Disinformation is a big problem in Kosovo as well, and there is intensive work on campaigns that can prevent the spread of fake news, says Fitim Gashi, a journalist and analyst from Kosovo who participated in the conference of “Metamorphosis” that was held last week in Skopje. In a conversation with CIVIL Media, on the topic of countering disinformation and propaganda, Gashi explained the situation regarding the danger of the fake news in Kosovo.
“Like in other Western Balkan countries, disinformation is a big problem in Kosovo too. We are trying to counter disinformation through campaigns that will influence and create real narratives. The situation has worsened, particularly after Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, with the propaganda that comes from Vladimir Putin and Sergey Lavrov. They, for example, through their media spread fake news that soldiers from Kosovo are fighting in Ukraine, and they publish this in order to create a climate that suits them. So, conferences on disinformation are one of the ways for us to share experiences and counter propaganda”, says Gashi.
According to Gashi, people increasingly more recognize fake news and do not trust portals that do not have an impressum and are with a suspicious editorial.
“People have already learned to recognize professional media and do not trust portals that do not have an impressum. These portals create fake news, some for readership and clicks, while some to create agendas they need to carry out. What we managed to do with our partners from “Metamorphosis” and others from the Western Balkans is to counter disinformation, to debunk it. Also, we make analyses that we put out to the public, so that the true picture about the real information in Kosovo is understood”, says Gashi.
Ana Vasilevska
Camera and editing: Samuel Debus/OK-TV Ludwigshafen
Translation: N. Cvetkovska
The interview is part of the project “Resilient journalism in countering disinformation and propaganda”, which CIVIL is implementing in partnership with Youth4Media (Y4M), with the support of the Government of North Rhine-Westphalia, Dusseldorf, Germany.
