Civic actors advance cooperation against disinformation and information manipulation in the Eastern Partnership
Published: Jul 8, 2026 Reading time: 3 minutes Share: Share an articleChișinău, Moldova, 7 July 2026 — Over 70 representatives from civil society, independent media, research institutes, public institutions, and other stakeholders gathered in Chișinău for the kick-off event of Resilient & Connected: Joint Initiatives Against Disinformation – a regional programme to strengthen societal resilience against disinformation and foreign information manipulation interference (FIMI) in the Eastern Partnership region.
The launch comes at a time of increasing information manipulation, which undermines public trust, polarise societies, weaken independent voices, and distort democratic debate – including in the electoral context and on European integration processes in Moldova and beyond in the region.
Against this backdrop, Resilient & Connected supports joint initiatives, which strengthen evidence-based responses, foster cross-border cooperation and research, and build capacity of civic actors to protect civic spaces, promote media freedom, and uphold democratic values.
“The objective of disinformation is simple: to divide, confuse, and weaken trust. Our response must therefore also be clear: to connect, inform, and strengthen trust. That is exactly what Resilient & Connected stands for. This programme is built on the idea that resilience is strongest when it is shared. It brings together civil society, independent media, fact-checkers, researchers, and international partners to detect, analyse, and respond to information threats more effectively”, stated Máté Csicsai, Deputy Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation Moldova.
“Disinformation is not only a media or technology challenge; it is a democratic governance and human rights challenge. Civil society and independent media are essential to understanding how information manipulation affects communities, public debate, and civic space. Through this project, we want to support evidence-based, rights-respecting responses that connect local realities with regional cooperation and policy dialogue”, said Ilaria Fevola, Programme Officer, at the Netherlands Helsinki Committee.
The event also featured a Decision Lab, a hands-on exercise exploring information disorders in election contexts. Participants shared country-level experiences from across the Eastern Partnership, mapped dominant disinformation and FIMI narratives, reviewed stakeholder responses, and reflected on what worked, what fell short, and which gaps must be addressed going forward.
“In an age of information overload and manipulation, our challenge is not only to distinguish truth from falsehood, but also to preserve trust, critical thinking, and democratic participation. That is why we are here today. To build resilience together – across communities, across organisations, and across the Eastern Partnership”, mentioned Rafał Chibowski, Country Director of People in Need Moldova.
Launching a new EUR 200 000 scheme for disinformation analysis
During the event, the programme’s implementing partners officially launched and presented a new grant scheme worth over EUR 200 000 for up to 15 civic initiatives supporting research and analysis on FIMI and disinformation across the Eastern Partnership countries.
Background
The Resilient & Connected: Joint Initiatives Against Disinformation is a regional programme co-funded by the European Union and implemented by People in Need, the Prague Civil Society Centre, and the Netherlands Helsinki Committee.
