Brussels Playbook Podcast How secure are the Commission’s group chats?
Apr 2, 2026
Ian Wishart, Senior EU politics editor at POLITICO, offers quick takes on EU elections, cybersecurity and Brussels politics. They cover Bulgaria asking the EU for help against Russian disinformation. They describe a Signal group being shut down amid suspected phishing and a wider wave of cyberattacks on Commission communications. They close with the political fallout from Italy’s World Cup failure.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Bulgaria Asks EU To Stop Pre-Election Disinformation
- Bulgaria asked the EU to preemptively counter disinformation ahead of its April election.
- Sofia activated a rapid response under the Digital Services Act and convened Meta, Google and TikTok to monitor and disrupt campaigns in real time.
Election Polarisation Mirrors Russia Stance
- Eastern European elections now split along pro-Russia and anti-Russia lines, affecting campaign narratives across the region.
- Politicians like Boyko Borisov and Rumen Radev embody opposing stances on Ukraine and relations with Russia, shaping susceptibility to outside influence.
Bulgaria Has Permissive Information Environment
- Bulgaria ranks as one of the EU's most permissive environments for information manipulation, increasing vulnerability.
- The government created a temporary unit to coordinate responses after studying Moldova and Romania's experiences with interference.