North Macedonia’s ANB moves against a pro-Russian propaganda network: investigation into a Macedonian citizen

The National Security Agency (ANB) of North Macedonia has taken new action against a propaganda network operating in the country with a destructive and malicious agenda, aimed at influencing public discourse in favour of foreign interests, as the agency itself announces in its official statement published today on anb.gov.mk.

According to the statement, as part of joint coordinated actions between the ANB, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MPB) and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, on 18 September investigative measures were taken against a Macedonian citizen linked to foreign factors, described as the creator of a propaganda apparatus with a network of portals integrated also into the Macedonian media space, as Makfax, Faktor and Večer Press also report.

The suspect is charged with three criminal offences: “Causing national, racial and religious hatred, discord and intolerance” (Article 319 of the Criminal Code), “Disclosure of an official secret” (Article 360) and “Spreading racist and xenophobic material through a computer system” (Article 394-g). As the ANB announces, his home was searched, the items found were seized and are undergoing additional expertise.

According to the ANB, the real actors of this propaganda network, which operates in the function of Russian interests, hide behind cloned pseudo-portals registered with a Macedonian internet domain. Through these pseudo-portals, the statement stresses, fake news and disinformation are spread and narratives about current events are rebuilt, undermining trust in institutions and inciting ethnic and national hatred and intolerance.

These actions, according to the ANB, are a continuation of the previously prevented pro-Russian hybrid activities of a Macedonian citizen linked to these propaganda networks, against whom a criminal report has already been filed for Article 394-g of the Criminal Code.

The agency announces that within its competences it will continue to take action to uncover and prevent subversive-propaganda activities through the network of portals linked to regional pro-Russian political structures, which, according to it, directly undermine the country’s strategic Euro-integration processes.