site.btaDeputy Minister Petar Mladenov Attends EU Education Council in Brussels

Deputy Youth and Sport Minster Petar Mladenov participated in a policy debate on disinformation, manipulation and threats in cyberspace and their impact on the lives of young people in the framework of an EU Council for Education, Youth, Culture and Sport, his Ministry said.

"Online disinformation is developing alongside new technologies and undermining trust in science and democratic institutions, fuelling confusion, especially among young people who are still developing their critical thinking skills. We believe that our efforts should focus on developing three key competencies in young people - digital skills, critical thinking and media literacy. The Governance Agenda 2029 recognises precisely the need to develop young people's digital skills. We are already exploring the possibilities for systematic integration of media and digital literacy in school education," Mladenov said.

He pointed to non-formal education as another tool to tackle problems in cyberspace, by promoting youth initiatives, projects and campaigns aimed at combating disinformation and building critical thinking, through the provision of resources and interactive platforms.

Mladenov was adamant that a harmonized and coordinated European approach is needed to enhance young people's digital competences and ensure their digital safety. “By properly combining strategic documents with existing legislative measures and innovative funding, the EU can build a strong network of tools that not only enhance the skills of young people, but also form an entire ecosystem for informed and active democratic participation,” Mladenov concluded.