The Institute for Hybrid Warfare Studies “Octopus” has organized the 2026 Forum with the theme “Electoral Integrity in the Face of Hybrid Threats: Security Implications from Foreign Intervention”, where local and international experts discussed the dangers posed by hybrid interventions and disinformation in electoral processes.

The director of the “Octopus” Institute, Arben Fetoshi, said that recent cases in Europe have proven the consequences. serious of hybrid interventions and the importance of preventive measures.

He emphasized that neutralizing Serbia’s interference in the electoral processes in Kosovo is not only an institutional task, but also an important contribution to regional stability.

In the first session of the forum, the former head of the CEC, Valdete Daka, stated that the elections are a complex process that requires increased care in terms of security during the organization.

According to her, the Commission The Central Election Commission has repeatedly faced attempts to interfere from Serbia, especially in the north of Kosovo.

Daka said that the pressures on Serbian candidates who were not part of the Serbian List were also worrying.

“All those who have represented the Serbian community outside the Serbian List have been punished in various ways, including dismissal”, she declared.

From the Kosovo Police, Vwllaznim Sordolli said that the police are taking concrete actions to face the election security challenges.

He added that police investigators and prosecutors are engaged in the field before and during the elections to react immediately to possible irregularities.

Meanwhile, the expert from Hibrid.info, Festim Rizanaj, spoke about the disinformation narratives during the election campaigns.

According to him, some of the narratives are related to claims of “institutional terror”, “political arrests”, manipulation of the election process and the influence of the diaspora vote on the election results.

He said that these narratives in the Serbian language penetrate into the digital sphere and artificial intelligence systems.

Dr. also spoke about Russian-Serbian synchronization in election interventions. Iryna Synelnyk, who said that Russian interference in elections is a long-term strategy aimed at damaging democracy through disinformation and involvement in electoral processes.

She warned that there is a high probability that Serbia will try to influence the June 7 elections in Kosovo using methods similar to those used by Russia in other countries.

According to her, institutions should work more to prevent these attacks and educate citizens about hybrid threats.

Source: prizrenpost