During the final event of DisInfoHack 2026 at Sofia University’s GATE Institute on Monday, caretaker Electronic Governance Minister Georgi Sharkov emphasized that timely response and accurate situational assessment are crucial in the current environment of cyber threats and information influence operations. He stated that the RESIST model forms the basis for counteraction, encompassing threat recognition, early warning, and situational assessment. While initially designed for the information sphere, this methodology is now being applied more broadly across cybersecurity and hybrid operations.
Minister Sharkov stressed that modern risks extend beyond purely technical cyberattacks, encompassing information operations, content manipulation, and public opinion influencing campaigns. He noted that these actions frequently target the public consciousness, which he described as a key “infrastructure.” He detailed that Bulgaria maintains a national cyber situational centre coordinating various institutions, including the Ministry of Electronic Governance, the Interior Ministry, the State Agency for National Security, and the Defence Ministry. These bodies are actively working to counter external disinformation, particularly concerning electoral processes and critical infrastructure.
A key challenge identified was translating analysis into immediate operational action. “It is not enough to understand how something happened months later; we must be able to react in real time,” the Minister stated. He expressed confidence in initiatives like DisInfoHack for developing skills in early disinformation identification and understanding complex hybrid scenarios.
He emphasized that building information resilience requires closer cooperation among institutions, the scientific community, and experts. Effective responses to contemporary information challenges, he concluded, depend precisely on this coordination. DisInfoHack is part of the Countering Disinformation Environment (Ecosystem) in Bulgaria (CoDE) project, which aims to study the information environment and develop best practices for national digital governance.
Topics: #assessment #governance #minister
