The main goal of the project Western Balkans Anti-Disinformation Hub (WBADH) project is exposing foreign malign influence in Western Balkans by debunking and mapping the flow of disinformation, misinformation and propaganda originating from external actors trough the region.

Specific objectives

1. To increase the capacity of journalists and media outlets to identify, document, report and debunk foreign malign influences.
2. Educate the public about the nature and effects of disinformation by external actors.
3. Advocate for increased public debate and increased demand for constructive policy measures
4. To develop a model for dealing with disinformation from foreign malign sources

Target groups

1. 1. The general public as a group that is the most affected and influenced by the foreign malign influences;
   2. National and regional newsrooms and journalists;
   3. Civil society organizations
   4. Public/state institutions included in the fight against malign foreign influences.

Expected results

1. Increased situational awareness and public knowledge about disinformation ecosystems in Western Balkans, by providing a framework of a data-driven early warning infrastructure.
2. Production of informative and educational media content debunking disinformation based on an innovative, data-driven methodology for identifying, monitoring and exposing foreign malign influences.
3. Creation of multistakeholder network of civil society and media organizations, including fact-checking and news outlets, think tank and other interested stakeholders which serves as a platform for joint media coverage, media monitoring and capacity building.
4. Refined model for dealing with disinformation, based on methodology to recognize and report on foreign malign influence in the Western Balkans region (North Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo) applicable beyond the region developed, in particular in places where such toxic influence fails to elicit appropriate attention by media and political establishment;

Project activities

1. Development of regional early-warning data-driven infrastructurethat will serve to prevent harmful impact in the region from disinformation campaigns originating from foreign actors.
2. Watchdog journalism– production of high-quality journalistic contents in the primary formats of debunking articles, in-depth stories and investigative reporting stories.
3. Research focused on mapping, documenting and explaining the venues of malign foreign influence in each country and the WB region as whole. Data collection and analysis resulting in creation of data-driven early warning infrastructure centered around the knowledge hub (database).
4. Public outreach and Advocacy –engagement of general audiences and increasing awareness via promotional campaign for public education and social media outreach; contributing to policy change via advocacy consultations and public events gathering relevant stakeholders to increase their awareness and engagement in the public debate on malign foreign influences.

Project duration: 3.5 years (42 months)

Financial support: Kingdom of the Netherlands

Project partners – core network members:

• Metamorphosis Fountation (lead) from North Macedonia, founder of the fact-checking service Truthmeter (Vistinomer in Macedonian, Vertetemates in Albanian) Meta.mk News Agency, and news portal in Albanian language Portalb.mk ;

• ISAC – International and Security Affairs Centre, think tank from Serbia
• Zašto ne (Why Not) from Bosnia and Herzegovina, founder of the fact-checking services Istinomjer.ba and Raskrinkavanje.ba (fcs)
• Center for Democratic Transition from Montenegro, founder of the fact checking service Raskrinkavanje.me (fcs)
• Faktoje.al, fact-checking service from Albania
• Sbunker.net media publishing organization from Kosovo