(Muhammad Akbar – Purwokerto) Soedirman Center for Global Studies (SCGS), a laboratory under the Department of International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Jenderal Soedirman, successfully held the first SCGS Masterclass Series program on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, online via Zoom. The SCGS Masters Series is a guest lecture open to the public, featuring international experts from various countries who share their perspectives on international issues.

In this session, SCGS had the opportunity to present Rasto Kuzel, a speaker from Slovakia. He is the founder and director of MEMO 98, a media and democracy monitoring organization. In the SCGS Masterclass Series themed “Anti-Propaganda Laws and Diplomacy: Lessons from Eastern Europe,” Kuzel discussed the dynamics of anti-propaganda regulations, the threat of disinformation, and the various challenges faced by democratic countries in maintaining a balance between information security and democratic freedom.

In his presentation, Kuzel highlighted that although countries in Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia have different geographical characteristics and political conditions, both face similar challenges regarding disinformation in political and democratic processes. He emphasized that disinformation, foreign propaganda, political interference from abroad, and cyberattacks on elections are now increasingly common phenomena.

Kuzel believes that the current debate should focus on how countries can respond to these threats without compromising democratic principles. Many governments in various countries, especially in Eastern Europe, face a dilemma when formulating regulations to address disinformation and foreign propaganda. If not carefully designed, these regulations could potentially restrict freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and civil society.

To further explain these dynamics, Kuzel recounted the experiences of several countries in Eastern Europe, including Slovakia and Moldova. He highlighted that Slovakia faces threats of disinformation and propaganda from abroad, particularly from Russia. In response, the Slovakian government previously established a Hybrid Threats Monitoring Unit in several state institutions, including ministries and the prime minister’s office. This unit monitors propaganda narratives, identifies patterns of disinformation dissemination, and assists the government in developing effective communication strategies.

Furthermore, Kuzel explained that, in the face of disinformation, fact-checking is not enough; there must also be a prebunking strategy to identify potential propaganda narratives before they spread widely. In practice, this approach requires cooperation among the government, academics, and civil society to monitor developments in information. Besides Slovakia, he explained the situation in Moldova, which also faces digital propaganda intervention and illegal political funding. He argued that all democratic resilience can be strengthened through the “Resilience Triangle,” a collaboration among the government, civil society, and the international community to protect freedom of expression while combating disinformation.

The session continued with a lively Q&A after Kuzel’s presentation. Participants took advantage of this opportunity to ask many questions about disinformation, propaganda, and the regulatory challenges of maintaining democracy. Through this discussion, the SCGS Masterclass Series is expected to enrich the academic knowledge of the wider community, especially students, regarding global dynamics in democracy, media, and information security. This program also serves as a forum for knowledge exchange between Indonesian academics and international experts in understanding the various challenges to democracy in the digital age.