62% of Young Bulgarians Willing to Defend Country Amid Rising Disinformation

A recent report by the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) highlights how Russian disinformation continues to dominate Bulgarian media, exacerbating political divisions and undermining trust in Western alliances. This disinformation campaign, backed by pro-Russian outlets, is particularly targeted at young Bulgarians, many of whom are highly susceptible to misleading narratives. The ongoing war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict have become key areas for Moscow to divert attention from its own actions and deepen divisions within Europe.

A survey conducted among Bulgarians aged 16-25 revealed alarming results regarding the level of awareness and susceptibility to disinformation. Over 40% of young Bulgarians are either uninformed or only moderately informed about the war between Israel and Hamas, and about a quarter of those who follow the issue consider the information they encounter to be false. Despite their low level of engagement with global conflicts, 62% of young Bulgarians expressed a willingness to defend their country militarily if attacked. At the same time, 39% of them believe the West is using conflicts like those in Ukraine and Palestine to maintain geopolitical dominance, and 32% are willing to accept anti-Israel disinformation.

The study also indicates that disinformation targeting domestic issues is much more impactful. Many respondents are influenced by narratives regarding Bulgaria's NATO and EU membership, as well as claims that the government serves foreign interests. Between 40% and 52% of those surveyed align with these disinformation claims, showing how effectively foreign-backed narratives are shaping political opinions in Bulgaria.

The report also sheds light on the significant role played by social media platforms, particularly Telegram, in spreading pro-Kremlin content. Over 95% of interactions related to the Israel-Hamas conflict on Bulgarian Telegram channels stem from Russian-backed sources. Pro-Kremlin websites such as Pogled.info continue to spread false narratives, often reprinting content from banned Russian outlets. The report points out that weak enforcement of EU information security regulations in Bulgaria has allowed these sites to operate largely unchecked.

This widespread disinformation is a direct threat to Bulgaria’s democratic stability and its trust in NATO and the EU. The CSD report stresses that improving media literacy, fostering critical thinking, and strengthening protection against foreign influence operations are essential to safeguarding Bulgaria’s information space.

Source: CSD