Resistance to foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) is not built solely through technical measures, but also through political awareness, coordinated oversight, and legislative action. Disinformation campaigns and hybrid threats are using increasingly sophisticated forms, and institutional responses to these threats need to be more systematic. Therefore, Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff participated in a two-day workshop on recognizing and responding to FIMI, organized by the Institute of Communication Studies (ICS) on July 8 and 9, 2025, in Veles.

FIMI are increasingly being used as instruments of hybrid threats that undermine democratic governance, public trust, and national security. Participants discussed how to anticipate and adequately respond to these challenges. The workshop addressed the methods of FIMI, including the use of digital propaganda tactics, coordinated cyberattacks, diplomatic and economic influences. Particular attention was given to institutional and legislative responses to FIMI, as well as international experiences within the EU and NATO, through the role of the EU East StratCom Task Force and the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats. MPs and parliamentary staff worked on simulated scenarios to identify disinformation, narratives, and potential sources of manipulation, and to formulate possible parliamentary responses.

“Addressing FIMI requires institutional capacity, informed MPs, and aligned oversight mechanisms. Parliament has a key role in protecting the democratic process”, emphasized workshop lecturer Assoc. Prof. Dr. Metodi Hadji-Janev.

The workshop was attended by MPs from the parliamentary committees on defense and security, on oversight of communication surveillance measures, and on oversight of security and intelligence agencies. It was held at the initiative of members of the Committee on Defense and Security, who had previously participated in a parliamentary panel discussion where ICS presented studies on FIMI and compliance with European regulations.

The workshop was implemented within the framework of the project “Tracking, Exposing, and Countering Hidden Foreign Manipulations and Interferences – TRACE”, supported by the British Embassy in Skopje. The project aims to build institutional, media, and public resilience to FIMI through policy proposals, education, and media content.