Balkan countries rank among the lowest in 2022 Media Literacy Index

Countries in the Balkans and Southeast Europe are the most vulnerable to fake news and disinformation, according to the 2022 Media Literacy Index. 

The index, which is produced by the European Policies Initiative (EuPI) of the Open Society Institute, measures media literacy and resilience to disinformation in 41 European countries. 

The index cluster analysis shows that states in Southeastern Europe are the least resistant to the influence of fake news and disinformation in the continent, which is particularly concerning given the Kremlin’s efforts to push propaganda and pro-Russia narratives in the region. 

In the fourth cluster, Greece occupies 30th place, followed by Serbia (32rd), Bulgaria (33rd) and Montenegro (35th). Balkan countries take four out of the five positions in the fifth cluster, with Albania occupying 37th place, followed by Bosnia Herzegovina (38th), Kosovo (39th) and North Macedonia (40th). 

The index relies on four indicators to gauge the level of resilience to misinformation in societies: media freedom, education, interpersonal trust, and E-participation. The authors of the Media Literacy Index report note that “media freedom is a key prerequisite for tackling the “fake news” problems, including in the context of safeguarding democracy.” 

Media freedom in Southeastern Europe, as shown by BFMI reports, has been declining at an alarming rate in recent years due to state control and interference in domestic media markets.

BFMI’s ‘Social Media and the Information War in the Balkans’ found that social media platforms are being weaponised by malign political actors in the Western Balkans to promote nationalism and authoritarian practices. Pro-government, pro-Russian and pro-Serbian disinformation spreads quickly, stoking division and anti-European sentiment, leading to growing security concerns for the region.

Marin Lessenski, the author of the EuPI report, states that “it is worrying that the societies, which are most vulnerable to the impact of fake news are at the same time the least concerned about the spreading and the impact of disinformation.” The report found that the public in Southeastern Europe is not overwhelmingly concerned – or aware - about misinformation, despite the abundance of the phenomena in the region, “which increases the risks related to disinformation in such countries, especially in the context of the war in Ukraine.”

Increasing resilience to disinformation 

The Covid pandemic, Russia’s war in Ukraine, and the recent conflict between Serbia and Kosovo highlight the need to address the spread of fake news and state propaganda in Southeastern Europe.

BFMI’s ‘Social Media and the Information War in the Balkans’ proposes a number of recommendations to combat disinformation, including: 

• Expand existing policies for labelling state-controlled or state-affiliated outlets on Facebook and other major platforms.

• Introduce greater sanctions for outlets found to violate content policies and publish disinformation repeatedly.

• Ensure any EU sanctions on political figures target media assets in candidate and associated countries.

• Refuse financial assistance unless clear media reforms are implemented, especially EU funding for accession countries.

• Provide greater financial support for programs promoting media and digital literacy.

Additionally, BFMI has called on the European Commission to quickly adopt a comprehensive Media Freedom Act and oblige EU members and accession candidates alike, particularly in the Balkans, to protect media freedom and pluralism.