With students from the Balkan SAYS seminar on combating information threats

12. 9. 2025

Government Communication Office

Petra Bezjak Cirman, Director of the Government Communication Office, spoke to European students at the 13th Balkan SAYS 2025 seminar in Ljubljana on a panel entitled "Combating Information Threats through the Promotion of Free and Independent Media in the Western Balkans," presenting the Government's efforts to prevent foreign interference and manipulation of information.

As Bezjak Cirman said, the main purpose of disinformation coming from abroad is to sow doubt in our democratic processes and institutions and to polarise and divide society. She assessed that in this age of information chaos, we should know who is spreading such misleading and/or malicious content, for what purpose, whether they are being paid to do so, and who is paying them. She also emphasised that we should be able to recognise the authenticity of posts on social networks ourselves, for which we should educate users. She pointed out that independent media, which are under extreme pressure in the Western Balkans, also play an important role in this regard.

The panel, moderated by Igor Zidarič (Euro-Atlantic Council of Slovenia), also included Dr Marko Milosavljević from the Faculty of Social Sciences, Chief Executive Officer at The Geopost Gynen Venhari, and, via video link, Executive Director of the non-governmental organisation "Zakaj ne" ("Why not") Darko Brkan.

The three speakers and the moderator stand in front of the presentation with their names. — Author Evro-atlantski svet Slovenije

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