Moldovan parliament speaker presents Moldova’s experience in countering foreign interference at European Conference of Presidents of Parliament

Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu has addressed the European Conference of Presidents of Parliament of the Council of Europe member states. The speaker spoke during the panel dedicated to hybrid threats to resilient democracies, presenting Moldova’s experience in countering foreign interference and defending democratic processes.

Igor Grosu stressed that, while Russia was waging war against Ukraine on the battlefield, Moldova had faced another type of war, conducted through disinformation, illegal financing, vote-buying and intimidation. The aim of these actions was to influence the election results and divert the country from its European path. “Elections have become the main channel through which this interference has been carried out, giving the Kremlin the opportunity to turn money and manipulation into political power,” the parliament speaker said.

In his address, Igor Grosu highlighted three important lessons drawn from Moldova’s experience in defending democracy: prevention must begin well before election day; information and transparency help citizens protect themselves; and democracy should not be taken for granted, but must be protected.

The parliament speaker emphasized the need for early identification of vulnerabilities, the strengthening of institutional capacities and the adoption of clear rules on the financing of political parties. Igor Grosu also highlighted the role of state institutions, independent journalists and civil society in documenting and investigating attempts to manipulate elections. In the context, he mentioned journalistic investigations that helped expose a vote-buying network and explain how people were recruited and money was used to influence their electoral choices. The speaker also drew attention to the ways the freedoms and openness of democratic societies can be exploited for interference in political life and stressed that respect for the rule of law did not mean passivity in the face of attacks on democracy.

In conclusion, the parliament speaker called for stronger international cooperation in countering hybrid threats. According to the speaker, information sharing, combating the illicit financing of political parties, protecting electoral systems and responding swiftly to attempts at foreign interference are essential for defending democracy. “No democracy should have to face these threats alone. The networks targeting us operate across borders and our cooperation must likewise extend beyond those borders,” Igor Grosu emphasized.

The European Conference of Presidents of Parliament of the Council of Europe member states is held every two years under the auspices of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). This year’s edition is hosted by the Parliament of Italy and brings together more than 70 speakers and deputy speakers from the 46 member states of the Council of Europe, as well as more than 500 delegates.

 

Communication and Public Relations Directorate of Moldova’s Parliament