‘20

WHILE THE TRUTH EXISTS

Dear reader,

We are presenting the second and very open meddling of the a dictatorship country after all, issue of the Publication While Serbian Orthodox Church, using and that the regime change on the truth exists!, an overview of the resistance to the adopted the elections was possible. our one year’s work. Our first Law on the Freedom of Religion With the government change publication marking the first or Belief and mobilization of the and pretty uncertain develop- anniversary of the DFC Maga- believers, Montenegro was on ments in the following period, zine issuing was a confirmation the edge. accompanied by declarative and a message by both the The COVID-19 onset and lock- and contradictory attitudes of local and international public down of the cities led to a sig- the new majority, we in the Dig- about reach and influence of the nificant economic decline. In the ital Forensic Center cannot help Digital Forensic Center on the pre-election months and atmo- but think about the future of Montenegrin media environment sphere of the growing tensions Montenegro, since its indepen- in the widest sense possible. due to the media spinning, the dence has been undermined by Therefore, we became even people openly demonstrated the well-known centers during more aware of our responsibil- their fear that one of the sides all previous years. Therefore, we ity to keep contributing to the would cross the Rubicon. How- are even more grateful nowa- development of media literacy ever, the epilogue that seemed days to the U.S. State Depart- among the Montenegrin society hardly possible those days ment for its support, since we by following our Mission – to occurred – Montenegro showed will keep our unbiased and debunk fake news and disin- its full democratic capacity on independent position of an ob- formation. Knowing this, our the parliamentary elections! And jective researcher and reporter search for the truth, even when when everyone was expecting about possible threats that may we are facing pressures and that the unrest in the country endanger the Euro-Atlantic path obstructions, proves to be the would occur, or that the former of Montenegro in these new right thing, since it becomes our opposition would need to take circumstances. way of thinking and living. the power by force, the coalition While the truth exists! It is a fact that during this and led by the DPS recognized the a previous year, Montenegro election results, handed over has been facing the prominent power peacefully and Presi- pressure and influences coming dent Djukanovic proposed the concretely from Serbia and Prime Minister-Designate in the Russia. With the unhidden ob- shortest delay possible. Mon- structions of the Serbian media tenegro proved that it was not CONTENTS

ELECTIONS CORONAVIRUS IN MONTENEGRO COVID-19 and infodemic 6 Media obstructions 18 on the Election Day 20 More insults from the same address 8 The majority of negative content about DPS, 22 Friends in need or the positive about DF geo-strategists? 10 Fighting for the votes on Facebook

12 €77,000 EUR for Facebook ads 14 UDAR - An attack on THE LAW professional journalism ON FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF

26 Turbulent Parliament night The Law on Freedom of Religion The Publication comprises excerpts 28 of published texts, and you can read or Belief in isolation the integrated contents in the DFC magazine (issues 13-24), on the 30 Faint voice of the government, website: www.dfcme.me loud voice of the opponents PUBLISHER: The Atlantic Council SOCIAL MEDIA of Montenegro EDITOR IN CHIEF: 34 Montenegro under attack Dr. Savo Kentera of the bots from Serbia EDITORIAL BOARD: Praising the Chinese aid Milan Jovanovic 36 Mia Lucic Jelena Danilovic 38 Through the labyrinth of fake profiles TRANSLATION: Danijela Begovic 40 Meme pages and fake profiles Tijana Burzanovic DESIGN AND LAYOUT: Branka Gardasevic PRINTING: RESEARCH/ANALISYS Mouse Print, Podgorica

CIP - Каталогизација у 44 A modest 3 to the trust in media публикацији Национална библиотека Црне 46 How to spot and debunk Горе, Цетиње disinformation? ISSN 2661-2968 = DFC publikacija 48 The objectiveness of the IFIMES COBISS.CG-ID 39218448 in question ISSN (online) 2661-2976 Year 2020, Podgorica, 50 The clamor of the Serbian tabloids Montenegro 53 The analyzed content of Sputnik Srbija

This project was funded, in part, through a U.S. Department of State RESPONSE grant. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed herein are those of the 56 Ambassador’s statements author(s) and do not necessarily re- flect those of the U.S. Government. collided with the facts 58 Truths and misleads

ELECTIONS IN MONTENEGRO THE ELECTION DAY IN MONTENEGRO MARKED BY DISINFORMATION AND FAKE NEWS IN THE MEDIA, AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA MEDIA OBSTRUCTIONS ON THE ELECTION DAY The Election Day in Monte- According to their well-informed sources from the polling stations, in order to negro (August 30), started Montenegro, Srbija danas published that the DPS was make it look like the opposition with disinformation on the was behind this. planned unrest and beating of planning to cause serious incidents all over the country, FABRICATIONS AND the people for which, as the even to endanger the lives of the police officers, before ALLUSIONS TO THE Belgrade-based Glas javno- the closure of the polling stations, in order to make it ARMED CONFLICTS sti claims, the government would blame the opposition. look like the opposition was behind this The Alo news portal published In a text headlined: Scandal- a text headlined: DESPERATE ous! Montenegrin authorities were planning to break the a task to beat the masses. MOVE OF THE DPS! The infor- are preparing to run over gathered masses into smaller According to their well-in- mation from the Secret Service the people with trucks! was groups using tear gas and wa- formed sources from Monte- leaked! Milo’s police are ready stated that the authorities ter cannons, making room for negro, Srbija danas published for action around the Serbian had ordered the fire depart- the strike force of the DPS and that the DPS was planning monasteries! It was claimed ment in Podgorica to equip its the criminals wearing police to cause serious incidents that the representatives of the trucks to break the protests. uniforms led by Veselin Veljo- all over the country, even to Montenegrin security struc- The same portal emphasized in vic, Director of Police Adminis- endanger the lives of the police tures would hide a particular another text that the authorities tration to enter the scene, with officers before the closure of quantity of weapons on the

6 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER eve of the elections at suitable published that the internet French President Emmanuel locations near particular mon- outage in Montenegro had Macron invited Montenegrins FAKE NEWS asteries and other facilities of been planned for around to vote for the opposition on the Serbian Orthodox Church. 6 pm, as well as the take- the tomorrow’s elections ap- THAT FRENCH According to the text, the plan down of the news portals peared on social media. Many PRESIDENT was to find the planted weap- IN4S and Borba, which had accounts published the photo ons on the Election Day, thanks not occurred in the end. from the Politika news portal. EMMANUEL to the alleged operational en- Sputnik Srbija was also active The DFC’s analysis confirmed MACRON INVITED gagement, and to accuse the in the spreading of disinforma- that this piece of news did not SPC’s representatives in Mon- MONTENEGRINS tion. Sputnik published that a exist on that media but that tenegro of the alleged planned dozen representatives of the this was a photomontage. armed conflict and the violent TO VOTE FOR THE Army of Montenegro (who were Besides, the fake profile of overthrow of the government sent to offer assistance near the founder and long-time OPPOSITION ON in order to try to influence the Rozaje) demonstratively had President of the Liberal Alli- election result. THE TOMORROW’S handed over their weapons ance of Montenegro Slavko MEDIA Vladislav Dajkovic, an ac- and had gone to Niksic to vote. Perovic appeared on Twitter. ELECTIONS tivist of the coalition For the This piece of fake news was His post was published by the Future of Montenegro was soon denied by the Ministry opposition political parties – APPEARED ON also spreading disinformation. of Defense of Montenegro in The Democrat) and the leader On his Facebook profile, he SOCIAL MEDIA a statement reading that the of the coalition For the Future OBSTRUCTIONS posted that after the oppo- soldiers obtained a permission of Montenegro Zdravko sition’s electoral victory, the a day before to vote in Niksic. Krivokapic, media, and social DPS would send its groups to The transport to the polling media activists. the parliamentary elections burn the flags of Montenegro, station was organized and The analysis confirmed that in Montenegro (August 23). NATO, and the EU and cause afterward, they returned to this was a fake profile of The post reads that the Ipsos unrest in order to present as if their workplaces, they stated Slavko Perovic, who has not agency conducted a piece of the opposition wanted to annul from the Ministry of Defence. been active on social media research for one political party the statehood of Montenegro. for years. in August. Ipsos agency said His post was republished by FAKE NEWS ON THE EVE for the DFC that the piece numerous news portals: IN4S, OF THE ELECTIONS FALSE PUBLIC OPINION ON of research was not theirs, Novosti, Srbija danas. POLITICAL PARTIES’ RATING reminding that it was not the Numerous fake news pieces first time that the name of their SUSPENSION OF VOTING were published in media and False public opinion research agency had been misused. AND INTERNET OUTAGE on social media on the eve of on the electoral rating of the the elections. political parties appeared on Lately, we have witnessed false Together with fake news on For example, fake news that social media one week before data of the Ipsos research, the planned unrest, the IN4S where the authors refer to the launched disinformation that alleged research of our agency the authorities, under the that they have consulted, said guise of the alleged breach Vladimir Raicevic, the CEO of of the National Coordination DISINFORMATION ON THE Ipsos for Montenegro. Body’s (NKT) health measures, NEWS PORTALS CDM AND ANALITIKA would suspend the voting on The Montenegrin news portals CdM and Portal Analitika published the In mid-August, a fake piece of the particular polling stations. message of the U.S. Ambassador Judy Rising Reinke on the Election research on the electoral rating The aim was to prevent the Day headlined – Reinke: I admire the people who came to Montenegro of the parties participating in victory of the opposition, and risk their health so that they would vote. The Ambassador ex- the local elections in Budva since a great turnout was not pressed her honest admiration to the mission members who arrived in appeared on social media. in favor of the ruling party. Montenegro despite the pandemic, and she did not mention the voters Allegedly, its author was the During the Election Day, the from abroad which is insinuated in the headline, even though there is Center for Democracy and news portal Glas Javnosti no such construction in the text. Human Rights (CEDEM).

DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 7 The DFC’s monitoring of articles on Facebook and the most-read Montenegrin portals about the electoral lists, their prevalence, key topics, and social media reach

MAJORITY OF NEGATIVE CONTENT ABOUT DPS, POSITIVE ABOUT DF In the period from August 1 to 15, the Digital Forensic Center registered the articles mentioning parties and/or their representatives on six most visited Montenegrin news portals: Vijesti, CdM, IN4S, RTCG, Antena M, and Borba, in order to determine their presence, key topics and their social media reach

The Monitoring demonstrated context 107 times, 21 articles bringing the Albanians from Future of Montenegro), with that the majority of the articles were neutral, while there were Kosovo to vote for the DPS the majority of articles in the on news portals (627 of them) no positive articles. On the using false identity documents. positive context – 136, while were about the list Decisively news portal Vijesti, there were 111 were neutral, and 37 The negative narratives on the for Montenegro – DPS Milo 66 negative, 26 neutral, and 15 articles about this list and its DPS and its representatives Djukanovic, out of which positive articles on the DPS. representatives were negative. published on the news portal 398 were negative, 124 were During the monitoring period, The majority of the articles Vijesti were usually taken from neutral while 105 of them were IN4S had the highest number about that electoral list in the the press releases of the oppo- positive. When it comes to of the op-eds on the upcoming monitoring period was found sition parties, stating that the the number of articles on the elections while the majority of on the news portals IN4S and ruling party was blackmailing portals, the majority of those those targeted the government. Borba. Out of 70 published ar- the voters and buying IDs as mentioning the DPS and its Out of those articles, the fol- ticles on the news portal IN4S, well as that the DPS had never leaders in any context was lowing stand out: The opposi- 60 were positive, eight were been more vulnerable and in registered on the news portals tion may defeat Milo if united neutral and two were negative, danger. IN4S, Borba and Vijesti. The and Montenegrins bit the hand while Borba published 44 pos- news portal IN4S had 160 that educated them. IN4S THE DF – SECOND IN THE itive articles about that list, 22 articles. Out of them, 153 were and Borba republished the NUMBER OF ARTICLES neutral articles, and there were negative, six were neutral and unverified information of the no negative articles. Out of only one article was positive. Belgrade-based news portal The second most mentioned the positive articles about the On the news portal Borba, the Glas javnosti that a great elec- party in the articles and posts great people’s coalition on the DPS and its representatives toral fraud is being prepared is the coalition around the portal IN4S, the op-eds stand were mentioned in a negative and that the authorities were Democratic Front (For the out again. Hence, in the text

8 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER A TOTAL NUMBER OF POSTS 398 ON ELECTORAL LISTS ON THE NEWS PORTALS

POSITIVE

NEGATIVE

NEUTRAL 136 124 111 105 79 72 67 67 63 53 37 24 24 23 21 17 14 15 16 12 12 4 5 2 3 1 1 0 0 BS - HGI - SDP- Croatian It’s in Black Albanian Coalition Decisively for For the Future Albanian List - Peace is Our Righteously - Wholeheartedly for Strong Reform Party and White Unanimously - DP, Montenegro! DPS - of Montenegro Genci Nimanbegu Nation Rafet Husovic Montenegro! Montenegro DUA and DSCG Milo Djukanovic and Nik Gjeloshaj

For the Future of Montenegro, THIRD AND FOURTH PLACE – IT IS NOTICEABLE THAT THE NEWS the leaders of this coalition are BECIC AND ABAZOVIC commended since they suc- PORTALS DEDICATED MUCH LESS The list Peace is Our Nation ceeded to unite and it is also is on the third place for the ATTENTION TO THE NATIONAL stated that the opposition was number of articles (158) while close to the electoral victory. MINORITIES’ PARTIES the coalition It’s in Black and The key message of the article White comes right after it with 53 were neutral and 16 were list of the Bosniak Party, while is that Montenegro deserves to 154 ar-ticles. The list leaded negative while the list SD – the Croatian Citizens’ Initiative (re)animate and the precondi- by the Democratic Montenegro Ivan Brajovic – We decide and the Albanian List - Genci tion for that would be that the had 67 positive and neutral CONSISTENTLY had 111 Nimanbegu and Nik Gjeloshaj people vote for themselves and articles respectively, while 24 articles out of which 54 were had 28 articles respectively, the the future of Montenegro. articles were negative. The list positive, 30 were neutral Croatian Reform Party had 27 It’s in Black and White had 79 The news portal Borba mostly and 27 were negative. articles and the least articles, positive articles, 63 neutral reported on the statements and only 19, had the Albanian Coa- ones and 12 negative on all announcements of the chief lition – Unanimously. The most monitored news portals. Both THE LEAST ARTICLES candidate of the list For the present topics in the articles on lists had the majority of articles ABOUT THE NATIONAL Future of Montenegro Zdravko the news portals were identity on the news portal Vijesti MINORITIES’ LISTS Krivokapic, in which this coali- issues, the Law on Freedom of (Peace is our nation – 44, It’s tion is presented as a defender It is noticeable that the news Religion or Belief, healthcare and in black and white – 43). of the shrines and whose focus portals dedicated much the measures of the National is on the abolition of the Law The list SDP – Strong Mon- less attention to the national Coordination Body (NKT), crime on Freedom of Religion or Be- tenegro had 141 articles out minorities’ parties. Therefore, and corruption, economy, youth lief after the regime change. of which 72 were positive, there were 40 articles about the and education.

DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 9 THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN IS HEATING UP

and comments), the most likes on a page, as well as whether the interaction has varied as the elections were approach- ing. It was noticed that particu- FIGHTING lar political parties sponsoring posts to amplify their reach, which collided with the organic FOR interactions on these pages. MILAČIĆ’S PAGE – THE THE ON LARGEST NUMBER OF VOTES INTERACTIONS AND LIKES Page Marko Milačić – Prava Crna Gora had the most inter- actions per post (4.3k) in June. This page also generated the most likes (70.1k). The next are the pages Demokratski front FACEBOOK with 1.5k and Aleksa Becic Facebook offers a feature to collect numerous data on users easily, – Demokrate – Demokratska Crna Gora with 1.1k inter- which enables targeting of wanted groups based on different criteria actions per post. Besides, (users’ preferences, location, etc.) both pages obtained many likes; therefore, the page of Demokratski front had 51.3k, All around the world, social in the region. However, in the June-July 2020: Aleksa Becic while Demokrate’s page had media have been actively used race for parliamentary elections – Demokrate – Demokratska 44.4k likes. Other pages of as the means of influence in held on August 30, 2020, there Crna Gora, Građanski pokret political parties had less than a prominent events and political were twelve of them. URA, Demokratska partija thousand interactions per post processes. However, Facebook socijalista Crne Gore, Ujed- in June. However, Ujedinjena is a leader when it comes to WHERE ARE OUR POLITICAL injena Crna Gora – Zvanična Crna Gora – Zvanična stranica the election campaigns, thanks PARTIES ON FACEBOOK? stranica, DEMOS – Miodrag stood out in this group and to its features and tools. Lekić, Socijaldemokrate Crne Since the coronavirus pandem- despite a small number of likes Facebook offers a feature to Gore, Marko Milačić – Pra- ic made the campaign in real (5.8k) it generated 717 interac- collect numerous data on users va Crna Gora, Demokratski word difficult to organize, some tions per post. easily, which enables targeting front, SNP – Socijalistička parties decided to use the vir- of wanted groups based on dif- narodna partija Crne Gore In July, Milačić’s page still tual world for this purpose, i.e. ferent criteria (users’ preferenc- – СНП ЦГ, Socijaldemokrats- had the most interactions per social media. In our country, it es, location, etc). That way, the ka partija Crne Gore – SDP post (3.4.k) while this figure was mostly Facebook, as the users susceptible to particular and Bošnjačka stranka. was almost halved in the case most used social network. content are easily identified. The acquired data indicate of Demokratski front and According to the data from The DFC analyzed eleven which political parties had the Demokrate, accounting for 2019, Montenegro has 51 polit- Facebook pages of the Monte- most interactions per post (a 804 and 657 interactions per ical parties, the most per capita negrin political parties during total number of likes, shares, post respectively. The data

10 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER (1.9k), Demokratska partija others are visibly supporting IT WAS NOTICED socijalista Crne Gore (1.5k) and the narratives of particular THAT PARTICULAR Ujedinjena Crna Gora – Zvan- parties, including the Metropol- ic-na stranica (1.5k). Other itanate of Montenegro and POLITICAL pages of the political parties the Littoral in the context of achieved the growth of less the elections. That way, the PARTIES WERE than a thousand likes for the politics has been transferred SPONSORING two monitored months. to the virtual world, and in that sense, several opposition-ori- POSTS TO MEME PAGES JOINED ented meme pages came AMPLIFY THEIR THE POLITICAL GAME to the fore: МИМистарство оностраних послова, Nemoj- Apart from being fun, meme mo politizovati proteste, It was REACH, WHICH pages popular on Facebook very unpleasant/Psalam 118 use their rhetoric to influence COLLIDED WITH (which call themselves meme public opinion. With a char- serdars), and Dnevna doza THE ORGANIC acteristic dose of satire, they crnogorskih dubioza, including have frequently been used as a INTERACTIONS two government-close meme tool of influence, which is most pages – Crna Gora Transpar- ON THESE PAGE visible in the key political mo- entno and Politika ments – in this case, the elec- Crna Gora. tion campaign in Montenegro. indicates that not all pages Divided between the position of political parties generated and the opposition just like a significant increase in the the domestic political scene, number of interactions per post meme pages find sources of ahead of the elections. Pages their content in the current of other political parties had a political reality, interpreting similar trend in July, as it was it in different manners. the case with June. Therefore, It is presumed that the number of interactions some of them per post still did not pass one were cre- thousand. However, a signifi- ated by cant increase in the number of political interactions was noticeable on parties page Socijaldemokrate Crne them- Gore, which bounced from 70 selves, in June to 396 interactions per while post in July. When it comes to page likes, the biggest growth for the pe- riod June-July was registered on the Marko Milačić – Prava Crna Gora Facebook page with 6.8k likes, as well as on the Aleksa Becic – Demokrate – Demokratska Crna Gora with 6.1k likes. This was followed by Demokratski front (3.2k), Socijaldemokrate Crne Gore

DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 11 The DFC published the amount of money the political parties and electoral lists spent from August 4 to September 2 on sponsored posts on the most popular social media €77,000 FOR FACEBOOK ADS

Owing to the new Facebook advertising policy, the past elections were an opportunity to find out the data on the parties’ spending on Facebook ads for the first time

Using the official Facebook Socialists paid 14,634, while elections in Montenegro, AHEAD OF THE data, the Digital Forensic the Civic Movement URA paid Facebook presented the new PARLIAMENTARY Center discovered that from 8,116 euros. The page Zdravko advertising policy, which refers August 4 to September 2, the Krivokapic – For the Future of to our country as well. Now, all ELECTIONS IN Social Democratic Party spent Montenegro spent 2,336 euros political ads must be autho- MONTENEGRO, the largest amount of money on sponsored posts. rized and provide information on Facebook ads – 17,973 The Croatian Civic Initiative on who paid for the ad. FACEBOOK euros, followed closely by spent 612 euros on Facebook Owing to the new Facebook PRESENTED THE the Social Democrats with ads, the Albanian coalition advertising policy, the past 17,621 euros. Unanonimously spent 304, the NEW ADVERTISING elections were an opportuni- The official page Aleksa Becic Albanian list 200, the Croatian ty to find out the data on the POLICY, WHICH – the Democrats paid a total Reform Party 153, and the parties’ spending on Facebook REFERS TO OUR of 15,230 euros for Facebook Bosniak Party 102 euros. ads for the first time. ads, the Democratic Party of Ahead of the parliamentary COUNTRY AS WELL

12 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY €17.973, OF MONTENEGRO

SOCIAL DEMOCRATS OF MONTENEGRO €17.621,

ALEKSA BECIC - THE DEMOCRATS €15.230,

DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF SOCIALISTS € 14.634,

CIVIC MOVEMENT € 8.116, URA

ZDRAVKO KRIVOKAPIC - FOR THE FUTURE OF € 2.336, MONTENEGRO

CROATIAN CIVIC INITIATIVE €612

ALBANIAN COALITION € 304 - UNANIMOUSLY

ALBANIAN LIST GENCI NIMANBEGU AND NIK GJELOSHAJ € 200

CROATIAN REFORM €153 PARTY The amount of money the electorial lists spent

BOSNIAK on Facebook ads from PARTY €102 August 4 to September 2

DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 13 The DFC’s analysis of written and audio content from the UDAR (Eng. attack) news portal, its influence on social media, anonymous ownership and editorial structure

AN ATTACK ON PROFESSIONAL UDAR JOURNALISM

Since its appearance on the media scene, the UDAR Although the anonymous per- Montenegrin public has been sons behind UDAR announced provided with controversial news portal has been publishing information, the disclosure of well-kept content, to put it mildly. Most always with the reference to the unknown sources. information and secrets soon often, it is about pinpointing At the same time, UDAR is breaching the Law on after its registration under the to and directing unsubstan- national Internet domain of tiated accusations towards Media, since a month after its first text it does not Montenegro (the domain was politicians, parties, and other have an Impressum registered on July 17), the individuals from public life,

14 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER without making any reference Media, Impressum should be has carefully created and kept to the author or source of visible, easily recognizable, their anonymity. information, but always quoting and always available. Like- An indicative fact is that well-informed and anonymous wise, Impressum consists of after the Parliamenta- sources. the name of media, e-mail or ry elections, UDAR website address, name of edi- Our experience has shown us stopped publishing tor-in-chief, name and head- that media, which is launched texts, and soon quarters/location of a founder, prior to the elections, almost we were unable and a TIN of a media founder. always serves the interests of to access its a specific political option. This The UDAR news portal was website is corroborated by YouTube created on the Internet by udar.me. videos of foreign (Serbian) using the tools for anonymous security services’ co-workers web hostings, such as Njalla, disclosing names of famous which uses Bitcoin as a type of figures from Montenegro’s payment method that cannot public life, which made UDAR be traced. This tool is designed one of the main election cam- to protect the ownership paign topics. identity by hiding the informa- tion on domain or web hosting Contrary to its written content, tenant (WHOIS). Overview of videos published on the UDAR the news portal’s certificates, news portal targeted only one WHOIS information, IP address side. In the six videos post- history, hosting server, and the ed so far, almost all persons portal’s content did provide us are either supporters of the neither with any information Serbian Orthodox Church or nor mistake that would uncov- representatives of the opposi- er the ownership identity. This tion parties or activists close to is about an organization with them. Along with photos with technical knowledge, which names and surnames, their code names and operational connections in a foreign coun- try have been provided too, without any concrete evidence OUR EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN on the alleged connections to the given structures. US THAT MEDIA, WHICH IS

ANONYMOUS OWNERSHIP LAUNCHED PRIOR TO THE AND EDITORIAL STRUCTURE ELECTIONS, ALMOST ALWAYS Although they announced that the UDAR’s editorial board SERVES THE INTERESTS OF A consists of a team with interna- SPECIFIC POLITICAL OPTION tional expertise in investigative journalism, to this day there is no Impressum with the names of editor-in-chief and members of the editorial board, which represents a legal obligation. According to the Law on

DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 15

CORONA VIRUS CORONAVIRUS IN THE WESTERN BALKANS

coronavirus being exposed to threats on social media. In Montenegro, private data of a woman, who was registered as one of the first cases, were in- appropriately shared on social media and the internet. PANIC - A REACTION COVID-19 TO FAKE NEWS On March 11, social media were flooded with messages, AND INFODEMIC which citizens received from different addresses. Referring to the Government’s and Min- Besides the health crisis, the The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) started at istries’ sources, they claimed coronavirus pandemic fabri- that there were coronavirus cated a significant amount of the beginning of December in China, and in the cases in Montenegro, even disinformation aimed at their meantime, it has spread all over the world though at that point there were further spreading and creating. no registered cases, adding Information varied from the that the Government would of- virus symptoms, its transmis- THE FIRST CORONAVIRUS a huge amount of disinforma- ficially publish the data the fol- sion, control, and treatment CASES AND RECKLESS tion. In that sense, coronavirus lowing day, and declare a state measures, to the theories of its REACTIONS OF CITIZENS showed how people could be of emergency. Additional panic final goal. quickly manipulated, and, was created by a message Montenegro, which resisted With the first cases of corona- simultaneously, reckless in claiming that the big supermar- this infection for a long time, virus in the region at the end their posts. ket chains had ordered huge was the last country in that of February and the beginning Therefore, the irresponsible supplies of basic foodstuff. part of the world and Europe to of March, it is perceived that media reporting in Bosnia and The messages created register two coronavirus cases the Internet and media space Herzegovina led to a wom- huge queues in the markets on March 17. were flooded with different an infected with the novel around the country because Learning from the region’s information. Since the begin- experiences, in particular from ning of the epidemic, experts Italy, Montenegro has intro- have been daily warning the duced the control measures, population not to trust every- which have been upgraded on thing they hear and read, and WHAT DO THE STATISTICS SAY? a daily basis, even before the to double-check each piece of first cases. According to the Explore’s statistics for the period March 1–31, information. However, much in Montenegro, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, coronavi- misleading content and unver- Despite significant engagement rus was mentioned around 550 thousand times. On the internet ified information, sometimes on social media and news, the (Twitter, news, blogs, and forums are used for the statistics), even coming from the highest governments in the regional the most used hashtag was #covid19, as much as 46.875 level of the government itself, countries and their official times, and the most mentions (over 319 thousand) came pushed the recommendations representatives and authorities from Serbia. in the background. have not succeeded to stop

18 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER the citizens rushed in pan- COVID-19 IS NOT MORE hlende Part (The missing part) CORONAVIRUS ic to buy basic products to DANGEROUS THAN THE FLU TV show, on RT Deutsch (RT = evade shortages and crowds Russia Today), and then it SHOWED HOW PEOPLE One of these videos entitled after the declaration of a state was posted on March 20 on Epidemic which was never COULD BE QUICKLY of emergency and possi- a YouTube channel. As there became very popular in ble bans on movement. stated in the description on MANIPULATED, AND the virtual world of Facebook. Soon after, the Government of its official account, the show Dr. Claus Köhnlein, an inter- SIMULTANEOUSLY, Montenegro reacted stating on does alternative coverage, nist, claims that he does not Twitter that these claims were questioning standing views RECKLESS IN see a new disease in SARS- completely unfounded and that of the German media. Cov 2 virus. He stated that THEIR POSTS the Government was neither if the testing had not been A video entitled Coronavi- planning such steps, nor there performed, the life would have rus – not worse than severe was a need for them. been the same as before and influenza dr. Wolfgang Wodarg CONSPIRACY THEORIES MORE the mortality would not have fact-checking was trending CONTAGIOUS THAN THE VIRUS been higher. Also, Köhnlein on Facebook and certain claims that coronavirus tests alternative websites. in the During the crises provoked by are meaningless. In the Mon- video, whose subtitled version pandemics, the combination tenegrin (Serbian/Croatian/ adapted for our language of fear and lack of information Bosnian) – speaking area, the region was posted by Danak makes a man more prone to video in German with subtitles u krvi u Srbiji Facebook believe in various theories. appeared on the Joshua Bobi page, Wodarg claims that Since the Chinese authorities YouTube channel on March 27, COVID-19 does not pose issued a press release at the where numerous conspiracy a bigger threat than a end of December 2019 stating theories are usually posted. seasonal influenza, that it that the mysterious disease does not require isola- The whole interview with Dr. was spreading over Wuhan, tion measures, and that Köhnlein, also subtitled, was many theories emerged about people are unnecessarily posted two days later (March the onset of this pandemic and placed in quarantine. 29) on the FES TV YouTube its consequences for society. The video was posted channel, where it had more on that page on March As the COVID-19 pandemic than 680k views. Also, these 27 and had around has been progressing in the two channels were the ones 240,000 views and world, not only that the number that started spreading the more than 850 shares. of infected people has been videos on Facebook. They increasing, but also the number were shared on more than 42k Due to the numerous of those trying to diminish profiles and 110 open groups similar posts and arti- the severity of this situation. and pages. cles, the WHO repeat- Therefore, news and posts ed many times that we are emerging every day on KÖHNLEIN AND RUSSIA are fighting not only social media and they usually TODAY – THEORIES ON the epidemic but the become viral easily. INFECTIOUS VIRUSES infodemic as well. However, in comparison to the The interview with Dr. lemonade with sodium bicar- Köhnlein was pri- bonate and garlic, the posts marily broad- encompassing facts, lies, and casted on half-truths are more dangerous Der Fe- since they confuse or even mislead citizens, especially if announced by doctors.

DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 19 NEGATIVE COMMENTS OF THE SERBIAN OFFICIALS ON THE TESTS, LABORATORIES, AND CORONAVIRUS CASES IN MONTENEGRO

Declaring corona free destination on June 2 and opening MORE INSULTS the borders for some countries from the region and Europe FROM THE SAME incited new attacks on Montenegro ADDRESS

Even though Kosovo and the Orthodox Church and Serbian so much since no one in the re- coronavirus. These people, upcoming elections in Serbia population in Montenegro, as gion is doing it, Vucic comment- they have neither a laboratory were the occasion and topic of well as the corona free status ed that Serbia did not want to nor the PCR tests... alluding to the President Vucic’s appear- of our country were obviously hide anything, adding that the Montenegro which declared the ance on the TV show Fokus equally interesting. funniest thing is when someone end of the epidemic on June 2 on B92 television on June 14, When a TV show host asked from the region is preaching and therefore became corona the position of the Serbian Vucic why Serbia was testing to us what to do regarding free destination.

20 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER PRIME MINISTER BRNABIC are not corona free but they are VUCIC APOLOGIZED TO MONTENEGRO – THE DECISION OF not testing...As the mafia would MONTENEGRO IS POLITICAL say „no man, no problem“, President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic repeated on July 4 that when there are no tests, there Montenegro did not have a laboratory for the PCR tests and that During her visit to Ivanjica on are no positive cases either, June 8, Prime Minister Ana Br- it only had done 18,000 rough tests. Two days later, Serbian vi- pointed out the Prime Minister nabic also responded negative- rologist Dragan Delic commented on the statement in a TV show of Serbia. ly to the journalists’ question Utisak nedelje on the TV Nova S. He stated that there were five PCR machines in Montenegro, more than 21,000 tests had been whether a decision of Serbia NKT’S RESPONSE TO SERBIA to put an end to the second done and one citizen in 30 had been tested. After that, President AND THE RECOGNITION Vucic apologized to Montenegro. I made just one mistake by negative test for the coronavi- FOR MONTENEGRO rus infected was political and saying that there were no PCR laboratories in Montenegro – there tactical. However, she added The National Coordination are. And just to make sure that I am not unfair, I apologize. that a decision of Montenegro Body of Montenegro (NKT) (author’s comment: to close gave a statement regarding these claims, announcing that SOME COUNTRIES the so-far quality and efficient Montenegrin epidemiologists students was from Montenegro engagement of a whole health are keeping the situation under and that he brought coronavi- DEPEND ON TOURISM system and operational head- control. If it wasn’t the case, the rus to the dormitory. BUT ARE NOT TESTING quarters are the best démenti epidemic would burst from May Numerous Serbian news por- PEOPLE. THEY ARE NOT of the poorly argued and false 5, when this disease was diag- tals reported on the news, with- claims presented from the nosed for the last time, as this out providing any evidence. Dr. CORONA FREE BUT THEY highest instances in the region, recognized scientist concluded. Mila Paunic, an epidemiologist ARE NOT TESTING... inter alia, the claim that only from the Student’s polyclinics AS THE MAFIA WOULD rough tests are performed in MONTENEGRIN STUDENT DID stated that all of the students Montenegro, that it does not NOT BRING CORONAVIRUS that tested positive for corona- SAY „NO MAN, NO have the adequate laboratories TO THE DORMITORY virus were from Serbia and that PROBLEM“, WHEN THERE or testing resources. They em- their state was stable. After Serbia had opened phasized that Montenegro had ARE NO TESTS, THERE the borders with Montenegro, The Alo news portal, which the most modern laboratory, the Student Center in Belgrade claimed just a day before that ARE NO POSITIVE CASES excellent experts, and organi- confirmed that a couple of the virus was brought by the EITHER, BRNABIC SAID zation. The same day, the Gov- students from the Karaburma Montenegrin student, published ernment of Montenegro posted student dormitory had been a text on June 10 revealing that a video on Facebook from the its borders for Serbia) was tested positive for coronavirus. a girl from Nis (Serbia) was the Molecular Microbiology Depart- political...we are following the This was followed by disinfor- one who had brought the virus ment, showing how and where advice of experts and are not mation that one of the infected into the dormitory. the testing for coronavirus has making any political decisions been performed. in the fight against COVID-19. However, this is not the only However, not all of the Serbian occasion when the Prime officials gave negative state- Minister of Serbia spoke that ments and criticized the Mon- way. In TV show Cirilica on tenegrin health system during Happy TV (June 15), Brnabic the coronavirus pandemic. commented on the decisions Epidemiologist Zoran Radova- of Greece and Montenegro to novic said in his interview for open (or close) the borders Pobjeda (June 14) that Monte- with Serbia and said: some negro dealt better with corona- countries depend on tourism virus than all the countries in but are not testing people. They the region.

DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 21 CHINA AND RUSSIA – SPINNING THE POLITICS OF AID FOR A BETTER POSITIONING FRIENDS IN NEED OR GEO-STRATEGISTS?

By launching the narratives In time when fighting coronavirus is a priority for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign that the EU is down on its the majority of the countries, China and Russia Affairs, and quoted by the state knees or that the virus was media later on. In fact, the created by the US, China and are trying to present themselves as saviors, Italian fact-checking websites Russia are using the corona- capable of fighting out the current problem concluded that the citizens of virus pandemic to gain the Rome applauded to their health position of the winning coun- workers and that the instru- unique planetary battle against itself as the leader of public tries, even though there are mental of the Chinse anthem the pandemic, the battle to health preservation, while no winners until the disease is was inserted later in discredit the EU has started. the epidemic is spreading all eradicated. Spreading of these a montage. around the world. narratives and disinformation According to the Guardian, started after Italy (the world one of the most serious threats After sending the aid to Italy, DISINFORMATION coronavirus hotspot at that to Chinese leadership in the the internet was flooded with CAMPAIGN AND THE time) had received the aid from last decades is the criticism of information that the Italian POWERFUL RHETORIC Beijing and Moscow. While the the majority of the counties of citizens were applauding Brussels administration was China’s initial withholding of to China to express their Along with sending the aid to preparing the response to the information and slow reaction gratefulness, and even into- Italy, Russia led a disinforma- new crisis, China and Russia to COVID-19, which contrib- nating the Chinese anthem. tion campaign on March 23 had already had their own, uted to the virus spreading. This version of happening when Sputnik published the ready to be launched through Therefore, it is not surprising was posted on Twitter by Hua now-deleted tweet of the Rus- the media. Thus, instead of the that China tried to present Chunying, spokeswoman of sian Senator Alexey Pushkov

22 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER that Poland had blocked the RUSSIA – A DOUBLE BENEFIT ones, were surprised, it tur- access of Russian humani- ned out that the shipment tarian aid to Italy through its Numerous experts think that the Russian supplies delivery is was not free. airspace. On the other hand, a part of the Kremlin’s propaganda aiming at strengthening On March 31, the Russian me- the Italian La Stampa published Putin’s internal position, while at the same time presenting dia outlets were first to publish that even 80% of the Russian Russia as a savior to the world. Meanwhile, as American media that the medical supplies from aid to Italy was useless and reported, the analysts warned Trump that Moscow was using Moscow were on their way to that these were just excuses these activities to strengthen its influence and a chance of having New York, following a conver- to spread the influence. The American sanctions abolished – imposed on due to the 2016 sation of the two Presidents, spokesperson of the Russian election interference. Trump and Putin, and on April Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ma- 1 that the Russian Ilyushin ria Zakharova reacted strongly landed to the John Kennedy to the article, stating that on Airport. The headline was the the example and humanitarian March 24, Sputnik published The retrograde bureaucracy – same for almost all aid that Russia had provided to an article – Video circulating on Coronavirus shattered the illu- of the Russian media articles: Italy and that Cuba and China social media: Italian removed sions on the European Union, it Airplane with Russian aid were providing to numerous the EU flag and replaced it with is time to turn to ourselves; or landed in New York. A version countries, it could be seen the Russian, commenting that The EU fell apart, but it hasn’t of this information was spread what informative aggression Russia sent a large quantity of realized it yet. by numerous domestic and was in fact. medical aid to Italy and that regional news portals. Only Moscow’s criticism did not the Russian administration was FROM RUSSIA WITH some of the media corrected affect journalist Jacopo Iaco- asking nothing in return, not LOVE: PAID AID i.e. published the information boni who published the second even the abolition of sanctions that it was not about the aid, In days when almost the whole article on the Russian shipment imposed on by the EU coun- but a shipment paid for by world was facing a lack of couple of days later. The article tries. Referring to the Serbian Washington. Spokeswoman medical supplies needed to stated that along with doctors Tanjug Agency, Sputnik pub- of State Department Morgan fight coronavirus, media all and medical supplies from lished another article the same Ortagus explained that the around the globe were spread- Moscow, the shipment includ- day stating that the citizens supplies purchase followed a ing the news on Russia’s ed GRU officers too. There is of Italy are taking off the flag telephone call between the two sending medical aid to the US. no doubt that GRU officers of the Union and replacing it Presidents, Donald Trump and And while many media outlets, are also among them, striving with the Chinese one, following Vladimir Putin, on March 30. including the American to obtain as many details as an opinion that Brussels did possible on the Italian Armed not show any solidarity Forces, establishing the intelli- to Italy. However, it was about gence network. individual and not large- scale gestures of gratitude TAKING DOWN THE EU to China. The solidarity of FLAG - A MOTIVE FOR the EU and its survival DISINFORMATION was also questioned by the Montenegrin After Russia and China deliv- news portal IN4S and ered the aid, numerous media Borba, with articles such as outlets reported on Italians’ massively taking down of the EU flag and replacing it with THE ITALIAN LA STAMPA PUBLISHED THAT the Russian or the Chinese EVEN 80% OF THE RUSSIAN AID TO ITALY ones, concluding that the WAS USELESS AND THAT THESE WERE JUST phenomenon did exist but was not large-scale. Still, on EXCUSES TO SPREAD THE INFLUENCE

DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 23

THE LAW ON FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF THE LAW ON FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND A SYSTEMATICAL DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN

TURBULENTTURBULENT PARLIAMENT NIGHT

The Proposal to the Law on Freedom of published accurate information of voting on the Proposal to the on developments in Montene- Law on Freedom of Religion in Religion or Belief and the Legal Status of gro, others were purposefully the Parliament of Montenegro Religious Communities was adopted by the spreading disinformation. Me- was approaching, the engage- votes of the ruling majority and the Social dia spins, spreading of fake ment of the Facebook meme news, and calls for protests Democratic Party (SDP) organized by the Metro- politanate of Montenegro The Proposal to the Law on places of worship and land and the Littoral began even Freedom of Religion or Belief used by religious communities before the announcement of and the Legal Status of Re- in the territory of Montenegro, the gathering in Niksic on ligious Communities, which built or acquired from public December 21. will regulate, among other revenue of the state or owned Social networks, especially things, property-legal relations by the state until December 1, Facebook, were used not between religious communities 1918, shall become the state only to mobilize and call and the state, was adopted by property if there is no evidence for the gathering in Niksic, the votes of the ruling major- on religious community owner- but also for the protests ity and the SDP on the night ship of these places. that followed. As the date between December 26/27. The event aroused great in- The most severe conflicts and terest not only in Montenegrin divisions in public were related media but also in the regional Screenshot of an Instagram post calling for violence to its provisions whereby all ones. While some of them

26 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER MEDIA SPINS, SPREADING OF FAKE Montenegro, and BiH. The police to preserve public order striking days were January and peace. The Ministry of NEWS, AND CALLS FOR PROTESTS 4 and 6, when 1,067 and Defence denied these claims, ORGANIZED BY THE METROPOLITANATE 851 announcements were condemning the attempt to recorded respectively. spread lies, calling the Serbian OF MONTENEGRO AND THE It is noticeable that the editorial portals the pillars of the „Great- boards of the Serbian portals, er Serbia“ project in the region. LITTORAL BEGAN EVEN BEFORE THE including the Montenegrin ones Another disinformation from but to a lesser extent, were ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE GATHERING Serbian portals (Politika, In- mostly launching the disin- former, Alo, RTRS) referred to IN NIKSIC ON DECEMBER 21 formation campaigns. Using Montenegro’s NATO mem- disturbing headlines, reshaped bership. Numerous headlines pages intensified, calling for declares themselves a Serb is truths, and fact manipulation, suggested that Montenegro protests and inciting incidents fired in Montenegro. He men- the media negatively influ- had asked NATO for help using aggressive rhetoric. Such tioned a brother of the chief enced the already strained through numerous channels events were evident even in the of his security as an example. relations between the Serbian but the had has been refused: days after the adoption of the However, the information was Orthodox Church and the Authorities of Montenegro ask- Law; protests were organized soon denied. authorities in Montenegro. ing NATO for help?; FRIENDS throughout Montenegro, as TURNED THEIR BACK NATO well as the region. MAJORITY OF RELEASES THE ARMY AND FROM SERBIA NATO TARGETED struck a decisive blow to Milo MORE THAN 14,000 Djukanovic; IT IS OFFICIAL RELEASES FOR ONE MONTH! The DFC team investigated the Serbian portal Novosti pub- NOW, MILO’S MONTENE- origin of the texts. Between lished a text claiming that GRINS ASKING NATO FOR As much as 14,200 releas- December 23, 2019, and Montenegro and the Ministry HELP TO FIGHT SERBS AND es are the best proof for the January 27, 2020, there was of Defence were preparing THE SPC! This turned out to media exposure of the Law on a total of 14,200 texts about the Army to intervene in the be another disinformation, as Freedom of Religion or Belief the Law found on portals, streets in case of aggravation it was stated in the démenti a month follwing its adop- social networks, forums, and of security level to help the from the President’s Cabinet. tion. Whether in the form of in the comments. On average, interviews with public figures, the Law has been mentioned texts written by individuals 405 times on the Internet or interesting compilations of on a daily basis, with the image and text – caricatures, largest number of mentions PRISONERS AND SPORTS FANS i.e. memes, the fact is that the in Serbia, Montenegro, and AS A REPRESSIVE STATE APPARATUS Law on Freedom of Religion Bosnia and Herzegovina. represents an unprecedented The Serbian portals published the articles suggesting that 300 Some of the most frequently source of opposing views, criminals would be released from prison, to attack the proces- mentioned keywords are Mon- ideas, and information through- sions: MILO IS PREPARING AN ATTACK ON PROCESSIONS: He tenegro, police, state, Christ- out the past period. is releasing 300 most dangerous criminals from Spuz to fight mas Eve, and the SPC (the Abstained from commenting on Serbian Orthodox Church). people?! This implied that the Directorate for Execution of Crim- the Law in the period prior to In the period monitored, the inal Sanctions of Montenegro planned to illegally release 300 its enactment , the authorities highest activity was recorded prisoners and to reduce their sentences for half of a year, so that in Serbia have started doing on the night of the adoption they would attack the participants in processions. Directorate so after its adoption. While ap- of the Law, December 27, for Execution of Criminal Sanctions of Montenegro categorically pearing on the Cirilica show on when the Law was mentioned denied these claims, stating that that was another intentionally Happy TV (January 13), Serbian 1,394 times on the Internet. placed lie. Continuing in the same manner, the pro-Serbian portal Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Even then, the majority of the IN4S wrote that Montenegro would bring sports fan groups from Dacic said that anyone who texts originated from Serbia, the region in order to quench the gatherings of citizens.

DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 27 The Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral has complied with the measures of the National Coordination Body (NKT) to prevent the coronavirus epidemic THE LAW ON FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF IN ISOLATION

COVID-19 cases in Montenegro have pushed the question of the church and processions into the background, with the negotiations between the experts’ teams of the Government and the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral postponed and the Law on Freedom of Religion or Belief placed in isolation

With the tensions raising in first cases tested positive for state of emergency and put a declaring of state of emergency the region over the increased coronavirus were registered ban on processions. and a ban on processions. number of infected, and in in Montenegro. Thus, on February 26 the The Serbian news portal Pra- Montenegro over expecting of Just before the introduction Serbian news portal Nacionalist vda wrote that President Dju- the first cases, social media of measures to control the claimed that the activities of kanovic, advised by the West started spreading the theory outbreak in Montenegro, the the Armed Forces of Montene- and having no trust in the loyal- that the processions and the Serbian and pro-Serbian news gro (AFM) had been initiated to ty of the Armed Forces and the frankincense could protect the portals published texts establish quarantine areas be- police, had decided to declare citizens from coronavirus. suggesting that the govern- cause of the outbreak danger, a state of emergency due to However, the theory came to ment allegedly had a plan to and, according to the claims, coronavirus while putting the nothing on March 17 when the use the pandemic to declare a that was an introduction to pressure on the head of the

28 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER Clinical Center of Montenegro towards the common goal – (KBC) to order the declaration the epidemic control. of a state of emergency. THE MEDIA: CORONAVIRUS PROCESSIONS VIA INTERNET A REGIME’S EXCUSE TO AND HOLY COMMUNION REPRESS THE SPC WITH A SHARED SPOON Even though all citizens of Mon- Visibly popular among the pub- tenegro are obliged to comply lic and the media, the narrative with the social distancing mea- was short-term, as Montenegro sures adopted by the National (the National Coordination Coordination Body to prevent Body) introduced measures to the spreading of the virus, the control the outbreak, includ- narrative that the church and ing a ban on public gather- believers were the main target ings. The Metropolitanate of and victim of the regime repres- Montenegro and the Littoral sion had been launched on a answered positively to the daily basis in particular local Government’s measures and and Serbian media. decided to use the Internet. And although the Islamic THE PREVAILING Thus, on March 16, the Met- Community and the Catholic ropolitan of Montenegro and OPINION WAS THAT Church in Montenegro ac- the Littoral Amfilohije went live cepted the adopted measures THE ADOPTED on Facebook group Ne damo and temporarily stopped the svetinje and said that the pro- MEASURES religious rituals in their places cessions would be symbolically of worship, the Metropolitanate INDICATED TO THE held online. of Montenegro and the Littoral DISCRIMINATION in the empty Church of the On March 22, the Government occasionally ignored them. The OF THE ORTHODOX Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, adopted another measure prevailing opinion was that the while Patriarch Kirill of Mos- prescribing that holy services adopted measures indicated to PEOPLE ONLY AND cow invited all the citizens should be held without the the discrimination of the Ortho- EXCLUSIVELY, AND to spend Easter at home. citizens. The Metropolitanate dox people only and exclusive- of Montenegro and the Littoral ly, and the persecution of the THE PERSECUTION Before Easter, the Metropol- stated that the liturgical gather- Church and its believers. OF THE CHURCH itanate of Montenegro and ings with Holy Communion had Littoral also announced that After the service was held never infected anyone, but that AND ITS BELIEVERS the Easter liturgy would be on Zlatica on the Orthodox they would comply with the held without the believers and holiday Palm Sunday, Metro- Government’s measures. EASTER AND THE that they would comply with politan Amfilohije, Archpriest CULMINATION OF the NKT’s measures. However, The coronavirus pandemic re- Velibor Dzomic, and a couple NARRATIVES believers all over Montenegro duced and even stopped vital of citizens were brought in tried to enter the churches. activities of the society and in- because of the violation of tem- The narrative on the regime’s dividuals, and it also adjourned porary measures prohibiting all repression in times of coro- While reporting on these the dialogue between the kinds of gatherings. This event navirus culminated during the events, it was stated that Government and the Church initiated a large number of arti- Easter holidays. Before that, the police are occupying the on the Law on Freedom of cles on the Montenegrin portals the Catholic Easter was cele- churches and that they are pa- Religion or Belief until further IN4S and Borba, the Serbian brated without the presence trolling fully equipped in front notice. Those two institutions, ones (Informer, Kurir), and of believers all around the of the Church of Holy Resur- expressing contrasting views certain portals in The Republic world. Likewise, the Ortho- rection in Podgorica, just like until recently, have oriented of Srpska. dox priests served the liturgy in the time of the Crusades.

DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 29 A NEW-OLD NARRATIVE: INCITING VIOLENCE AT THE FAINT VOICE PROCESSIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT,

After the adoption of the Law on Freedom LOUD VOICE of Religion or Belief, the situation is the same. There is still, on OF THE OPPONENTS one side, a faint voice of the Government Narratives that spread fast and DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS and criminals, releasing of 300 that adopted the Law, are frequently fabricated attract WITH THE SAME GOAL prisoners from UIKS (Monte- and on the other side, the most attention. Besides the Frequent topics included negrin Bureau for Execution of a loud voice of its ones already mentioned in the drawing of symbols of four S Criminal Sanctions), recruiting previous DFC’s analysis – such of supporters’ groups from opponents, including (corresponding to a catchword as seizure and selling of the Only Unity Saves the Serbs) the region, and even declaring those who spread shrines, Western governments, on monuments in Podgorica, of a state of emergency due disinformation, and organizations’ meddling, deploying of police forces of to coronavirus. Sources of conspiracy theories, endangered Serbs in Monte- the Special Anti-terrorist Unit of such information were mostly and other media negro, there is another one the MIA (the Ministry of Internal anonymous, high-positioned, standing out – inciting violence Affairs) in the north of Mon- and well-informed individuals manipulations at the processions. tenegro, infiltrations by thugs or members of security groups.

30 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER interests and rights of Serbs, THE SALC DOES both in Serbia and over the world, has been noticeable. NOT HESITATE TO The Serbian-American Lead- ership Conference (SALC) is COMMENT ON THE particularly indicative because Littoral told people RULING PARTY of its activities and rhetoric who had taken to the on social media (Facebook IN MONTENEGRO streets to stop and prevent and Twitter), offering selective any violent act at the proces- THROUGH ITS The facts and presenting Mon- sions (if occurred), father Gojko common tenegro in a negative light TWITTER ACCOUNT, Perovic stated on February denomina- to the American public. 2 for RTS that it is difficult to COMPARING tor of all these preserve peace and dignity at Discourse analysis showed publications was IT WITH THE the processions because there that the SALC was using that the government, are more and more people three different levers to fight COMMUNIST by that the President of attending, and people from the authorities in Montene- Montenegro too, wanted PARTY IN CHINA the church aren’t capable of gro online. The rhetoric and to incite violence at the gathering people that frequent- the content of the arguments processions and, as once injuries he received from the ly and in such a big number. were adjusted to the Amer- reported by the IN4S news police at the protest in Niksic. It seems that the statement ican citizens and the cur- portal, to provide a legitimate Vladimir Bozovic, Ambassador will serve him to shrug off the rent situation in the USA. excuse to quell the protests. of Serbia to Montenegro, responsibility of the Church if and Milojko Spajic from the Neither the Armed Forc- the violence occurs after all. THE SALC’S TIES IN Montenegrins for Religious es were excepted and the MONTENEGRO Serbian Patriarch Irinej Freedom group also took part rumors had it that the police supported the narrative in Analysis of the SALC’s Face- in the briefing. forces from the neighboring an interview for Sabornik on book page led to the post on a countries of Croatia, Slove- The SALC does not hesitate to March 6. Talking about the special online briefing concern- nia, and Kosovo would be comment on the ruling party in current situation in Montene- ing the situation in Montene- recruited. That has created Montenegro through its Twitter gro, he said that he is afraid gro. The briefing, organized by even greater unrest among account, comparing it with the of the possible fights, and the SALC, was held on May 16. the Montenegrin citizens who Communist Party in China. It even bloodshed in the country, had taken to the streets. The first speaker at the briefing is important to emphasize that which would be a tragedy. was Nebojsa Medojevic, one of this tweet, posted on June 19, FROM NEWS PORTALS THE OVERSEAS LOBBYING the Democratic Front leaders. is the only post mentioning the TO SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THE SERBIAN INTERESTS Besides him, the opposition political parties in Monte- activist Vladislav Dajkovic negro since the ac- The narrative is not present IN MONTENEGRO had received an invitation count has been only on the mentioned news In the context of the current too. However, he could not created. portals it has also been spread events in Montenegro, the join the video call since, as he on social media. We found a emergence of numerous or- explained, he was on his way Facebook post of this kind ganizations advocating for the to the hospital to check the on February 27. Onda je ovo nova rečenica i glasi: The post announced possible clashes IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CURRENT EVENTS IN and blood on the streets during the Litany of St. Simeon (held MONTENEGRO, THE EMERGENCE OF NUMEROUS on February 29). ORGANIZATIONS ADVOCATING FOR THE Even though the Metropoli- INTERESTS AND RIGHTS OF SERBS, BOTH IN tanate of Montenegro and the SERBIA AND OVER THE WORLD, IS NOTICEABLE

DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 31

SOCIAL MEDIA THE DFC DISCOVERS:

The Digital Forensic Cen- ter discovered a network of bot profiles from Serbia that targeted Montenegro. Twitter MONTENEGRO monitoring revealed many posts containing the key-word Montenegro and the username of the Serbian President @ UNDER ATTACK OF avucic. The analysis of the content demonstrated that the primary task of the wide net- work of accounts was to create BOTS FROM SERBIA the image that the Montenegrin authorities strove to seize the Twitter monitoring revealed many posts containing the 2020 when as many as 491 churches and monasteries from bot accounts were created. the SPC, that Serbs in Monte- keyword Crna Gora (Montenegro) and the username of Out of 2,025 posts from the bot negro were being persecuted, the Serbian President @avucic accounts, 1,620 or 80% were and that Serbia wolud do retweets, which is another everything to protect them. in Montenegro. The major- aid in that country during key characteristic of such ity of the content on these the coronavirus pandemic. A total of 2,025 such posts accounts and networks. This accounts was not original but were discovered from May undoubtedly demonstrated that was in a form of retweets. THE NETWORK’S RAPID 14-20, which derived from GROWTH IN 2020 their goal was to increase the 637 bot accounts connected It is important to note that this reach of the existing content, with the Serbian Progressive network was detected after While some accounts were and not to create a new and Party (SNS) and President the Digital Forensic Center created back in 2009, the original one. The visual link Aleksandar Vucic. The posts had recently discovered a bot analyzed bot network started analysis of all the accounts were launched in a coordinated network connected with the growing in 2018, continued to in the network indicated the manner and were intensified ruling party in Serbia, which grow in 2019, and had a real direct connection with the on May 14, after the protest was promoting the Chinese expansion at the beginning of SNS’s account on Twitter.

34 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER To provide a better insight into SOCIAL the accounts mainly writing INFLUENCE about Montenegro, we filtered a graph to display only the Almost all the content from accounts with the strongest the network of bot accounts connection, i.e. the high- corresponded to Serbian est number of posts. These President A. Vucic’s attitudes include @VladeMladjen22 with on the situation in Montenegro, 70, @ Nsegedinski with 62, which he had been expressing @JelenaMil-inko13 with 57, those days. During the online MilosSimic89 with 55, and @ meeting with the representa- De_Vla95 with 54 posts. All five tives of Serbs in Montenegro accounts were created in 2020. on May 16, Vucic said that Serbia would support its peo- KEY ple. A few days later, on May NARRATIVES 20, he stated that someone in Montenegro was trying The posts are grouped to create the new church so by the key narratives Collage of tweets from bot accounts that Serbs would disappear. that were spread: The analysis of the number of Serbian officials, as well as The accounts were suggest- 1. Churches in Montenegro followers was made in order the tabloids from Serbia. ing that Serbia was obliged belong to and will always to determine whether this bot The churches in Montenegro to protect Serbs in Monte- belong to the SPC; network contained influential were presented as Serbs’ negro but without directly figures. The account @sime- 2. Persecution of Serbs and and every attempt of their meddling in the internal ontrkuljic, created in October tyranny over the Serbian alienation is clashing with affairs of another country. 2018, had the biggest number people in Montenegro; the principles of humanity They assessed that the Serbian of followers (1,037) while all and sanity. Therefore, as it 3. Montenegro is the President would find a way to the other accounts had less was stated in the posts, no Serbian Sparta; help democratically and that he than a thousand followers. one is entitled to seize the would not let Serbs in Monte- When it comes to Twitter 4. Djukanovic is the main churches from the SPC. negro be in need of anything. reactions, the posts did culprit for the deteri- The posts claimed that the They highlighted that the po- not gain many of them. Out orating relations; change in relations between sition of Serbs in Montenegro of 2,025 posts, two were the two countries had started 5. Serbia will do anything was getting more difficult day standing out: the profile @ when Montenegro adopted to protect the Serbs after day since their identi- Mil-ica_1990 with 47 reactions the Law, which stipulates the and its national inter- ty was being obliterated as and the profile @Fred_Kremen- seizure of the SPC’s property. ests in Montenegro. well as all the rights that they ko with 45 reactions. They read that the Montenegrin were entitled to. They stat- In the given period, the government was running the We are reminding that Twitter ed that the circumstances in accounts were continuous- anti-Serbs’ campaign, which removed more than 8,500 bot Montenegro were leading to ly promoting the attitudes was reflected in the harass- accounts in Serbia whose the disappearance of Serbs and narratives of the highest ment of the priests and Serbs. only purpose was to promote in the following ten years. Vucic and the ruling party in IN THE GIVEN PERIOD, THE ACCOUNTS Another narrative was that the the country. It is known that a Montenegrins were running bot network is usually being WERE CONTINUOUSLY PROMOTING THE from their lineage and past, created during important ATTITUDES AND NARRATIVES OF THE that Montenegro was the Ser- events, with the main goal HIGHEST SERBIAN OFFICIALS, INCLUDING bian Sparta, and that they were to redirect public opinion THE TABLOIDS FROM SERBIA striving to rewrite their history. in the desired direction.

DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 35 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER FOUND OUT: A BOTNET ARRIVED IN SERBIA ALONG WITH CORONAVIRUS

PRAISING THE CHINESE AID A huge pro-government network of bot accounts wrote and it was all a fairy tale on a sheet only accounted for EUR7.2 praised the Chinese aid and the friendship between the two of paper. A similar opinion was million for cargo-only flights. countries, amplifying the visibility of tweets by retweeting. The shared by Serbian Minister Meanwhile, Brussels reallo- analysis showed the approach, tactics, and reach of the campaign of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic. cated around EUR340 million He said that China could help in non-refundable aid for the them at that time, while the do- Western Balkan countries, the Analyzing posts on Twitter the coronavirus epidemic. nation of the European Union most of which went to Serbia from March 9 to April 9, we Vucic had praised many times was reflected only in a flight – 15 million in immediate sup- discovered 30,000 tweets the aid from China and Russia carrying the aid from India. That port to the healthcare sector coming from accounts in while criticizing the Europe- Serbia with keywords Kina an Union. He stated that he (China) and Srbija (Serbia) in believed in his brother and their content. As much as 71.9 friend Xi Jinping, adding that percent of the content was China was the only country produced by bot accounts. that could help them. After China had sent its experts and Even though Twitter announced medical equipment to Serbia, that it had removed several the billboards of gratitude thousand accounts from the followed and were displayed network, mostly serving to at several locations in Bel- promote Serbian President grade on the initiative of the Aleksandar Vucic and his po- Serbian tabloid Informer. litical party, the Digital Foren- sic Center’s analysis showed VUCIC: THE EU A FAIRY TALE that the botnet had been still active in Serbia – back Vucic had strongly attacked then it promoted the Chinese the EU and said that European aid to the country during solidarity did not exist and that Some of the most frequent tweets posted/shared by the botnet

36 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER and 78.4 million to mitigate to grow in 2019 and saw its 3. The Lack of help THE REAL GOAL WAS THE the coronavirus impacts. first expansion in the first from the EU. AMPLIFICATION OF THE Despite the EU’s aid, Twitter quarter of 2020 when 954 Generally speaking, the REACH OF THE EXISTING revealed an active campaign accounts were created. accounts were continuous- CONTENT AND NOT THE aiming at promoting Chinese Out of all 21,572 bot ac- ly praising President Vucic, aid and creating a false per- count tweets, 18,422, or 85.4 CREATION OF A NEW the Serbian Government, ception among other users. percent were retweets. This AND ORIGINAL ONE and the PRC – by retweeting was one of the key character- and responding with positive Another activity was the pro- A NETWORK OF BOT istics of such accounts and messages to the content about motion of the content com- ACCOUNTS networks, which indicated them. Some of the opinions ing from different addresses their real goal – amplification A detailed analysis of 30,000 were that China had been in a close to Serbian authorities. of the reach of the existing tweets showed that 21,572 difficult situation but it fought Therefore, the Instagram content and not the creation of them (71.9 percent) were it out successfully, therefore, profile of President Vucic, of a new and original one. produced by bot accounts. In it was aware of the difficulties his official website – www. Out of 3,150 original tweets, the analyzed content, 1,124 that Serbia had been fac- vucic.rs, and the pro-gov- 1,134 tweets (36%) did not bot accounts were identi- ing. Thankfulness for honest ernment Informer, Kurir, and show engagement (likes or fied as unique. The analysis friendship was expressed in TV Pink tabloids were the retweets), while the aver- revealed that the primary the tweets, while the focus was external sources that the age engagement account- task of this large network of on the efforts of two fraternal bots had usually referred to. ed for 7,79 per tweet. accounts was to praise the nations that will defeat the SUMMARY – DÉJÀ VU Serbian-Chinese friendship, THREE NARRATIVES epidemic together. At the same as well as the significance time, the EU had been widely By analyzing the data in the of the Chinese aid during The analysis demonstrated criticized, i.e. its alleged lack given period collected from the coronavirus epidemic. that the content (tweets) could of help – China was sending 30,000 accounts and referring be grouped into three cate- the packages and goods while On the other hand, the to China, i.e. its aid to Ser- gories, regarding the narra- the EU was only financing content criticizing the EU, bia only, it can be conclud- tives they were spreading: transport from China to Serbia. and its alleged lack of ed that the activities of the help was also present. Mentions and retweets in the bot accounts were present 1. Praising the Chinese aid While some accounts were analyzed sample revealed the in that country, which was and friendship between created as early as 2009, the extent to which this operation detected by Twitter as well. China and Serbia; analyzed bot-net had begun was concentrated on Vucic, Similar campaigns are always to grow in 2018, when the One 2. Praising the President and China, and sources from the amplified when a country is in five million protests hbe- Government of Serbia for pro-Government media. Ac- ahead of the important events, gun. The network continued great steps in this case; counts @avucic, @AmbChen- such as the elections sched- Bo, and @anabrnabic were uled for this year in Serbia. mentioned in 11,346; 460, and Similar activities had been 270 tweets. The accounts had seen in Brazil, Venezuela, Sau- not only been mentioning @ di Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, India avucic (and other related ac- and all of them had the same counts) but they had also been goal – to amplify visibility and pumping hashtags like #vučić, popularity of particular content #brzejacebolje, #celicnopri- to redirect public opinion jateljstvo, #srbija, and #kina. towards a preferred direction.

Accounts @avucic, AmbChenBo and @anabrnabic were mentioned in 11,346; 460, and 270 posts (graphic above)

Three trending hashtags: #srbija was present in 14,388 tweets, #vucic in 13,057 and #kina in 4,909 tweets (graphic below)

DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 37 NEWS, WHICH APPEARED ON FACEBOOK DURING SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 2019, DISTURBED MANY USERS IN MONTENEGRO

Fake posts concerning the death of public figures, accusations of pedophilia, sexual THROUGH THE predation, and violence against women have been spotted on a couple of Facebook profiles. All of this led us to the possibility of coordinated LABYRINTH activities FAKE OF PROFILES Fake posts concerning the sexual assaults, and violence death of public figures, accu- against women in its posts. So, sations of pedophilia, sexual Lana Milosevic accused the predation, and violence against editor of the portal IN4S, Gojko women were spotted on a Raicevic, of pedophilia as well several of Facebook profiles. as the columnist of the same The first source that we had portal, Vojin Grubac. The same access to was the account profile posted a piece of news Lana Milosevic. Through on October 11 that the Minister the search of profile and of Education, Damir Sehovic, history of posts, we had passed away. Numerous concluded that the profile comments under the posts had existed since August revealed that the targeted 2013, when the spon- people or their acquaintanc- taneous posts were es responded to those posts shared on it and when themselves. there was a common, Besides, the comments and organic interaction with verification of usernames in other, real profiles. web addresses of the pro- However, after that, file revealed that this profile the profile had started had used the name Melanija accusing the public Bećković. At one point, the figures of pedophilia, profile was misleading the

38 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER public by stealing the iden- Ana Uskokovic. The search tity, or, using the photos of the shared posts and new which belonged to a model profile registered by the name and fashion blogger, Natalie Adriatic Pg (Slaven Radunovic) Suarez, as we found out using demonstrated that he had not Google search. When we received the threats from the reviewed the earlier commu- profile Ana Uskokovic only. nication, we found a similar name – Natalie Jovana Suarez, NEW FINDINGS which turned out to be another In direct conversations with username of this profile. the victims of this campaign, COORDINATED as well as the people who ACTIVITIES interacted with the fake profiles Some of the fake profiles (screenshot) in a period of normal commu- When we were searching nication five or six years ago, but it also directly shared its couple of hours later, the por- through shares from Lana we gained the first findings on posts with another fake profile, tals apologized and the news Milosevic profile, we found the who could stand behind this registered under the name was deleted. other fake profiles which had network. Talking with one of the Ana Uskokovic. News on the been publishing the same or Just like the abovementioned victims of anonymous attacks pedophilic behavior of the similar content for quite some fake profiles, the profile Ana on Facebook, we found another IN4S editor-in-chief, Gojko time. They were doing it during Uskokovic was deceiving its fake profile named Risto Ra- Raicevic, was posted on that the past years through followers for some time by dovic. Our interlocutor told us profile on September 14 2019, YouTube videos, links, or using the identity of model and that the profile was previously but it was also shared a month posts when normal activity actress Ayeza Khan from Pa- named Sergej Volkov. Later, after that, on October 11, on on Facebook was noted. We kistan. Additionally, that profile profiles named Srecko Kovijan- the profile of Ana Uskokovic. In also noticed the coordinated was recognized as a source of ic and Miodrag Ratkovic were the comments below the posts activities when the initiators of of the profile Veljko Radusi- the disturbing posts directly novic, we found the old name TALKING WITH ONE OF THE VICTIMS OF posted the same piece of news of the profile, Mladen Mitrovic, on the other fake profiles. ANONYMOUS ATTACKS ON FACEBOOK, WE FOUND and Google search revealed The analysis of the timeline of ANOTHER FAKE PROFILE NAMED RISTO RADOVIC to us that the profile picture the Facebook profiles’ timeline of that account was fake. and the prevalence of the the whole harassment cam- lining up. There is a possibility posts with disturbing content MEDIA PROPORTIONS paign during September and that there were more profiles did not take us too far in the OF A FAKE DEATH October 2019. The first post used for the same purposes. past. Even though all of them which was noticed referred were activated in the period The other profile with similar Searching through the public to a journalist of The Voice of between 2012 and 2015, it was activities was Ana Uskokovic part of the profile, we found out America, Nebojsa Redzic, on not before September of last and we suspected it to be the that the profile openly threat- September 5, in wich he was year that they had started dis- source of information on the ened to Dragan Rosandic, accused of domestic violence. turbing the public (with a pause death of a historian Aleksandar journalist of the TV Srpska, on of one, two, or up to six years). Stamatovic. On September The reactions of people close October 11. In the other post Profile Veljko Radusinovic 29 at 12:30 pm, that profile to Redzic, who denied the ac- on September 24, the profile started with his Facebook shared a piece of news on the cusations, were noticed in the Risto Radovic was harshly activities in 2015, but the death of historian Stamatovic, comments below the post. insulting politician Slavisa content of his posts changed which turned out to be false. Later that day, Jovan Markus, Guberinic and used the same in September of last year. He However, the news was spread Montenegrin politician, and rhetoric noticed on the profile started targeting people from quickly in almost all Montene- former Mayor of Cetinje posted Adriatic Pg in the case of Dejan Montenegro using harsh rhet- grin media, which was not the on his profile the threats that Perisic, a singer who was a oric, just like Lana Milosevic, case with other posts, and a he received from the profile victim of the post before.

DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 39 IN WHAT WAY DO THE MONTENEGRIN POLITICAL PARTIES USE SOCIAL NETWORKS MEME PAGES AND FAKE PROFILES

Apart from pages of official and timeline photo, which will Facebook is still the VIRTUAL FIGHT OF headquarters and local com- attract new followers because most popular network POLITICAL ENTITIES mittees, and legitimate activ- of the burning topic related to in Montenegro. Political Even though a part of meme ities of officials and activists, daily and political life. And if pages is neutral, politicians the Montenegrin parties do a page has a distinguishable parties have recognized have very quickly recognized what is considered in the world name, the purpose is achieved, that trend, and, hence, meme pages as a manipula- as an irresponsible and uneth- and one has paved the way for they have started to tion tool. Some of them were ical use of social networks for mocking the Montenegrin and use it more actively to created by the very parties, political purposes – the use of regional political scene. while others serve to support anonymous pages and creation promote their work, However, it does not go that narratives of certain political of fake profiles in order to win express their views, and easy. Montenegro is a small parties. In that way, politics is the virtual battle for real votes. entertain the supporters market for meme pages to moved to a virtual space, with Therefore, if an individual or a develop in a large number, and the same rhetoric and rival- group wants to comment unan- even smaller for them to remain ries, but with anonymity-freed imously on Facebook on the absolutely neutral and politi- among the public towards inhibitions. That is why political domestic daily and political sit- cally impartial as they usually politics and politicians. Most clashes are even more brutal in uations with a dash of satire, all claim to be. On the other hand, importantly, it is open to creat- that space. they need is a meme page. But the Montenegrin market is ing a feeling of helplessness Crna Gora Transparentno with not any meme page. It should big enough to develop certain and the inability to influence 19,484 and Politika Crna Gora contain a characteristic profile (mostly negative) sentiment any change. with almost three times fewer

40 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER followers promote narratives of the ruling party. Even though the rhetoric is the same, types of posts appearing once in a couple of days differ – Crna Gora Transparentno mostly creates memes and video clips, while Politika Crna Gora shares links. Dnevna doza crnogorskih dubi- oza with 15,061 followers joins the virtual battle of political en- tities, along with Veliki CG Brat which joined the battle with less than a hundred follow- ers. Their periodically posted memes and clips correspond to the campaign of Democrats, Screenshots of some of the Montenegrin meme pages on Facebook and they do not even bother to hide the similarities visible in in the public or actions taken help of Stari liberal, after hav- a serious threat. Came off as writing style of a post, which is during the previous year. During ing been removed, allegedly a joke at the beginning, with the same as at the official page this virtual game, the real upon a report of Democrats. time memes have become the of the party. names of contestants are made main weapon of choice during While meme pages serve for up or distorted in a mocking, elections, protests, or other openly mocking and criticizing ARE THE PAGES (IM)PARTIAL? sometimes vulgar way. domestic and foreign disagree- both Montenegrin and regional Likewise, the interaction is ments. Once created, memes Declared as impartial, Stari lib- political scenes, fake profiles noticeable in comments below lose the author’s mark and the eral with around 22,000, Mimis- and profiles of activists are the posts, where followers context they were made in, and tarstvo onostranih poslova and mostly used to share posts usually copy the writing style of become the collective property Nemojmo politizovati proteste from the official party pages. Stari liberal. Its posts are often of the culture. As such, memes with 16,964 and 8,114 followers For example, the Social Demo- shared by other meme pages, take on a life of their own, and respectively express through cratic Party of Montenegro had activists, and opposition poli- no one has to answer for the their posts a preference for the a network of fake profiles used ticians. Moreover, Bilo je jako hateful ideas transferred. Democratic Front party. during the 2018 Presidential neprijatno was reborn with the elections. Those are profiles Concluding, the author stated Stari liberal distinguishes in the with stolen identities that that memetic warfare works group of meme pages because were not used only for sharing only if those waging it can rely of its activity which sometimes MONTENEGRO IS A posts, but also for commenting on massive public participation has ten posts per day, its SMALL MARKET FOR and interacting with others, real to spread the memes and ob- recognizable writing style of MEME PAGES TO DEVELOP Facebook users. scure their original authors. posts, and its interaction with IN A LARGE NUMBER, followers. Such interaction was WHY ARE MEME PAGES Therefore, he advises politi- best seen during Splacinija- AND EVEN SMALLER DANGEROUS? cians and institutions that they da 2019/20, a satirical online FOR THEM TO REMAIN might do better by strengthen- event. Followers of the page The MIT Technology Review ing the institutions that distrib- pick one public figure of the ABSOLUTELY NEUTRAL wrote in an article headlined ute reliable information – the Montenegrin social and polit- AND POLITICALLY How memes got weapon- media, academia, non-partisan ical scene for a winner, who IMPARTIAL AS THEY ized: A short history (October government agencies and deserved to be on the list be- 2019) about a meme war and others, rather than going after cause of the comments given USUALLY CLAIM TO BE why we should see them as the meme creators.

DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 41

RESEARCH ANALYSIS The DFC conducted a public opinion survey on media literacy and coronavirus among the Montenegrin citizens

respondents (76.6%) state that they are watching television ev- ery day. Among the younger re- spondents up to 24 years, 50% A MODEST 3 claim that they are watching TV several times a week or on a daily basis. The same response was given by 93% of respon- TO THE TRUST dents older than 65 years. Social media represent the second most present media which more than half of the respondents (64.7%) use on a IN MEDIA daily basis or several times a week. Almost all respondents The Digital Forensic Center conducted the quantitative field 50% equals +/- 3.0%. up to 24 years (92.8%) claim research of the public opinion in order to analyze and estimate After the field research, a that they use social media on descriptive online indicative a daily basis or several times a the attitudes and opinions of the citizens of Montenegro when research was done (in accor- week. Older respondents and it comes to their critical view on media content available on dance with the valid method- particularly those in the north a daily basis ology), in order to estimate the of Montenegro usually state media usage and the extent that they do not have access to which the citizens were to online media such as news The research was conducted and it encompasses 4 units: 1. informed on the COVID-19 portals and social media. from February 19 to March 20 media usage; 2. trust in media epidemic. of this year, on a representative and information quality; 3. fake The least used media ac- sample of 1,054 adult citizens, news and disinformation; 4. MEDIA USAGE cording to the respondents’ which was defined as a ran- responsibility and information opinion is daily press. Just dom three-stage stratified sam- control. The margin of error According to the results of the under half of the respondents pling. The sampling evaluation for the cases with incidence field research, the majority of (43.8%) state that they read was based on the available

data from the 2011 census and Google 64.9% 32.0 MONSTAT’s evaluations on 28.2 28.0 Portals 29.8% 24.4 21.2 the population demographic Facebook 26.9% 14.8 15.4 characteristics from 2019. The Youtube 20,.6% sample is representative ac- Instagram 17.8% Wikipedia cording to socio-demographic 14.2% Other 4.8% criteria – region, settlement Blogs 3.9% type, sex, and age. Twitter The face-to-face survey lasted 3.8% 0,0% 10,0% 20,0% 30,0% 40,0% 50,0% 60,0% 70,0% Television Radio Daily News Social YouTtube Other press Portals media internet 15 minutes on average. For sources the purpose of this research, Type of media which the respondents mostly use when Citizens’ trust in the the questionnaire was made looking for the content that interests them the most Montenegrin media

44 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 51.1 follow the news on coronavirus

80.8 in Montenegro almost every day, while 11.1% of them do 23.5 64.2 20 it sometimes, and 7.6% do

4.4 1 it rarely or almost never. 26.0 24.5 A total of 55.6% of respon- 5.3 8.6 dents have trust mostly or to- tally in the Montenegrin media, Internet TV Radio Press Other TV Press Radio Portals Social Other media whereas 21.7% trust them par- The greatest number of fake news The greatest number of fake news on coronavirus tially and 22.7% do not have found on the internet found on social media trust at all or only partially. The citizens mostly get in- formed about the pandemic daily press on a daily basis or of respondents (56.9%) state (34.4%) estimates that it is via the internet portals or TV, several times a week, while that the media do not influence partially difficult to assess the while they do it most rarely via almost half of the young their views on current affairs. truthfulness of the information. daily press and radio. When it respondents up to 24 years A significant number of respon- comes to trust in TVs, citizens Half of the respondents (48%) never read daily press. dents (67.4%) estimate that trust the most and almost (50.6%) estimate that the the state should monitor and equally in TV Vijesti (45.5%) media report differently on AS FEW AS 28% ESTIMATE control the media content on and TVCG (42.2%), then the same event frequently THAT THE MEDIA REPORT the internet in order to stop the follows Nova M and TV Prva. or almost always and that PROFESSIONALLY spread of disinformation and they frequently or almost The Vijesti news portal enjoys fake news. The average trust rate in the always ignore or omit vi- the biggest trust of the citizens Montenegrin media on a scale tal elements from news or THE GREATEST TRUST when it comes to getting from 1 to 5 equals 3 approxi- important events (48.2%). IN TV VIJESTI AND RTCG informed about coronavirus mately. There is no noticeable via news portals. Then follow difference in the expressed FAKE NEWS After the field research, the RTCG, CDM, Antena M, Analiti- level of trust in different media. DFC did a descriptive online ka, Pobjeda, FOS, and Dan. Most of the respondents indicative research, in order Almost 78% of respondents However, the respondents (85.3%) state that they are to estimate the media usage have come across fake news express the highest level familiar with the notion of and the extent to which the and disinformation on coro- of trust in television (32%). fake news. A total of 79.2% citizens are informed on the navirus, and such news can When it comes to other me- of respondents estimate COVID-19 epidemic. As many be mainly found on social dia, 28.2% trust radio, 28% that they have noticed fake as 80.5% of respondents media and news portals. trust YouTube, 24.4% daily news in the Montenegrin press, 15.4% social media, media at least once. 48.2 and 14, 8% news portals. A third of the respondents 34.4 25.5 Based on the total sample, estimate that they would prob- 18.9 11.6 11.8 only 28.1 percent of the ably do nothing if they notice 7.6 5.1 7.2 respondents estimate that fake news; they would ignore the Montenegrin media report such a piece of information. objectively and professionally, As few as 27.8% of respon- following the code of ethics. dents find it difficult to assess Just over a third of respon- whether the information found dents (36.9%) estimate that in the media is true or false, RTCG Vijesti Portal CDM Pobjeda Antena M Dan FOS Other the media reporting influenc- and 27.4% of respondents es- Analitika Media es the change of course of timate that such a task is easy, Citizens’ trust in the Montenegrin media when it comes to reporting events, while more than half while one third of respondents on coronavirus

DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 45 YOUNG DIGITAL SHERLOCKS BOOT CAMP

HOW TOSPOT The current situation regarding the Law on Freedom of Religion, elections, and

coronavirus resulted AND in an intense DEBUNK disinformation campaign, and consequently a lack DISINFORMATION? of trust in media, with the crucial The modern age has brought us into a new reality Forensic Center (DFC) organized several work- question emerging where social networks and media create and pro- shops for young people who were interested in - whom to trust? mote narratives and information that undermine the training. The goal was to teach participants the legitimacy of not only Montenegrin but the more about the pervasive phenomenon of disin- societies around the world. formation, how to combat it, what psychological In such conditions, working with young people, aspects are behind disinformation campaigns, high school pupils, and students is crucial in the what is the modus operandi of campaigns seen fight against disinformation. Therefore, the Digital across Europe and the world, etc.

46 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER Lecturers from the DFC and its partner organizations provid- ed the participants with both theoretical knowledge and practical excercises. Over the course of the year, participants were educated on how to find information, verify the accuracy of texts through open source tools, determine geolocation, and finally write a piece of text debunking disinforma- tion. Participants were also instructed on how to make a THE GOAL good lie by taking information that was not easy to verify. The WAS TO TEACH emphasis was put on: public PARTICIPANTS and private agencies, public, MORE ABOUT commercial and online media, and social media. Phenomena THE PERVASIVE of bots and trolls, including PHENOMENON OF misinterpretations of the terms DISINFORMATION and distinctions between Participants showed a It is agreed that the Media them, were also discussed. • high level of media literacy, • Literacy subject should be AND HOW TO answering correctly to over an integral and obligatory Concrete examples were COMBAT IT 83% of questions in the subject in the secondary presented on how the cre- quizzes. schools’ curriculum. ation of disinformation can be when writing and publish- grounded in political inter- Participants demonstrat- The participants ex- ing text to detailed presen- ests, and often in money. • ed the ability to put theory • pressed their interest tation of open source tools into practice through a in further workshops on or workshops that would CONCLUSIONS AND series of successfully com- various topics, ranging address security and safety RECOMMENDATIONS pleted exercises in various from the influence on media on the Internet. fields. Emerging forms of media According to the partic- • manipulation are: fake • ipants, the approach of news, spreading fake news, focusing on both practical DFC TEAM VISITING THE DFRLAB spin, disinformation, fact and interactive parts, along research methods. manipulation, pseudosci- with teamwork, was what The Digital Forensic Cen- ence, conspiracy theory, bi- had raised the workshop to ter’s (DFC) team visited the During their stay in Washing- ased reporting, censorship. a higher level. Digital Forensic Research Lab ton D.C., the DFC team had an (DFRLab). Given the already opportunity to work together In the domain of credi- Montenegro needs a long- excellent cooperation with with the DFRLab’s team and • bility, professional media • term process of raising the DFRLab in the field of to see their methodology must have an Impressum, awareness in the field disinformation, fake news, and the system of work. In contact, data, including of media literacy among and narratives, the purpose the context of research, both the information on owner- the youngest, including of the visit was to tighten the teams exchanged experiences ship and publisher, form, strengthening of digital relations between the two in the field of open source content, and they must be literacy to build resilience teams even more, as well tools, as well as in the area of transparent. to disinformation. as to improve new skills and data collection and analysis.

DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 47 The DFC analyzed pieces of research of the International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies

THE OBJECTIVENESS OF THE IFIMES IN QUESTION

In their research from May The Digital Forensic Center did a detailed analysis of the the Serbian President and 30 entitled 2020 Bosnia and pieces of research of the International Institute for Middle- Serbia was evident, who were Herzegovina-Montenegro: East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES), due to discovered portrayed as victims of the Djukanovic are Dodik and inconsistencies in claims, biased coverage of specific topics, activities of the region’s intel- destabilizing factors in Balkans ligence services. The research and Europe?, IFIMES states and changing attitude towards the events and players in a Serbia 2020: Serbia – scene that the declaring Montenegro short period of confrontation of intelligence a corona-free country was services? (published on May met with ridicule in Western 15) suggested that cooperation the vocabulary used is neither published on March 29 of this diplomatic circles. Recent- Podgorica-Zagreb-Pristina appropriate nor characteristic year, suggested that Monte- ly, Montenegro’s President was directed against Aleksan- of academic pieces of research negro was hiding the results in Milo Đukanović (DPS) lightly dar Vucic, without providing of the Institute whose name the fight against coronavirus declared Montenegro’s “vic- any proofs for the claim. suggests influence, along with and withholding the real data tory over the Corona virus”, expertise and professionalism. on the infected, present- Analyzing IFIMES’ pieces of which was met with indigna- ing itself as one of the few research, published from 2016 tion, disbelief, and ridicule in SHIFT IN WRITING ABOUT countries with no COVID-19 until 2020, a set of inconsisten- Western diplomatic circles. MONTENEGRO AND SERBIA cases, which did not actually cies was seen. The differences Without any intention of reflect the real situation in the were visible in the tone and commenting on or disproving The research Security-in- country. Besides the negative shift in writing about specif- the author’s personal opinion, telligence activities at the narrative about Montenegro ic countries and actors. The we cannot ignore the fact that time of COVID-19 pandemic, and its President, favoring changes happened after the

48 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER meeting between President On the other hand, President Aleksandar Vucic and IFIMES’ of Montenegro Milo Djukanovic KEY NARRATIVES BEFORE director Zijad Becirovic (on was presented as a leader who THE VUCIC – BECIROVIC MEETING: February 12, 2020), even was establishing harmonic 1. Pro-Russian and pro-Serbian parties are financed from though there was no signifi- relations with all ethnic com- abroad and their concept of change of government is wrong cant political or social events munities and whose country in the preceding year that became a prominent factor of 2. Serbia helped the opposition in Montenegro during the would support such a shift. stability in the region, with one attempted coup of the best macroeconomic 3. Vucic is a factor of instability and tensions in the region VUCIC – A FACTOR OF indicators in the region. INSTABILITY, DJUKANOVIC 4. The SPC and Greater Serbia nationalists are questioning Montenegrin statehood – A LEADER CHANGE OF TONE – ROLES REVERSED 5. Montenegro is a significant factor of regional stability and a Before the meeting in question, leader in the EU integrations pieces of research had mostly In the research Current events been criticizing the politics of in the region 2019: Who 6. Serbian regime is autocratic and interferes in the internal Aleksandar Vucic, calling it a wants to de-stabilize Serbia? affairs in the region successor of Milosevic and published on June 18, 2019, Seselj, and his party right- after the meeting between wing, conservative, and in Vucic and Becirovic, the tone KEY NARRATIVES AFTER many aspects nationalistic. of writing was changed and THE VUCIC – BECIROVIC MEETING: Vucic was portrayed as a fac- the narratives opposite to the tor of instability in the region, previous analyses of IFIMES 1. Vucic as a factor of peace and stability in the unstable whose destructive politics were increasingly noticeable. region was based on media control, Vucic was presented as a 2. Djukanovic is playing the card of manipulation, nationalism, creating of crisis in the regional and religion countries, schizophrenic factor of peace and stability Montenegro withheld data on coronavirus and presented foreign policy, and inability to in the Balkans and his current 3. face the past. Both Vucic and position was the most difficult. itself as one of the few countries with no infected cases Even though he had been Dacic have been constantly 4. Montenegro is ruled by a virus of crime and corruption creating problems and crisis criticized for media control, now he became the target of 5. Cooperation Podgorica-Zagreb-Pristina is directed against to appear as problem-solv- Vucic ers and solution-makers, the financed media network. thus ensuring themselves a The Serbian opposition was 6. Djukanovic wants to seize the Serbian Orthodox Church’s status of regional leaders. also threatening to the integrity (SPC) property of the President of Serbia by misusing the civilian protests and holding meetings with with all ethnic communities, and Prime Minister of North MONTENEGRO Kosovo-Albania politicians. PREVIOUSLY PORTRAYED was now playing the card of Macedonia was noticeable. Montenegro, previously manipulation, nationalism, and When Zaev came to power, IN THE IFIMES’ ANALYSES portrayed in the IFIMES’ religion in IFIMES’ analyses, the country became a bright AS A FACTOR OF PEACE analyses as a factor of peace and as a former participant spot in the region, many AND STABILITY, WAS and stability, was now pre- in war crimes threatens pieces of research stated. sented as a country ruled by to the image of NATO. NOW PRESENTED AS Affirmation of the Zaev’s the virus of corruption and Besides IFIMES’ changed A COUNTRY RULED politics continued from July criminal through the DPS and attitude towards Montenegro 2017 to July 2019 when BY THE VIRUS OF Djukanovic, whose intelli- and Serbia, during the moni- Becirovic, together with other CORRUPTION AND gence services were pro- tored period, the constant of a IFIMES director Aljaf Bakht- tecting the regime. President positive rating of Zoran Zaev, CRIMINAL THROUGH THE yar became an advisor in the Djukanovic, who used to be leader of the Social Democratic DPS AND DJUKANOVIC Government of Zoran Zaev. portrayed as a factor of peace Union of Macedonia (SDSM)

DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 49 YEARLY OVERVIEW OF THE SERBIAN MEDIA COVERAGE ON MONTENEGRO

THE CLAMOR OF THE SERBIAN TABLOIDS

Yearly research of the Digital Forensic Center (DFC), it not been dominated by Given that the Montenegrin encompassing 10,630 articles with Crna Gora (Montenegro) disinformation, fake news, social and political scene this as the keyword, provides an insight into narratives and the sensational headlines, and and last year was marked by amount at which they were spread by the most read Serbian the narratives addressing the big events: adoption of the broad audience. Law on Freedom of Religion or news portals in Montenegro Yearly research of the Digital Belief, the processions result- Forensic Center (DFC), encom- ing there-from, coronavirus and The research results show that media in Montenegro, and at passing 10,630 articles with the parliamentary elections that in the period from October the same time the media that Montenegro as the keyword, had brought about their own 15, 2019, to September 15, were spreading the content of provides an insight into narra- narratives, the negative narra- 2020, the news portals Alo, debatable quality most often. tives and the amount in which tives were launched almost on Espreso, Blic, Srbija danas, Daily coverage of the Serbian they were spread by the most a daily basis. Kurir, Informer, and Novosti media on Montenegro would read Serbian news portals The most frequent narrative were the most read Serbian not be particular at all, had in Montenegro. was Montenegro is a criminal

50 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 1299 lower the tone of the Serbian 1260 online media. Moreover, they A TOTAL OF: 1198 10,630 were writing that the Montene- 1106 1059 grin government was unable to 998 cope with the virus and that it 957 had been hiding the numbers of the infected. The fact that we had been the last country 702 707 in Europe to report on positive cases and first to declare itself 512 513 as a corona free destination did not prevent the Serbian tabloids from continuing their 319 hunt by publishing that we had neither laboratories nor PCR tests. At the time of the coronavirus A number of texts per month emerging and the NKT’s pre- ventive measures introduction, the narrative of coronavirus be- and captured state. The rights, which was supported by the freedom of expression on ing an excuse for the govern- adjective criminal sends out the claims that Serbia would social media, that it had been ment to stop the continuation a message that the criminal protect them from the discrim- attacking the opponents in ev- of processions was brought to activities in the region are orig- ination of the Montenegrin ery possible way. To strengthen the fore. inating from Montenegro and regime. Besides the protection the narrative, even the Army of that the most notorious crim- of Serbs, the articles persisted Montenegro was targeted by THE INFLUENCE OF A inal organizations, the most in helping and supporting the the Serbian media, which wrote NEGATIVE CAMPAIGN vicious homicides, robberies, Serbian shrines in Montenegro that the government had taken ON THE TOURIST kidnappings, and drug dealing that the Montenegrin regime it to the streets to prevent the INDUSTRY’S COLLAPSE have their roots in Montenegro. aims at seizing. processions. Even the global While captured means that it coronavirus pandemic did not Montenegro’s tourist indus- is captured both politically and KEY EVENTS THROUGH THE try, which has been targeted socially. Some of the messages LENS OF THE SERBIAN MEDIA through the Serbian media’s sent out and suggesting bad MONTENEGRO’S steady pattern for years, was The adoption of the Law on conditions in Montenegro are: clinched by disinformation Freedom of Religion or Belief, state institutions are captured TOURIST INDUSTRY, and fake news. However, the the processions, and the as they are dominated by epidemiological situation and developments in Budva gave WHICH HAS corruption and nepotism, the measures introduced due to rise to another narrative that Montenegrin regime does not BEEN TARGETED the coronavirus pandemic had Montenegro was an unstable respect human or religious additionally deepened and state where riots and civil THROUGH THE rights and it aims at creating a intensified the campaign of de- war might occur and where private state. SERBIAN MEDIA’S teriorating Montenegro’s image the Montenegrin regime was as a tourist destination. The narrative that has been using repression. On a daily STEADY PATTERN filling the Serbian media basis, they had been reporting FOR YEARS, WAS The negative propaganda was columns for months and was that the Montenegrin regime visible in calling on the Serbian particularly popular with the was using the police force to CLINCHED BY citizens not to go to Monte- processions going on, referred apprehend, beat and perse- DISINFORMATION negro on holiday because the to the endangered Serbs in cute both the believers and coronavirus was flaring up Montenegro, deprived of any the clergy, that it did not allow AND FAKE NEWS there, the beaches were empty,

DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 51 THE DOMINANT NARRATIVE WAS TOP 5 THE ONE ABOUT NARRATIVES THE REGIME’S CONTINUATION WITH THREE-DECADES- LONG ACTIVITIES OF 1 2 3 4 5 ELECTORAL FRAUD MONTENEGRO MONTENEGRO SERBS IN REPRESSION OF MONTENEGRO AND MANIPULATION IS A CRIMINAL WANTS TO SEIZE MONTENEGRO ARE THE MONTENEGRIN IS UNFAVOR- AND A CAP- THE SERBIAN ENDANGERED REGIME ABLE TOURIST TO STAY IN POWER TURED STATE SHRINES DESTINATION 901 535 1517 1164 275 state of emergency due to the abrupt increase in the number of the COVID-19 infected. This was described as a method serving the purpose of possible salvation or prolong- ing the regime’s political end. At the end of the monitored and the prices were extremely the very Election Day. Spread- that had been suffocating the period, the change in the Ser- high. Their main ace in the hole ing of negative narratives and whole country. There were also bian media narratives regarding was that the Serbian tourists disinformation had a goal of its claims that President Milo Dju- Montenegro’s new majority were not welcomed there. own – to create more tension. kanovic could present us with was noticeable. The shift hap- The decision not to open the The dominant narrative was the a couple of surprises in order pened because of the signing borders with Serbia due to the one about the regime’s contin- to undermine the constitution of the Agreement among the unfavorable epidemiological uation with three-decades-long of the new Government without leaders of the three collations situation in the country and the activities of electoral fraud and the DPS. on September 9, after which risk of the virus importation manipulation to stay in power. In his attempts to stay in they have become traitors was portrayed in the Serbian The constitution of the Govern- power, one of the scenarios overnight who have turned tabloids as a politically moti- ment after the elections was presented was a declaring of a their backs on Serbs. vated decision, which caused the old-new topic, and by that, further tension between Pod- the occasion for the Serbian gorica and Belgrade. media to influence social and ELECTIONS AND political developments in Mon- CONSTITUTION OF tenegro additionally through 2306 THE GOVERNMENT information manipulation. The SS 2157 declaration of election results 2144 All of the tabloids and media in was followed by the narratives S DS Serbia paid great attention to on divisions that had been 2073 the parliamentary elections in occurring in Djukanovic’s DPS, U 944 Montenegro held on August 30. falling apart of the DPS proved 694 The narratives and sensational by alleged incidents among ST 412 headlines were coming one the party’s representatives, un- after another day-by-day until raveling of a tapestry of crime Texts per media

52 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER NATO Stratcom Centre of Excellence published the research of the ACM and the DFC on the Russian presence in the Western Balkans

region. Continuation of EU 5 Make efforts to address the and NATO enlargement and structural vulnerabilities of constant messaging on the Western Balkan media THE ANALYZED the process is essential to space by promoting media avoid a sense of abandon- pluralism, freedom, and ment by the West. quality of reporting.

CONTENT OF Identify country-specific 2 6 Provide an alternative to vulnerabilities and close the reporting of Krem- institutional gaps. It is lin-funded media. Sputnik SPUTNIK important to continue Srbija’s content and style focusing on improving of writing resonate well democracy and the rule with a considerable part of of law. The EU and NATO audiences in the Western SRBIJA should encourage Western Balkan region. Therefore, Balkan countries to work understanding what topics The scope of analysis is Russia’s activities in Albania, Bosnia on greater transparency in and styles of reporting and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and areas such as party financ- attractive to local audienc- Serbia. The project analyses Russia’s interests and influence ing, judicial reform, and es should be a priority to good governance. toolbox and identifies the vulnerabilities provide an alternative to the information distributed 3 Share best practices by Russian-funded media. The project Russia’s Footprint ocal WB media in spreading and lessons learned on those narratives. The project countering hostile influence in the Western Balkan Informa- 7 Continue analysis of meth- tion Environment, published encompasses four reports, and between Western Balkan ods and effects of Russia’s by NATO Stratcom Centre of one of them entitled Russia’s countries, the EU, and influence. It is crucial to Excellence, investigated Rus- Narratives toward the Western NATO. investigate not only in Rus- sia’s tools of influence in the Balkans, Analysis of Sputnik sia’s activities and chan- Western Balkans, with a focus Srbija, was done by the Atlan- 4 Invest in strengthening nels in the Western Balkan on the media landscape. The tic Council of Montenegro and civil society and enhancing media space, but more scope of analysis is Russia’s the Digital Forensic Center. its awareness of threats importantly – to understand activities in Albania, Bosnia and methods of hostile how and why narratives and Herzegovina, Kosovo, RECOMMENDATIONS: influence, particularly in promoted by Kremlin-fund- North Macedonia, Montene- the information space. ed media resonate with gro, and Serbia. The project 1 Apply a strategic commu- This requires long-term local audiences. Further analyses Russia’s interests and nication mindset. It is im- policies - enhancing ed- research should also look influence toolbox and identifies portant for Western Balkan ucation, critical thinking, deeper at the role of local the vulnerabilities that make governments, the EU, and and media literacy, as well actors that cooperate with the Western Balkan countries NATO to understand the as immediate actions such the Kremlin and its sup- susceptible to hostile influence. needs of audiences, match as detecting and show- porters to better assess the It also identifies the Kremlin’s words and deeds, as well casing methods of hostile levers of Russia’s influence narratives in the WB as well as offer prospects for information campaigns and in the Western Balkans. as looks at the role of the further development of the manipulation.

DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 53

RESPONSE The DFC ’s analysis of the interview of Liu Jinn, Ambassador of the PRC to Montenegro, given for the Vijesti daily newspaper on April 15 AMBASSADOR’S Since the coronavirus outbreak, the accusations STATEMENTS COLLIDED of China of not responding promptly and not sharing information with the rest WITH THE FACTS of the world and the World Health Organization have hospitals in Hubei Province had Chinese researchers published time, adding that the doubts been growing in number reported three suspicious cas- in The Lancet medical jour- on China’s figures came es on December 27 and that nal (which the Ambassador from typical disinformation. they had promptly informed was referring to) said that the When it comes to transparency The Chinese Ambassador Liu WHO and other countries first person diagnosed with from the beginning and shar- Jinn denied such claims in his about that on January 3. That COVID-19 had been registered ing of information, the facts interview for Vijesti, accusing day, the national authorities in on December 1, 2019, and that revealed different data. On all of those who were calling China had reported to WHO the person had no contact with December 30, Dr. Li Wenliang out China on that ground of 44, and not three patients the infamous market in Wuhan. sent a message to a group of a disinformation campaign with pneumonia of unknown South China Morning Post fellow doctors warning them against Beijing. Therefore, etiology. Out of the 44 cases wrote that the first case had about a possible outbreak the Digital Forensic Center reported, 11 were severely ill, been registered as early as of an illness that resembled had sent the response to while the remaining 33 patients November 17, referring to SARS, urging them to take pro- the interview to the editorial were in a stable condition. the Government’s data. tective measures against the board of Vijesti, but it was In fact, the Chinese authorities infection. During the first week not published. To objectively QUESTIONABLE informed that the first case of of January, the Wuhan Public inform the public, here is the TRANSPARENCY what we know today as coro- Security Bureau issued sum- complete response, which navirus had been registered The Ambassador stated further mons to Dr. Li, accusing him of points out to a series of on December 8, which means that during the response spreading rumors. The same disinformation Mr. Jinn said. long before December 27 as process to the epidemic day, Dr. Li signed a statement Speaking about the dates, the Ambassador claimed. China showed openness and acknowledging his misde- the Ambassador stated that Additionally, a study by the transparency and it reacted on meanor and promising not to

56 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER commit such acts in the future. evidence of the coronavirus Besides him, China arrested human-to-human transmission. seven people more, accusing The same day, Wuhan Health them of committing similar Commission announced that acts, and their destiny has they found no evidence of remained unknown ever since. human-to-human transmission Later on, Dr. Li posted on Wei- of the virus. Six days later, bo (a Chinese social media) a on January 20, the Chinese video of him informing the pub- services admitted for the first lic that on January 10 he had time that the virus might be coughing attacks and got a fe- transmitted human-to-human, ver the following day. On Jan- and three days after that, the uary 30 he was diagnosed with lockdown of Wuhan began. coronavirus, which he died of on February 7 at the age of 34. According to the AP, after Increase and decrease of the registered number of the infected in relation to Even though the Chinese au- having determined that they the removal of party leaders in Hubei and Wuhan. Source: The Economist thorities accused Dr. Wenliang were facing the novel coronavi- in January of spreading panic, rus pandemic, the top Chinese today they are honoring him. At officials were not warning the the rate was 20 and 22 percent both in Hubei Province and the beginning of April, he was public for the next six days. respectively. However, on Wuhan, The Economist named a martyr posthumous- During those six days, the city February 12, an abrupt jump of revealed. A similar scenario ly – it is the highest honor that of Wuhan, where the disease 742 percent had occurred, i.e. occurred in Shandong Prov- the Communist Party of China originated from, hosted a mass there had been 14,000 newly ince. Before the removal of can bestow upon a citizen died banquet for tens of thousands infected, after which the figures the local justice department, working to serve the country. of people, and millions began suddenly started to drop. The the rate of infection in one traveling through for Lunar Chinese authorities justified prison jumped from two to 200 LATE New Year celebrations. the jump by the change of the prisoners, whereas a day after RESPONSE President of China Xi Jinping counting method. However, the election of new heads, the warned the citizens on the the changes were introduced two new cases were reported. Claims that China responded seventh day, January 20, but seven days before that. Almost all of the most devel- on time have raised doubts in by that time, more than 3,000 An alternative explanation for oped countries of the world the whole world. The com- people had been infected, a lower rate of cases after have been doubting the plete lockdown of Wuhan was according to internal docu- February 12 may be found on Chinese transparency since imposed as late as January ments obtained by the AP a day after the date when the the beginning of the epidemic, 23, seven weeks after the first and the expert estimates. party heads were removed with ever-increasing wide- coronavirus case (December spread voices that Beijing 8). According to a statement of THE NUMBER OF ought to pay reparations for the city’s mayor Zhou Xian- CASES (NOT)TRUE the slow response to coronavi- wang, five million people had THE AMBASSADOR rus and hiding of information. left Wuhan by that time. The Doubts on the coronavirus STATED FURTHER Chinese Ambassador accused active cases and deaths in THAT DURING Even though Beijing went the world of disinforming, China were a frequent topic on a diplomatic offensive by whereas he did not say in of the many world media. THE RESPONSE sending aid to many countries what way he had understood When it comes to the figures – PROCESS TO and by claiming it fought out the WHO’s announcement Hubei Province took the worst the virus successfully, which from January 14, when they hit at the beginning of the THE EPIDEMIC many, including the French had posted on Twitter that coronavirus pandemic, and on CHINA SHOWED President, did not believe, the preliminary investigation February 9 it had reported an the detailed investigation on conducted by the Chinese increase of cases by 27 per- OPENNESS AND everything has certainly been authorities had not found clear cent. In the following two days, TRANSPARENCY waiting for its closure.

DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 57 Contradictions of the SPC on the status of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate TRUTHS

AND MISLEADS

The arrival of Metropolitan Onufriy, the head of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine. CHARTER PRESENTED Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, was They are bishops of the Mos- cow Patriarchate in Ukraine. TO ONUFRIY BY addressed in Gojko Perovic’s column, rector of the Seminary ECUMENICAL of Saint Peter of Cetinje, published on February 26 in a daily Father Gojko associated Vijesti. The significance of the information reflects in father 3 the autocephaly of the PATRIARCH Gojko’s announcement that the honorable guest would lead, Orthodox Church in Ukraine BARTHOLOMEW I (PCU) with secular political with other clergymen, the Litany of St. Simeon in Podgorica intrigues, thereby question- IN OCTOBER 12, on Saturday, February 29 ing the order of the Orthodox churches, which reads: 1. Con- 2018, STATED THAT stantinople 2. Alexandria 3. An- THE ECUMENICAL Analyzing the column’s Metropolitan of Kiev and All tioch 4. Jerusalem 5. Moscow content, certain claims and Ukraine, holds actually the 6. Belgrade… 15. Kiev, as well PATRIARCHATE, WITH sentences were found not title of Metropolitan in Kiev of as the authority of Ecumenical UKRAINE AS ITS to correspond to the facts. the Moscow Patriarchate. Patriarchate, i.e. its millennial and exclusive right to grant and CONSTITUENT PART, Since the recognition The text read that Onufriy, abolish autocephaly. The Serbi- HAD ABOLISHED 1 of autocephaly to the 2 accompanied by several an Orthodox Church exercised Ukrainian Orthodox Church Ukrainian archbishops, would the same right in 1922 when ALL HIS TITLES AND by the highest authority in lead the Litany of Saint Sime- it received autocephaly from DESIGNATIONS, the Orthodoxy – Ecumeni- on, but actually, it was not the the Ecumenical Patriarchate. cal Patriarch Bartholomew, case. They are not Ukrainian THUS MAKING HIM Metropolitan Onufriy, repre- archbishops, because they are The Ukrainian Orthodox THE METROPOLITAN sented by the SPC and Gojko not coming from the auto- 4 Church of the Moscow Pa- Perovic, in this case, as the cephalous and recognized triarchate is not the heir to the IN KIEV

58 DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER THE RUSSIAN CHURCH IN UKRAINE DOES NOT USE UKRAINIAN AS A LITURGICAL LANGUAGE, BUT THE RUSSIAN VARIANT OF THE CHURCH SLAVONIC LANGUAGE

church they are going to. The Russian Church in Ukraine does not use Ukrainian as a liturgical language, but the Russian variant of the Church Slavonic language.

When it comes to the sig- 8 nificant Ukrainian Orthodox Metropolitan Onufriy at the Litany in Podgorica (source: Hram Podgorica) monasteries or churches, they belong to the State of Ukraine, ancient Kiev Metropolitanate, by the Decision of the Conse- of the Moscow Patriarchate which allows the churches lo- which, from its establishment crated Bishops’ Council of the and the Russian Orthodox cated there to use it. Therefore, to the granting of autocephaly Russian Orthodox Church On Church. In the Holy Synod of the residency of Metropolitan to Kiev has been an inte- Amendments to the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, Onufriy in Kiev, famous Lavra, gral part of the Ecumenical the Russian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Onufriy is in is owned by the state and used Patriarchate. In 1686, it was and Other Documents of the second place while the first by the Moscow Patriarchate. assigned to the administration Russian Orthodox Church, place belongs to the Russian of the Moscow Church with held from November 29 until Patriarch (Kirill, nowadays). The Orthodox Church in the obligation to mention the December 2, 2017. Summa 9 Ukraine obtained such Ecumenical Patriarch as the summarum, from the great According to the research name upon a decision and Head in all liturgies. In addition, autonomy it used to have, 7 of the public opinion on the Tomos of the Ecumenical Pa- the Moscow Patriarchate could now the Ukrainian Ortho- trust of the majority of Ortho- triarchate, and not because of not independently elect the dox Church of the Moscow dox population in Ukraine, the alleged political aims and Kiev Metropolitan, but with the Patriarchate takes permissions the situation is the follow- goals. It is worth mentioning permission of Constantinople. and orders about all import- ing: 34 percent of Orthodox that the Ecumenical Patri- ant decisions from Russia. believers support and identify archate is the only one that The autonomy that the themselves with the Orthodox has right to grant autocephaly 5Ukrainian Orthodox Church The decisions brought at Church of Ukraine, 14 percent independently, as that was the of the Moscow Patriarchate 6 the Bishops’ Council of support the Ukrainian Or- case with the SPC in 1922. (UPC-MP) has now is not the Russian Orthodox Church thodox Church of the Mos- Not recognizing that sovereign the same as the one it was in 2017 are the best indicator cow Patriarchate while 27.6 right leaves consequences granted in 1990 by Patriarch of the administrative (or not percent identify themselves for the churches’ issues on Alexy II. The then autonomy numerous) relations between as Orthodox Christians but it territories of both Montene- was fundamentally changed the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is all the same to them which gro and North Macedonia.

DIGITAL FORENSIC CENTER 59