Secretary General of Council of Europe: Democracy that cannot protect digital space will not be able to protect citizens

In recent years, the Republic of Moldova has faced attempts at disinformation, pressure and foreign interference, yet the country has managed to provide a determined response and defend democracy, becoming an example for other states facing similar challenges. Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset made the statement at the High-Level Conference on Media Literacy and Information Integrity, organized by the Council of Europe under the auspices of the Moldovan Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

"The Republic of Moldova has truly demonstrated a clear response to disinformation, which is a priority for every presidency within the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. In recent years, your country has been subjected to pressure, interference and cyber intrusions," Berset stated.

The official emphasized that our country has shown resilience in the face of manipulation and foreign interference, becoming an example for other states.

"In such a situation, your country has stood firm. We have a great deal to learn from this experience of the Republic of Moldova. No country is immune to this kind of pressure," he underlined.

He stressed the need to strengthen efforts against disinformation and manipulation.

"It is very important to consolidate our efforts. Today’s challenge is not about access to information. The greatest modern challenge is to know what to believe. (...) A democracy that does not have the ability to protect its digital space will not, in the long term, be able to protect its citizens," the European official said.

Berset stressed that current threats are increasing and that, for this reason, unity, joint efforts and a structured response are needed. In this context, the Council of Europe is working on new instruments to address the issue of information manipulation and interference, the official stated.

"These threats are genuinely real and are constantly evolving. That is why we need a structured response. This response must respect freedom of expression and the rule of law. (...) We must invest in documentary fact-checking, support quality journalism, and help people develop resilience against manipulation," Alain Berset concluded.

A High-Level Conference on Media Literacy and Information Integrity is taking place today in Chisinau, organized by the Council of Europe under the auspices of the Moldovan Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

During the event, participants aim to analyze innovative ways of combating disinformation, foreign interference and information manipulation, as well as hate speech, which erodes public trust and undermines the integrity of democratic processes across the European continent.

The conference brings together representatives of governments, international organizations, academia, civil society and the media, providing an opportunity to exchange critical experiences and discuss specific mechanisms for building a more reliable information environment and for promoting media and information literacy.

The event will also include the launch of two policy documents adopted by the intergovernmental committee of the Council of Europe responsible for media and the information society, aimed at supporting states in developing national media and information literacy strategies and in taking complementary measures to combat disinformation and strengthen information integrity.