Draft Programme 

📅 30 November – 1 December 2026
📍 Science and Technology Park, Podgorica, Montenegro
🏛️ Conference Hall Unicorn, 2nd floor
 

Context: Building on WB3C’s May 2026 regional conference, these workshops examine how governments, media and other stakeholders can anticipate, prevent and respond to malign information operations. Sessions combine strategic perspectives with practical approaches to threat detection, crisis coordination, reporting and AI-enabled information manipulation. The programme is provisional and still subject to change. 
Audience: Government strategic communications officials, cybersecurity leadership, journalists, media regulators, fact-checkers and civil society organisations.
Working language: English (no simultaneous interpretation).
Chatham House Rule: The workshops will be held under the Chatham House Rule, providing a safe space for an open dialogue.                                               

Funding: The event is organised under the EU-funded project “Improving the resilience of critical entities and the protection of public spaces and cyberspace against security threats in the Western Balkans” (2026–2028). This event is also supported by Poland, Norway, United Kingdom and France, through their diplomatic missions in Podgorica and Belgrade.

DAY 1 – Monday, 30 November 2026

☕ 08:30–09:00  |  ARRIVAL
Registration and welcome coffee

🕘 09:00–09:30  |  OPENING REMARKS
• WB3C
• Ministry for European Affairs of Montenegro
• EU 

🎙️ 09:30–10:00  |  MODERATED POLICY DIALOGUE
Montenegro at the Crossroads: Safeguarding Its Democracy and European Future in an Era of Hybrid Threats
• Biljana Papović — State Secretary, Ministry of European Affairs of Montenegro
• Todor Goranović — Defence and Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Montenegro
 

🕘 10:00–10:45  |  EXPERT SESSION
The Agents of Chaos: The Shadow Campaign Against the West
• Maciej Bukowski — Casimir Pulaski Foundation, Poland

☕ 10:45–11:15  |  COFFEE BREAK

🕚 11:15–12:00  |  EXPERT SESSION
From Detection to Decision: How VIGINUM Feeds Government Crisis Management During Hybrid Campaigns
• VIGINUM — France’s service for vigilance and protection against foreign digital interference

🕐 12:00–12:45  |  EXPERT SESSION
AI-Enabled Disinformation, Coordinated AI Agents and Simulation of Influence Operations
• Daniel Schroeder — SINTEF Digital, Norway
• Henrik Vold — Norwegian Institute of Journalism, Norway
• Eirik Veum — Norwegian Police Security Service (PST), Norway

🍽️ 12:45–13:45  |  LUNCH

🕑 14:00–14:45  |  EXPERT SESSION
Coordination and Decision-Making During a Hybrid Crisis
• Matthew Booth — FCDO, United Kingdom

🕒 14:45–15:15  |  VOICES FROM THE AUDIENCE 

☕ 15:15–15:30  |  COFFEE BREAK
 

🕒 15:30–17:00  |  EXPERT SESSION
Modern Information Warfare: The Global Strategy to Destabilise the Western Balkans
• David Colon — Sciences Po, France

DAY 2 – Tuesday, 1 December 2026

🛠️ 08:00–10:00  |  CLOSED WORKSHOP
• David Colon — France
• Matthew Booth — United Kingdom
 

🕙 10:00–11:00  |  TECHNICAL SESSION
Technical Attribution, Classification and Cross-Border Interoperability
• VIGINUM — France

🕚 11:00–12:00  |  EXPERT SESSION
Reporting in the Age of Information Warfare: Challenges for Journalists and Newsrooms
• Jamie Tarabay — Managing Director, Intelligence & Strategic Engagement, Crumpton Global LLC, USA

☕ 12:00–12:30  |  COFFEE BREAK
 

🧩 12:30–14:00  |  TABLETOP EXERCISE
The First 24 Hours: Managing a Coordinated Hybrid Crisis
• Maciej Bukowski — Casimir Pulaski Foundation, Poland
Practical tabletop exercise.

🍽️ 14:00–15:00  |  LUNCH
 

🛠️ 15:00–17:00  |  PRACTICAL WORKSHOP
Fighting Disinformation with Agentic Intelligence
• Henrik Vold — Norwegian Institute of Journalism, Norway
• Daniel Schroeder — SINTEF Digital, Norway
• Eirik Veum — Norwegian Police Security Service (PST), Norway

DAY 3 – Wednesday, 2 December 2026 (TBC)

🛠️ 10:00–12:00  |  UNIVERSITY GUEST LECTURES 
• Maciej Bukowski — Casimir Pulaski Foundation, Poland
• Jamie Tarabay — Crumpton Global LLC
University of Donja Gorica, Faculty of Humanities 

NB. To register for the conference please use this LINK or contact vanja.madzgalj@wb3c.org. The number of seats is limited. This event will be photographed. Please read our Privacy Policy on the Registration Form. 

The Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre has attracted growing attention from senior European officials, government delegations, defence representatives and international media during a particularly active period of diplomatic engagement in Montenegro. Several visits took place on the margins of the Berlin Process, reflecting the increasing importance of cybersecurity and institutional resilience within the wider European security and integration agenda.

As cyberattacks become more sophisticated and increasingly target essential services, public institutions and critical infrastructure, the ability of Western Balkan countries to prevent, withstand and respond to cyber incidents has become a matter of strategic importance. These challenges extend beyond national borders and require closer regional cooperation, stronger institutions and sustained investment in specialised skills.

For countries pursuing EU membership, cybersecurity is also an important dimension of alignment with European legislation, standards and security frameworks. Building the capacities required to implement the NIS2 Directive, the Critical Entities Resilience Directive and other relevant EU requirements is essential for the region's integration into Europe's common security and digital environment.

High-level visits during the Berlin Process

On 16 September, WB3C welcomed Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, French Minister Delegate, during her visit to Montenegro on the margins of the Berlin Process. The visit provided an opportunity to present the Centre's regional mandate and its contribution to strengthening cybersecurity, combating cybercrime and supporting cyberdiplomacy across the Western Balkans.

On 25 September, the Centre received representatives of EU Member States, providing further opportunities to present its work and discuss the contribution of international cooperation to regional cyber resilience.

A further high-level visit followed on 2 October, when the Foreign Ministers of Austria, Czechia and Slovakia visited WB3C. The engagement placed the Centre's work within the broader context of European security, regional stability and the Western Balkans' EU perspective.

These visits offered opportunities to demonstrate how the Centre translates international cooperation into practical support for Western Balkan institutions, bringing together European expertise, regional priorities and targeted professional training.

European media engagement

On 13 October, WB3C welcomed a delegation of European media representatives in cooperation with the European Commission's Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood (DG ENEST) and the EU Delegation to Montenegro.

The visit focused on the Centre's role in strengthening regional cyber resilience and addressing emerging security challenges, including hybrid threats, foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), and disinformation.

Discussions highlighted the links between cybersecurity, institutional resilience and democratic stability, particularly in an environment where information manipulation, cybercrime and cyberattacks can undermine public trust and the functioning of essential services.

Regional defence and security cooperation

The Centre's international engagement also extends to the defence and security community.

On 28 October, WB3C is scheduled to welcome delegations participating in the Framework Nations Concept cooperation initiative led by Italy (FNC-ITA), in cooperation with Montenegro's Ministry of Defence. The visit will bring together representatives of participating NATO member and partner countries from South-East Europe, providing an opportunity to exchange perspectives on cyber resilience and regional security cooperation.

During this period, WB3C representatives were invited to Zagreb to meet with RACVIAC – Centre for Security Cooperation, a regional intergovernmental organisation dedicated to strengthening security dialogue, institutional capacities and cooperation in South-East Europe, including in cybersecurity and countering transnational threats, to explore opportunities for closer cooperation in addressing shared regional security challenges.

This engagement reflects the importance of cybersecurity across civilian and defence sectors, where the protection of critical infrastructure, continuity of essential services and effective institutional coordination are closely interconnected.

Building resilience is a strategic investment in the region's European future. Through its training programmes, institutional partnerships and regional cooperation mechanisms, WB3C will continue to contribute to a more secure and resilient Western Balkans, strengthening both regional stability and Europe's collective cyber resilience.

Today, WB3C started a four-day technical training programme on Infrastructure and Cloud Security aimed at cybersecurity professionals from the region.

As public institutions and critical infrastructure operators increasingly rely on interconnected networks and cloud-based services, securing these environments has become essential to maintaining the continuity and reliability of vital services. This requires not only appropriate security policies and technical safeguards, but also professionals capable of identifying vulnerabilities, preventing intrusions and responding effectively when incidents occur.

Today, we have security administrators, SOC analysts, critical infrastructure IT specialists and public sector network engineers in the classroom led by Ljuban Petrovic, Cybersecurity Manager at Siemens, MSc|CISSP|GCIH|GPEN|GRID|CFCE|CCO|CCPA.

The training follows an intensive, hands-on approach, allowing participants to work in simulated network and cloud environments. Over four days, they will address secure systems administration, network and infrastructure protection, vulnerability assessment and penetration testing, cloud security and incident response.

Particular emphasis is placed on practical exercises in which participants identify security weaknesses, implement protective measures and respond to simulated cyberattacks. Working both individually and in teams, they will apply techniques and tools directly relevant to their responsibilities within their home institutions.

By combining technical skills development with opportunities for professional exchange, WB3C continues to support stronger operational capabilities and closer cooperation among cybersecurity practitioners across the region.