Disinformation in the Western Balkan countries and the necessity for a firm response

November 2021

In our latest paper, PIPS analyzed Kosovo's approach and its role in the global fight against misinformation. Similar to other parts of the globe, in recent years the Western Balkans has seen an increase in disinformation and hybrid wars.

It is not uncommon for the Western Balkans region to be described as a very historically influenced space, where the interests of some actors clash and that there has been a shift in power globally among these actors pursuing their own interests and policies in the region. Added to these circumstances are technological advances that have provided innovative alternatives for the purpose of disseminating false information and conducting hybrid wars by various actors.

In the Western Balkans, the main purposes of fake news include, among other things, undermining the legitimacy and sovereignty of Kosovo's statehood, changing the narratives of war and war crimes, and undermining the West's credibility regarding state-building in Kosovo. News about Kosovo, in addition to being a dominant topic in the Serbian media, is often the subject of inaccurate reporting. Narratives spread by biased media also focus on weakening support for Euro-Atlantic institutions.

Such developments are an obstacle to regional integration and cooperation, which is why in this policy analysis PIPS has listed opportunities and recommendations for the government of Kosovo and the EU to address this phenomenon.

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Programs	Foreign Politics European Integration
Publication Year	2020

Documents to download

Dezinformimi ne vendet e Ballkanit Perendimor dhe domosdoshmeria per nje reagim te vendosur(.pdf, 530.56 KB) - 525 download(s)
Disinformation in the Western Balkan countries and the necessity for a firm response(.pdf, 522.25 KB) - 512 download(s)

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