Lessons from the Frontlines of Disinformation: What Central and Eastern European Fact-Checkers Have Learned Across Central and Eastern Europe, the past decade has witnessed an unprecedented wave of electoral activity, with citizens heading to the polls with remarkable frequency. Bulgaria alone has conducted eight general elections between 2021 and 2026, while the Czech Republic has introduced new voting mechanisms like postal voting. Romania and Moldova have cycled through presidential, parliamentary, and local elections, and Hungary recently experienced what many consider its most consequential election in twenty years. Throughout this electoral turbulence, these nations have become battlegrounds not just for political…

Trust is a fragile thing, and in government communication it is also the most valuable currency in circulation. Let’s be honest: by the time a carefully worded official statement has been drafted, approved, edited and released, the internet has already moved on — and often the story that has moved on is false. This was the challenge that Deputy Minister in The Presidency Kenny Morolong placed before government communicators at the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) strategic session in Pretoria. He reminded them that the credibility of government communication is one of the state’s most important assets, and it…