Nadezhda Neynsky established a temporary coordination mechanism at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to counter disinformation and combat hybrid threats in connection with the upcoming early parliamentary elections
24 March 2026 News
By order of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nadezhda Neynsky, dated 23 March, a temporary coordination mechanism will be in place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to counter disinformation and combat hybrid threats and maintain information resilience in connection with the expected intensification of attempts at disinformation campaigns and manipulation of foreign policy information in the context of the extraordinary parliamentary elections in Bulgaria on 19 April this year. The mechanism will be headed by the Ambassador with special orders for building resilience, Maria Spasova, and Deputy Minister Velizar Shalamanov will exercise control over the activity.
The structure will provide a timely, structured and integrated institutional communication response to hybrid threats and attempts at Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI). The administratively new body unites and synchronizes the efforts of the various structural units in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the relevant directions to achieve information resilience and will function in the form of an internal departmental working group.
The working group will perform functions of centralized monitoring and analysis of information on disinformation, attempts at external intervention and information manipulation and information influence, preparation of risk assessments and analytical products for the management of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including in the context of the responsibilities of the Ministry for organizing the vote abroad and information manipulation of sensitive foreign policy topics within the election campaign. At the same time, coordination of the institutional communication response will be carried out, planning and conducting targeted strategic communications, coordination in interaction with international partners, as well as with EU and NATO structures. Within the work of the unit, cooperation with civil society organizations and academia will also take place.