European Western Balkans: Discussion: Money From the West Flowing to Pro-Russian Oriented Media in Serbia and the Region

European Western Balkans

“Serbia, Bulgaria, and other countries in the region have media that openly favor in Russian side in its aggression against Ukraine and deliberately release disinformation on this conflict, while at the same time, they get funding from the West for their operations, it was said during the discussion organized in Brussels on Tuesday, organized by Balkan Free Media Initiative (BFMI).

The debate heard that large Western companies operating in the Western Balkans region often advertise in the so-called Kremlin media, despite the fact that their international policies and guidelines forbid this, as does their publicly voiced commitment to the fight against disinformation, and not just in the context of Russia’s aggression on Ukraine.

Titled “Defunding Disinformation in the Balkans: How International Brands Support Russia’s Agenda,” the event outlined how global brands and advertising agencies risk strengthening Kremlin influence, thereby contributing to a deteriorating information landscape in an already politically unstable region.”