At the international conference “Defending Democracy – Horizons of Freedom,” communication specialist and former Director of Government Communications of North Macedonia, Marjan Zabrcanec, delivered a powerful address on the weaponization of disinformation, the role of artificial intelligence in hybrid warfare, and the vulnerabilities of democratic societies—particularly in North Macedonia and the Western Balkans.
His speech emphasized that disinformation is no longer mere background noise but a strategic weapon targeting democratic values, social trust, and institutional stability, and argued for the responsible, proactive use of AI in defense of truth, transparency, and democracy:
We have heard today how Ukraine is dealing not only with negative information attacks, but with real war attacks. And I would like to say that it is good to be among people who still believe in facts, values, and democracy.
We know what propaganda looks like. We know what pressure, threats, and dirty campaigns are, and how they operate. But today, with artificial intelligence, this hybrid laboratory is going global—faster, more powerful, and more dangerous than ever before.
Today, disinformation is a weapon. It is no longer just noise. For many years, people understood disinformation as something annoying in the public sphere, but not existential. I believe that was a mistake. Disinformation is not only about wrong facts; it is part of a wider hybrid attack on democratic values, institutions, and social trust itself.
It creates real conflict—between citizens, between groups and communities, between peoples, and between states. First, it manifests as a war of narratives, and then as a war on the ground, as we see every day through Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
Artificial intelligence is a new engine in this war. With AI, one person or a small team can produce thousands of messages, images, and videos every day, every second. They can copy faces, clone voices, stimulate emotions, and target specific groups with specific lies. They lie, they are debunked, and they continue to lie. AI gives them speed, scale, and power. It makes disinformation cheaper, smarter, and much harder to detect.
However, blaming artificial intelligence will not help us defend democracy. This is crucial. AI is not exclusively a tool of manipulation. The real question is how we choose to use it.
Democracies, journalists, and civil society can—and must—use the same tools to defend truth, expose networks of lies, amplify facts, and reach people trapped in information bubbles. A good journalist using AI can verify information faster and more effectively. An educator can create personalized media literacy programs. An activist can expose disinformation campaigns and track their sources.
So, should we be afraid of AI? I do not have a definitive answer, but I do have a clear perspective: if democrats, journalists, and civil activists remain passive while autocrats and disinformation architects build their AI systems, we will remain in a situation where those spreading lies are more powerful. But if we invest in AI for truth, transparency, and accountability, we have a real chance to defend democracy.
My second point concerns North Macedonia and the Western Balkans. If I had to describe the situation in one sentence, it would be this: weak media, strong manipulators, and a government that makes things worse.
We have many media outlets, especially in North Macedonia, but often this is an illusion of pluralism. We see copy-paste journalism, political and economic pressure, and captured media. Journalists face low salaries, threats, and even physical attacks. Just two days ago, we witnessed a direct attack during a live political talk show on an independent media outlet, carried out by a person who openly stated that the attack was because the journalists were criticizing the prime minister.
At the same time, the prime minister publicly warned journalists to be “careful” about how and what they report because it is a festive period and they should focus on more positive topics. He even cited a moment when the air in Skopje was cleaner than in Belgrade and Sofia and criticized the media for not reporting it. This is a clear example of political pressure shaping editorial narratives.
When governments reduce transparency, when independent donor funding for media disappears, a vacuum is created. That vacuum is quickly filled by manipulators, disinformation, and false narratives.
Meanwhile, AI tools are entering newsrooms and social media. They could help journalists, activists, and academics analyze data, translate content, and verify information. But in our region, they are more often used to speed up low-quality content or to mass-produce manipulative material.
My third point relates to geopolitics. Today, geopolitics dominates public discourse. This is perhaps the third time in the last century—after World War II and the Cold War—that geopolitics is discussed daily at the citizen level. We all carry geopolitics in our pockets, on our phones.
This reality shows how anti-NATO and anti-European narratives are increasingly shaping public opinion and community thinking. Whether this is good or bad is debatable, but its impact is undeniable.
So, what should we do?
First, we must pressure for transparency and accountability. Civil society, journalists, and active citizens must keep asking difficult questions: Who owns the media? Who finances campaigns? Who stands behind Facebook pages, Instagram accounts, and Telegram channels? If we stop asking loudly, disinformation networks will continue to grow in the dark. This pressure must target all powerful actors—foreign and domestic, including governments that refuse transparency.
Second, we must invest in AI tools and content production. Fact-checking is essential, but it is not enough. We need AI systems that help detect synthetic media, map disinformation networks, and expose coordinated inauthentic behavior. AI is not expensive—it is strategic. For every piece of propaganda, we need at least two pieces of quality content. Complex issues must be explained in simple language, and AI can help us do that.
We must also invest in digital and media literacy—not only for young people, but for adults as well. AI will not disappear. Citizens must learn how to recognize manipulation and protect themselves.
Third, we must continue strong engagement with the European Union. In the current geopolitical context, the EU is our strongest ally. But the EU must also deliver in the Western Balkans, especially in North Macedonia. Disappointed and fearful citizens are the perfect target for manipulators. If the EU delivers on its promises, it becomes much harder for disinformation to succeed.
If we do not use AI for democratic purposes, the other side will continue to use it more aggressively and more effectively. We should stop being surprised by disinformation and manipulation. They were here yesterday, they are here today, and they will be here tomorrow.
More importantly, we must stop acting alone. Democrats must strengthen their connections, build coalitions, and communicate not only with audiences, but with each other. Someone must take political risks—to expose toxic channels, confront powerful disinformation networks, invest in independent media and education, defend transparency, and say no to easy populism, even when it brings quick likes or votes.
If we want to protect democracy, neutrality is not an option.
North Macedonia was not a proxy country of any other state between 2017 and 2024. Claims suggesting otherwise may have been misunderstood. Russian influence and disinformation certainly attempted to use our information space as a proxy battlefield, but the country itself was not a proxy state during that period.
I say this as a former Director of Government Communications. Yes, there were significant external influences, especially during the Prespa Agreement referendum. But with the support of our international allies, we successfully defended society from those attacks. We mobilized more than 600,000 citizens to vote for European integration, NATO membership, and the Prespa Agreement—the highest number of votes ever cast for a single strategic goal in our country’s history.
If we consider that result, we can say clearly: disinformation lost that battle.
This article and refined transcript were prepared by the author with AI-assisted language refinement and editorial support. The content remains fully faithful to the original video address. All responsibility for interpretation and publication rests with the author.
Watch the full video from the conference: