Disinformation, Minister Vengu: Albania, targeted by Russia and Iran

Defense Minister Pirro Vengu, during his report to the disinformation commission, said that Albania is threatened by Russian and Iranian fake news.

" This manipulation of information by foreign countries, which includes disinformation and propaganda, is an international security threat that can create divisions within and between countries, jeopardize the integrity of elections and undermine public trust in the government ," said Vengu.

" Our country is the target of misinformation and malicious propaganda. I bring to attention here another example, at the moment when in April 2024, the Ministry of Defense established the security and defense innovation center, we saw that officially and through media channels the Russian narrative was revived, even through the spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Maria Zakharova, where she said that NATO's investment is being deliberately labeled as a source for hybrid threats in the Balkans and practically accused Albania of having an offensive strategy for hybrid threats in the Balkans .

Bringing concrete examples of the intervention of foreign countries in Albania, Vengu said that the strategies that will be used against them are those of ignorance and discredit. " Also, in January 2020, the leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini, referred to Albania as a small and evil European country, an element of America with some mercenary Iranians who have sold their homeland ," Vengu said.

" Regardless of the reasons and timing of these statements, it is true that we are often targeted by these countries, Russia and Iran, and these statements, which initially begin officially. There are many states that have decided to ignore the attempt of third parties to misinform. They ignore it, mainly supporting the right to free speech. But we are already in the conditions where the intervention of artificial intelligence is required for the filtering and discrediting of disinformation elements. In our judgment as the Minister of Defense we should try to do a combination of both "