The caretaker Minister of Innovation and Growth, Irena Mladenova, emphasized that an effective fight against disinformation necessitates coordinated efforts across multiple sectors: the technology industry, the scientific community, and the state. Speaking at the concluding event of DisInfoHack 2026 at the GATE Institute at Sofia University on Monday, the minister stated that these stakeholders must function as interconnected components to ensure society can make informed decisions and reduce vulnerability to external influences lacking clear objectives. Mladenova highlighted that initiatives like DisInfoHack are valuable not only for their immediate outcomes but also for the sustained work underpinning them.
She noted that the program structure, which involves mentorship and an extended process of idea development, is instrumental in building lasting skills. According to the Minister, this approach helps participants develop the ability to accurately assess the reliability of information circulating in the modern media environment. A primary goal of the initiative, she added, is the establishment of a robust network and the broad dissemination of acquired knowledge.
She urged participants to share their learning with their peers and colleagues to maximize the project’s impact. DisInfoHack is situated within a larger, three-year project called Countering Disinformation Environment (Ecosystem) in Bulgaria (CoDE). This overarching effort employs a scientific methodology aimed at developing national information resilience.
CoDE seeks to analyze Bulgaria’s current information environment, thereby compiling best practices and practical tools for counteracting disinformation effectively.
Topics: #minister #coordinated #fight
