GMF Breakfast Briefing: Weaponizing (Dis)Information. Russian Interference in Central Europe and the Western Balkans

To register for the event, please contact Joerg Forbrig at [email protected].

Presentations

• Michal Boksa, Lecturer, University of Economics, Prague, and Rethink.CEE Fellow, German Marshall Fund of the United States
• Asya Metodieva, PhD Candidate, Central European University, Budapest, and Rethink.CEE Fellow, German Marshall Fund of the United States

Commentary

• Manuel Sarrazin, Member of the Bundestag (B’90/Die Grünen) requested

Moderation

• Nicolas Bouchet, Fellow and Senior Editor, German Marshall Fund of the United States

A rapidly rising challenge for democracies the world over are systematic attempts at interference by foreign, typically authoritarian, regimes. Among these, Russia seems to be most determined and advanced in causing havoc to democratic media, debate and elections. While Kremlin meddling in key Western countries, such as the U.S., France, and Germany, has received considerable attention over the last years, much less remains known about this challenge for newer and smaller democracies further east. As two new studies published by the German Marshall Fund of the United States demonstrate, the countries of Central Europe and the Western Balkans are particularly vulnerable to Russian interference. If left unchecked, this openness to destructive manipulation threatens to derail the democratic and European development of these regions. 

The German Marshall Fund of the United States is pleased to invite you to the presentation and discussion of these two new policy papers. This event is part of the Rethink.CEE Fellowship, which was established by the German Marshall Fund of the United States last year. At a time when Central and Eastern Europe faces mounting challenges to its democracy, security, and prosperity, the Rethink.CEE Fellowship supports next-generation thinkers and activists to conduct original policy research, to offer fresh thinking and perspectives, and to shape effective responses by the transatlantic community.