Disinformation and manipulative information operations continue to undermine democratic governance and public trust across Europe. Addressing these challenges requires foresight, technological countermeasures, and robust regulatory frameworks. The panel Navigating the Information Landscape: Bulgaria’s Policy Pathways from Regulation to Resilience part of this year’s Sofia Information Integrity Forum, moderated by Gloria Trifonova from the Center for the Study of Democracy, explored Bulgaria’s evolving approach to information integrity and resilience.

Dr. Neli Kirilova, PhD Fellow at the European Security and Defense College, examined disinformation in the Black Sea region through an EU lens, presenting possible scenarios for Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine and evaluating the prospects for EU mediation. Goran Georgiev, Senior Analyst at the Center for the Study of Democracy, discussed the Pravda disinformation phenomenon, revealing how automated ecosystems such as the Pravda Network use AI-generated content to manipulate algorithms, search engines, and large language models. He warned that such networks distort online information and influence what both users and digital systems perceive as credible sources.

Elizaveta Polyakova, Analyst at the Center for the Study of Democracy, outlined how gendered and identity-based disinformation erodes trust and fuels division in Bulgaria. She linked anti-gender movements and misogynistic online spaces to broader pro-Kremlin narratives. Concluding the discussion, Simona Veleva, Chairperson of the Council for Electronic Media, discussed the implementation of the Digital Services Act, which obliges major platforms to counter disinformation. She stressed that cooperation with private companies and alignment with the upcoming European Media Freedom Act will be essential for ensuring accountability. Overall, the discussion underscored that building societal resilience requires coordinated action across policy, technology, and civil society.