Dr. Rumena Filipova participated in the Security Challenges in the Balkans conference organized by Universitatea de Vest din Timișoara and the New Strategy Center, which took place on October 9 in Timisoara. She participated in the panel “Battle of Narratives: Defending Democracy in the Digital World Dominated by AI”, alongside representatives of academia and the private sector, including Ion Ionita (Historia, Romania), Alina Bargaoanu (New Strategy Center and SNSPA University, Romania), Lucian Margineanu (Flex, Romania), Liviu Lucian Oros (BCR, Romania) and Adrian Racotanu (Eviden Technologies, Romania).
The panel discussion highlighted the challenges and promises of AI for the development of democracy and media literacy in the region. The IGA chairperson’s intervention focused on the distinct historical contexts in Bulgaria and Romania, which condition different proclivities to pro-Kremlin messaging. At the same time, she also underscored overarching similarities in Russia’s strategy of incitement of protests, riots and destabilization – as the offline counterparts to online hybrid activities – applied across the Balkans
In line with the broader themes of the Security Challenges in the Balkans conference, the discussion underscored how the Balkans continue to function as a strategic crossroads and testing ground for hybrid threats, great-power competition, and digital disinformation. As noted in the conference framework, the region’s geopolitical fluidity and its exposure to external influence make it particularly susceptible to both traditional and emerging security risks – from cyber-attacks and political manipulation to the erosion of institutional trust. The panel’s insights reflected these dynamics, emphasising the need for cross-sectoral cooperation between academia, policy, and technology actors to bolster democratic resilience and public engagement in the digital sphere.
