Maia Sandu proposes the creation of a National Centre for Information Defence and Propaganda Fighting in Moldova
In the Republic of Moldova, the National Centre for Information Defence and Counter Propaganda called "Patriot" will be created. The Centre will have the task of coordinating and implementing the statute's policy in the field of information security and ensuring strategic communication in order to identify, prevent and combat disinformation at national level. The announcement was made today by Head of State Maia Sandu, who noted that a legislative initiative has been drafted for this purpose.
According to Maia Sandu, the institution will have two basic responsibilities.
"To convey truthful information to the general public and to ensure a constant dialogue with citizens as well as to collaborate with all state institutions in order to promote national interests and increase our resistance to misinformation. Identify, assess and combat disinformation to eliminate the risks posed by hybrid threats and disinformation to national security. Tomorrow the text of the draft law will be published on the website of the Presidential Institution".
By the end of June, the draft will be sent to Parliament, she said.
"Moldova needs an institution to ensure the fight against propaganda, objective information of people, development of citizens' information resilience and defence of information security. I know that this announcement will stir up the hornet's nest working against the Republic of Moldova and the lies will get worse. Some will discuss this initiative through the prism of freedom of speech. The right to free expression is an unquestionable value and underpins the democratic development we all want, but freedom of expression cannot be a cover for lies and misinformation. It is up to us, as a whole society, not to allow them to divide us and weaken our country, because that is their plan."
The need for the creation of such a centre is driven by the Kremlin's constant attempt to drag Moldova into "an orbit of the past" with no prospect of development, said Maia Sandu.
"It is only thanks to the courage of Ukrainians that Russia cannot attack our country militarily, but attacks it informatively through lies, propaganda, disinformation. Day by day the Kremlin launches hybrid attacks using to sow hatred, to weaken trust in each other and in our state. The plan of those launching falsehoods is to provoke fear, strife. Because it can't reach us with a tank the Kremlin sponsors with huge sums the spread of lies in the media and on social networks, funds criminal groups with dirty money"
In this context, the President urged citizens to promote objective information.
