Electronic Governance Minister: Timely Response, Accurate Assessment Are Key in Cyber Threats and Influence Operations

Kristina Ivanova, Zhenya Ilcheva

Caretaker Electronic Governance Minister Georgi Sharkov during the final event of DisInfoHack 2026 at GATE Institute, Sofia, April 27, 2026 (BTA Photo/Vladimir Shokov)

Sofia,

27.04.2026 12:02

(BTA)

In today’s environment of cyber threats and information influence operations, the most important factors are timely response and accurate assessment of the situation, caretaker Electronic Governance Minister Georgi Sharkov said during the final event of DisInfoHack 2026 at Sofia University’s GATE Institute on Monday.

He highlighted that at the basis of counteraction is the RESIST model, which includes threat recognition, early warning, and situational assessment. Although this approach was initially developed for the information environment, it is now being applied more broadly in the context of cybersecurity and hybrid operations.

Minister Sharkov stressed that modern risks are not limited to technical cyberattacks, but also include information operations, content manipulation, and campaigns aimed at influencing public opinion. The key objective of these actions is often to affect the most vulnerable "infrastructure" - public consciousness, he added.

He pointed out that Bulgaria has a national cyber situational centre that coordinates the actions of institutions such as the Ministry of Electronic Governance, the Interior Ministry, the State Agency for National Security, and the Defence Ministry. Institutions are also working to counter external information manipulation and disinformation campaigns, including in the context of electoral processes and critical infrastructure, he added.

An important challenge remains turning analysis into real operational action. "It is not enough to understand how something happened months later, we must be able to react in real time," Sharkov said.

He expressed confidence that initiatives such as DisInfoHack contribute to developing skills for early identification of disinformation campaigns and to a better understanding of complex hybrid scenarios. The participation of young people is key to building a more resilient information environment and protecting the country’s digital sovereignty.

The Minister called for closer cooperation between institutions, the scientific community, and experts, highlighting that effective responses to modern information challenges lie precisely in such coordination.

DisInfoHack is an initiative within a three-year project called Countering Disinformation Environment (Ecosystem) in Bulgaria (CoDE), aimed at developing information resilience through a scientific approach. Its goal is to study and analyze the information environment in Bulgaria and to summarize good practices and tools for effective counteraction to disinformation.

/RY/