President about informing citizens in risk situations and lessons from war in Ukraine: Panic can do more harm than lack of information

President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu spoke openly during a TV show about how the authorities decide when and how to inform the population in risk situations, emphasizing the need for a balance between transparency and avoiding panic. The head of state explained that the speed at which information circulates today limits the authorities’ ability to control the timing of communication: “Sometimes panic can actually do more harm than the lack of information”.

“We live in a different world and information circulates at the speed of light. Even if we wanted to communicate later, it’s practically impossible. Any communication decision starts from the safety of citizens. We always start from the safety of the citizen and the citizen’s interest. This is why we are responsible for governing, so that people feel safe,” the head of state explained.

In this context, the president gave the recent example of the discovery of a drone in Chișinău, explaining the steps of verification before fully informing the public.

“The first task was to see whether it contained explosive material or not, because this determines whether there are greater risks or not. And after that, we must see how it got there,” the president specified.

Maia Sandu drew attention to the public pressure for immediate information and the risk of disinformation.

“In order to carry out a serious investigation and come up with real conclusions, not assumptions, time is needed. In this interval, all kinds of conspiracy theories appear which, in the great majority of cases, are false,” Sandu noted.

At the same time, the head of state stressed that when people’s lives are in danger, communication must be swift. “When it comes to matters that concern people’s lives, there can be no delay. Truth, without panic, is a hard balance to find,” the head of state underlined.

The president drew a parallel with the disaster of the Chernobyl nuclear accident, recalling her childhood experience and the consequences of the lack of information: “There were at least 10 days during which emissions were released continuously, and if more had been said back then, it would have been easier. Parents would have kept their children indoors; we would not have stayed out in the sun.” Referring to her recent visit to Ukraine, the president described the direct impact of the war: “The moment you cross the border, you understand better what it means to live in peace. Not having to look out for drones non-stop, not hearing sirens and not having to go down to shelters in the middle of the night.” Maia Sandu firmly condemned propaganda that distorts the reality of the conflict.

“Ukraine is protecting us from Russian aggression. There are people who say that Ukraine is also to blame for this war; I believe Russian propaganda is to blame.”

The head of state warned that tolerating these narratives can have serious consequences: “If we do not combat them, we risk losing our survival instinct.” Despite the difficulties, the leader in Chișinău noted the resilience of Ukrainians: “I saw them as strong, determined and confident that they will withstand, that their country is their country and no one will take it away from them.”

The president’s statements highlight the major challenges of public communication in a tense regional context, in which the balance between accurate information and the avoidance of panic becomes essential for citizens’ safety.