The Head of IDFI's Memory and Disinformation Studies Direction, Anton Vacharadze, participated in the international conference “Soviet and Russian Subversion Against Europe” held in the Czech Republic

News | Memory and Disinformation Studies | Article 18 November 2024

On November 18, 2024, in the Czech Republic, under the patronage of the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Markéta Pekarová Adamová, and the Chairman of the Committee on Security, Pavel Žáček, in collaboration with the Ukrainian Institute in Prague, an international conference titled "Soviet and Russian Subversion Against Europe" was held.

 

The conference brought together security experts, historians, and politicians from the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and Georgia. Participants included Tomáš Pojar (National Security Advisor, Office of the government of the Czech Republic), Richard Dearlove (former Director of the British Secret Intelligence Service, 1999–2004), Luboš Veselý (Special Representative for Policy Coordination towards the Russian Federation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic), Jaryna Jasynevych (All-Ukrainian Forum for Democracy (DemForum)), and others.

 

The conference also featured Anton Vacharadze, the Head of the Memory and Disinformation Studies Direction at IDFI, who spoke during the panel "Soviet Subversion: A Historical Perspective". He addressed the increase in disinformation and propaganda leading up to the 2024 parliamentary elections, as well as issues such as election manipulation, large-scale voter bribery, intimidation, and other violations. Vacharadze compared these with Moldova's elections, highlighting both differences and similarities. He focused particularly on public statements from the Kremlin, visits by Russian propagandists and agents of influence to Georgia, and their interference in the country's domestic politics.

 

He also noted that legislative changes, such as the so-called "foreign agents" and censorship laws, along with the lack of critical statements against Russia from Georgian officials, indicate a potential deviation from the path of European integration and growing alignment with the Kremlin's agenda.

 

Explore the agenda for more details.

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