Ana Krstinovska’s speech on the Special committee on the European Democracy Shield Joint meeting

Dr. Ana Krstinovska, Research Fellow, South-East Europe Programme – ELIAMEP & Senior Researcher, think nea – New Narratives of EU Integration,  was amongst the speakers of the Special committee on the European Democracy Shield Joint meeting of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament. Dr. Krstinovska delved into the issue of democratic resilience and countering disinformation focusing on the case of China in the Western Balkans.

During her speech, she explained that despite the fact that China’s growing presence in the Western Balkans is often less visible and less confrontational than Russia’s, it still carries important long-term implications for democratic resilience in the region. China’s engagement reflects its broader global strategy of expanding its influence, promoting its governance model, and shaping international narratives. It operates through a mix of co-optation, information shaping, and, increasingly, political pressure—tactics that adapt to local contexts and rely on wide networks of stakeholders, from public officials to academics, journalists, and civil society representatives. This ecosystem can, at times, contribute to more favorable perceptions of China while limiting critical discussion.

She also underlined that these dynamics become evident in several practical examples: media outlets publishing Chinese state-generated content without clear attribution, instances of self-censorship linked to concerns about economic partnerships, selective reporting on the impacts of Chinese investments, and diplomatic pressure on policymakers and public figures. Such trends undermine democracy by affecting transparency, editorial independence, and informed public debate. Dr. Krstinovska also emphasised that because democracy and rule of law remain at the heart of the EU’s enlargement agenda, the Union is well positioned to encourage stronger safeguards, enhance media integrity, and support open political processes. Aligning these efforts with the European Democracy Shield can help ensure that societies in the Western Balkans remain resilient, confident, and equipped to navigate external influence—whatever its source.

You can watch the video of Dr. Krstinovska’s speech here (starts at 11:00:20).