Publications

Dr. Rumena Filipova has published a new article titled “Chinese Influence in Bulgaria. Bubbling Under the Surface” in China Observers in Central and Eastern Europe (CHOICE). The paper argues that although Chinese influence in Bulgaria may not be very conspicuous, it is nevertheless growing and is being promoted by willing local facilitators in politics, business, …

Article: Chinese Influence in Bulgaria. Bubbling Under the Surface Read More »

The Chaillot Paper Hacking Minds and Machines. Foreign Interference in the Digital Era, published by the European Union Institute for Strategic Studies, delves into the phenomenon of foreign interference and the risk it poses to democratic societies. It explores the interplay between information manipulation and disruptive cyber operations, revealing their role as complementary components within …

Report: Hacking Minds and Machines. Foreign Interference in the Digital Era Read More »

IGA has contributed to the newly released report MEPs from Central Europe: A Bulwark Against Authoritarianism, published by Political Capital (Hungary). The publication examines the voting stances of MEPs from 7 Central European countries (Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Czechia, Austria, Bulgaria and Romania) on resolutions condemning authoritarian regime actions around the world, particularly the regimes in Russia …

Report: MEPs from Central Europe. A Bulwark Against Authoritarianism Read More »

IGA has released its new briefing paper Bulgarian Public Opinion, 2024: Increasing Commitment to Allies and Improving Perceptions of Media Freedom amid Continuous East-West Ambivalence. The study presents the results of in-depth public opinion polling conducted in Bulgaria in partnership with GLOBSEC. Key attitudinal measures include views of the EU, NATO, the Kremlin’s war against …

Briefing Paper 6: Bulgarian Public Opinion, 2024 Read More »

In the run-up to the European Parliament elections, Dr. Rumena Filipova contributed to Carnegie Europe’s newly released publication on the impact of the radical right on the foreign policies of a range of EU countries. Her chapter on Bulgaria details the ways in which pro-Russian, nationalist far-right party Revival has acted as a disruptor that …

Publication: Charting the Radical Right’s Influence on EU Foreign Policy Read More »

In an article for CEPA, Dr. Rumena Filipova makes the case that a worrying trend is emerging, whereby youth in Central and Eastern Europe turn out to harbor less democratic and pro-Western views than usually expected. The article provides a cross-country comparative perspective, identifies the reasons for these dispositions and offers recommendations for reclaiming young …

Article: The Alarming Embrace of Anti-Democratic Ideas by Young Europeans Read More »

In a commentary for Carnegie Europe, Dr. Rumena Filipova argues that in order for the far right to be contained, especially ahead of the European Parliament elections, three remedies need to be implemented: 1) revitalizing democratic, results-oriented political leadership; 2) empowering youth as a harbinger of progressive change; and 3) reclaiming hearts and minds from Russia’s …

Commentary: Can the Far Right in Europe be Contained? Read More »

IGA has released its new briefing paper “Not One but Many Silver Bullets. Towards a Classification of Responses to Disinformation”.  The paper draws on the assumption that the corpus of countermeasures and analytical approaches has grown so extensive that actors who set out to build capacities or to reframe and elevate their anti-disinformation efforts are …

Briefing Paper 5: Not One but Many Silver Bullets. Towards a Classification of Responses to Disinformation Read More »

IGA has released its new briefing paper “Countering Disinformation. An Evaluation of the Institutional Approach of Governments”. The study provides a comparative analysis of the most prominent state agencies established to counter disinformation and foreign influence, featuring examples from the US, the EU, Germany, France, Sweden, Ukraine, Taiwan. The analysis evaluates the institutional approach of …

Briefing Paper 4: Countering Disinformation. An Evaluation of the Institutional Approach of Governments Read More »

IGA has released its new briefing paper “Teetering on the Brink of Regional Convergence. Bulgarians’ Stances on Russia’s War against Ukraine, Strategic Orientation, Democracy, Media and Values vis-à-vis Central and Eastern Europe”. The study presents the results of in-depth public opinion polling conducted in Bulgaria in partnership with GLOBSEC. The findings demonstrate that Bulgarians are …

Briefing Paper 3: Teetering on the Brink of Regional Convergence Read More »