From 29 to 30 September 2026, the CyberSEE and CyberEast+ joint projects of the European Union and the Council of Europe, in co-operation with the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C), organised a regional workshop on strategies to combat disinformation, at the WB3C premises, in Podgorica, Montenegro.
The activity brought together law enforcement practitioners from across the Western Balkans, Türkiye, Moldova and Ukraine, including representatives of the cybercrime investigation units, intelligence and crime analysts, together with experts of the Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs).
In the opening of the event, her Excellency Ms Cécile Humbert-Bouvier, the French Ambassador to Montenegro, highlighted the growing spread of online disinformation and its impact on public institutions and social cohesion. Disinformation can polarise society, weaken institutions and hinder people's ability to make informed decisions. It can also affect fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, which should be a collective responsibility.
Building on this, the Head of the Council of Europe Programme Office in Podgorica, Ms Leila Dervišagić, complemented on the importance of co-ordination among authorities and communications services. Given the cross-border nature of information flows, regional co-operation is essential not only in the Western Balkans, but across Europe as a whole.
Over two days, participants explored how to identify information operations, assess when disinformation may constitute a security risk requiring a law-enforcement response, and recognise the indicators, platforms and tactics associated with coordinated campaigns. The workshop covered legal qualification and decision-making, open-source detection and analysis, the lawful collection and preservation of digital evidence, communication during crises, and regional co-operation.
The event included a practical component too, where participants worked in teams to develop their capacities to identify disinformation campaigns and determine whether they represent threats to societies that require immediate law enforcement response. The participants also acquired practical tools, including an investigator checklist and decision-making grid, and enhanced inter-agency and cross-border co-operation through early-warning and information-sharing practices.
The Council of Europe remains committed to supporting project countries' law enforcement authorities in developing coordinated, lawful and rights-compliant responses to disinformation-related threats in line with the Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention) and its Second Additional Protocol.
Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention)
Second Additional Protocol to the Cybercrime Convention
Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C)