Speaking at an international conference on foreign interference and manipulation of information in Sofia on Monday, Gloria Trifonova, an analyst at the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD)’s Economic Programme, noted that the public confidence in the army is seven times higher than in national government. The event, organized by the CSD and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Bulgaria, brought together experts and policymakers to address challenges posed by foreign interference in global democracies.
Trifonova shared results from the latest Eurobarometer survey. She also said that while the military is barred from making political statements, in the social media these ex-officers frequently express pro-Russian sentiments, oppose support for Ukraine, and criticize the European Union and NATO.
Kristina Tsabala, a CSD analyst, spoke of disinformation campaigns against Ukrainian women coming to Bulgaria after the war. "Various media outlets - not necessarily pro-Kremlin ones, portray them as gold-diggers," she said.
Ji-I Cho, a counsellor at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Bulgaria said that disinformation is a global phenomenon, particularly evident during election periods. He noted that the conference provides a valuable opportunity for the two countries to explore future cooperation.
Todor Galev, director of research at CSD, presented a survey showing nearly 70% of Bulgarians exhibit conspiratorial thinking. The disinformation campaign targets Bulgaria's Schengen and eurozone accession and its military aid to Ukraine.
Between July and September 2023, the Human and Social Studies Foundation in Sofia identified 93,792 online publications with disinformation, journalist Georgi Angelov reported. He presented his investigation into Bulgarian websites spreading Russian propaganda.
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