A series of institutional risk factors and systemic weaknesses contribute to the penetration of malicious information from abroad into the media in Macedonia, and preventive measures should not be aimed at introducing censorship, but rather at strengthening the independence of the media and implementing European laws.

This was the conclusion of the panel discussion “From Incidents to Systemic Risks: External Influences as a Test of Media Resilience”, organized by the Institute of Communication Studies (ICS). The Policy Paper “The Media Ecosystem and Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI)” was also presented at the event.

FIMI is not just “one post” but an organized operation

The authors of the Policy Paper “The Media Ecosystem and Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference”, Assoc. Prof. Marina Tuneva, PhD and Dragan Sekulovski, PhD presented the key points and recommendations from the publication, which is based on the European model of the so-called FIMI Exposure Matrix.

According to Sekulovski, FIMI is not just a post by one politician or a TV program, but rather “coordinated and organized activities on multiple platforms, and the goal is for the state or a certain organization to be portrayed as incompetent or lacking the capacity for prevention and response.” Key legal gaps that enable the presence of FIMI are the partial non-transparency of online media, especially during elections. There is a lack of “soft governance” with state-aligned channels, there are no protocols for coordination and exchange of information among key actors, and there are also limited capacities for continuous monitoring and evidence based on FIMI.

Professor Tuneva outlined the five strategic pillars for preventing and addressing FIMI in the media sphere: strengthening the role of public service broadcaster through measures that realistically protect independence and accountability, increasing transparency in the media sector and among state authorities, embedding a clear definition and approach for FIMI in key national policies and strategies, as well as encouraging multi-sectoral cooperation among the media, the security sector, civil society and establishing an integrated system. “The goal is not to introduce censorship, but to establish systemic resilience through harmonization with European laws and strengthening the independence and transparency of the media,” Professor Tuneva said.

No criteria for allocating budget money for media outlets

The Director of the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services (AAVMS), Dr. Zoran Trajchevski, pointed out the state financing of political campaigns and the transfers of huge funds from the Budget to websites that appear right before elections and disappear a week after the election process has ended.

“Such a practice does not exist anywhere in the world. Websites incorporated in Albania, Kosovo, Serbia are registered in our country, publishing absolutely no news content. Let’s see our journalists try to get money in Serbia or Bulgaria – as elections are close approaching there. They will not get it anywhere. In 2024, 10 million euros of budget money were allocated to TV and radio stations and websites without criteria. Media outlets with minor readership also received funds,” Trajchevski said.

The AAVMS director also spoke about the reasons why both influencers and websites refuse to register and emphasized that “the whole struggle is to not submit reports on the sources of their funding and who their donors are.” According to Trajchevski, paid political advertising should be abolished and a fund should be established to support the media.

First-line experiences: Cyber-attacks and digital solidarity

Zana Bozinovska, editor-in-chief of Sloboden Pecat, shared her bad experience with a hacker attack on the outlet’s social media accounts, which resulted in a lack of support from both platforms and institutions. She called for journalistic solidarity and adherence to standards as the best protection.

“There are a lot of media outlets whose resources are too scarce to invest in protection against digital attacks,” Bozinovska pointed out. She said that this is an experience that requires new skills, and she appealed for a higher level of digital hygiene among journalists, to be able to identify such attacks.

Tanja Milanovska Najdovski, Head of the Cyber Security Sector at the Ministry of Digital Transformation, warned that attacks on the media are not ordinary IT incidents, they have the potential to undermine democratic processes.

“Investing in the digital sector does not mean investing only in techniques, but in stability and a democratic society and increasing public trust in institutions,” Milanovska Najdovska said. She reminded the audience that the new Law on Cyber Security, which entered into force in January this year, already provides for mechanisms for mutual protection and expert support in strengthening the digital resilience of the media. Trainings for various target groups are also foreseen, so specialized trainings for journalists can also be organized.

The conference was attended by representatives from several government institutions, including members of the interdepartmental working group for dealing with FIMI, civil society organizations, representatives of foreign embassies, and the media.

Today’s panel discussion is part of the “TRACE: Tracking, Exposing, and Countering Hidden Foreign Manipulations and Interferences” project, supported by the British Embassy in Skopje.