TIRANA, July 27 – Albania’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs hosted on Monday the international conference “Fighting Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI): Albania and the Enlargement Context” in Tirana.
The event brought together representatives from European institutions, NATO, security experts, academics and media representatives. Discussions focused on foreign information manipulation as a major hybrid threat to democratic societies.
During the first panel, “FIMI in Europe – The New Front of European Security”, Miroslav Sazdovski from the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats said societies must strengthen their resilience against disinformation.
He said experts have identified 30 key areas that could become targets of information manipulation campaigns. Protecting these areas, he added, helps strengthen democratic systems.
Meanwhile, David Colon, professor at Sciences Po Paris and FIMI expert, said trust in science remains essential in confronting these threats. He identified Russia and the Putin government as a main actor behind attacks in Europe and called for stronger cooperation and digital protection mechanisms.
Andy Pryce from the Centre for European Policy Analysis said governments, media, political parties and civil society must work together to build long-term resilience.
Natalia Arno from the Free Russia Foundation said FIMI should be treated as a security issue rather than only a communication challenge. She stressed the need for continuous efforts to counter psychological warfare and fear-based influence campaigns.
The conference also addressed European Union initiatives, including the European Democracy Shield and the FIMI Toolbox, aimed at strengthening democratic resilience through institutional cooperation.
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