MP at EU Forum for Democracy: Small democracy can defeat vicious dictators

MP Radu Marian shared the experience of our country in fighting challenges, disinformation, and foreign interference in Brussels. At the EU Forum for Democracy, Marian shared Moldova's experience in combating hybrid threats and challenges that could also be useful to other countries.

Head of the Commission for Economy, Budget, and Finance Radu Marian mentioned four key elements of protecting citizens against hybrid threats: courageous and trustworthy political leadership; allies who can act and help with expertise and financial support; excellent coordination between law enforcement and cybersecurity institutions, and strong communication discipline.


"People need to understand that the threat to democracy is not an obscure force. There are concrete individuals, structures, and even states behind these threats. Moldova has shown that the seriousness of threats does not matter. A small democracy can defeat vicious dictators," he said.


He spoke about how Moldova overcame challenges, an example being the parliamentary elections this fall.


"This victory of the Moldovan people is important for the European Union because the Moldovans have shown that the European project of peace, freedom, prosperity is worth defending through struggle. And this message is so important now when the EU is more than ever threatened by Russia and internal forces. Democracy does not come automatically; it is gained through hardships, sacrifices, and, especially, with the help of allies," he said.


Other discussion sessions also took place during the event, focusing on exploring strategies and best practices for strengthening trust in democracy and its institutions.

Participants emphasized actions at the local level, citizen participation, and youth involvement in democratic processes. Also discussed were the causes and consequences of amplifying ideological divisions in democratic societies, increasing violence against politicians, and measures to reduce polarization and promote democratic dialogue.

The agenda of the event included three discussion sessions. One of them focused on exploring tools and policies aligned with the European Democracy Shield, aimed at protecting democracies against hybrid threats, foreign interference, disinformation, cyberattacks, and other vulnerabilities. The role of technology in strengthening democratic processes was also analyzed.

The forum brought together members of the national parliaments of the European Union, MEPs, and representatives of EU institutions. Representatives of civil society, youth organizations, and experts also participated in the discussions.

The event was organized by the European Parliament and took place on November 19 in Brussels.

The EU Forum for Parliamentary Democracy is at its first edition and aimed to share solutions for strengthening democracies in the European Union. The event was organized under the aegis of President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola.