As usual, it will gather civil society, media, and government representatives from all six Western Balkan Countries, who will together address the issue of disinformation in the region and work on how to counter it.

The first regional training, held in November 2022, focused on identifying and understanding disinformation and its impact. The second one, held in June 2023, focused on equipping participants with tools and tactics to help them detect and, timely and effectively react to disinformation; the third one will focus on response methodologies and partnership building. Throughout the program, participants will work on defining national response methodology and learn about opportunities and obstacles with the aim of drafting national proposals to counter disinformation. Next, they will discover ways of building partnerships to ensure long-term success in combating disinformation. We will also talk about worldwide known good practices and dedicate one full day to focus on the specific challenges in the region – country by country. Led by leading experts in this space, the sessions will include practical exercises to provide tangible, workable solutions for participants.

The project will conclude almost all its activities with this regional capacity-building training. The only one left is publication, which is already in its final stage and will be published next month!

The Project Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Disinformation in the Western Balkans is funded by the National Endowment for Democracy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia through development cooperation funds.

In-Country Visits: Kosovo and Montenegro

22. 2. 2024 | PR, Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Foreign Perpetrated Disinformation in 6 Western Balkans Countries

Novica v slovenščini je dostopna tukaj.

In the final stretch of the Western Balkan tour, the project Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Foreign Perpetrated Disinformation in the Western Balkans visited Kosovo and Montenegro in the week of 12-16 February.

In roundtable discussions with local experts, national governments, media, civil society, representatives of the academia and the international community, the priority of countering foreign perpetrated disinformation was reiterated as a matter of supporting democratic development, peace and security, and the EU integration of the region. Participants welcomed initiatives such as this Project that bring to the same table different societal sectors and appreciated the opportunity to exchange experiences and insights with peers from across Europe: the European External Action Service, the Centre against Hybrid Threats from the Czech Republic and the Brussels-based EU DisinfoLab. Cooperation was the word of the day during the dynamic and engaging debates, calling for a greater, more consistent and structured exchange between governments, media, and civil society, and between local stakeholders and international peers. Many good practices that were noted during the discussions stemmed precisely from such cooperative efforts.

With the visits to Kosovo and Montenegro in February 2024, the Project concluded its tour of the Western Balkans. The lessons learned during all six visits will feed into the remaining activities of the project that will follow this spring!

The Project Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Disinformation in the Western Balkans is funded by the National Endowment for Democracy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia through development cooperation funds.

Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Foreign Perpetrated Disinformation in the Western Balkans project concluding tour of the region

5. 2. 2024 | Development (ODA), PR, Regional cooperation, Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Foreign Perpetrated Disinformation in 6 Western Balkans Countries

Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Foreign Perpetrated Disinformation in the Western Balkans project is concluding its visiting tour of the region with the back to back visits to Pristina, Kosovo and Podgorica, Montenegro, in the week of 12-16 February.

The two visits will address the particular challenges that local efforts to counter disinformation encounter in Kosovo and Montenegro and look at the policy solutions found in the EU and the EU Member States. The project will be accompanied on these visits by renowned experts and practitioners in this field, who will discuss with the stakeholders from across societal sectors in the two countries the best ways of strengthening resilience against the threat of disinformation, taking into account both the local specificities and the lessons learned abroad. In addition to supporting democratic development, whole-of-society cooperation and comprehensive national security, countering disinformation will also assist the EU aspiration of the two countries.

The Project Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Foreign Perpetrated Disinformation in the Western Balkans is funded by the National Endowment for Democracy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia through development cooperation funds.

The last in-country visit in 2023 in the framework of the project Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Foreign Perpetrated Disinformation in WB

20. 12. 2023 | PR, Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Foreign Perpetrated Disinformation in 6 Western Balkans Countries

Novica v slovenščini je dostopna tukaj.

In its final in-country visit in 2023, the project Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Foreign Perpetrated Disinformation in the Western Balkans made its way to Tirana, Albania. On 15 December, the project organised an insightful discussion with Albanian society, as well as with local and European experts and practitioners.

Participants highlighted that although the challenge of foreign-perpetrated disinformation may seem muted in Albanian society, it is highly present as information is uncritically shared from foreign sources by different societal actors. Fact-checking is often a race against time, whereas media, as well as digital literacy, remain an ongoing priority.

Presentation of the findings by BIRN Albania showcased that foreign information manipulation is not as rare an occurrence as is commonly believed, and copy-pasting from foreign media outlets without fact-checking presents a big challenge for society. Representative of EEAS underlined the support of the EU to Albania and Western Balkan partners and the commitment of the EU’s diplomatic arm to strengthen the resilience against foreign information manipulation and interference. Participants also had the opportunity to hear first-hand accounts of good practices in EU Member States – how fact-checking works in the world-renowned media outlet Deutsche Welle, and how access to reliable information is incorporated in the national emergency supply of Finland. Exchange with international experts, learning from good practices, and support from the EU are prerequisites for further work in this area.

The project also held a closed-door discussion with representatives of the Albanian government and state agencies, which revealed the need to maintain and expand the whole-of-government dialogue on countering foreign-perpetrated disinformation and an opportunity for greater collaboration in the future.

While the in-country visit to Albania wrapped up the Western Balkans tour for 2023, in 2024, the project will continue on its mission and is already hard at work preparing its visits to Kosovo and Montenegro.

The Project Strengthening Societal Resilience and Countering Disinformation in the Western Balkans is funded by the National Endowment for Democracy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia through development cooperation funds.