The next European Commission should have a portfolio to combat disinformation as the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, uses it as a weapon to weaken democracy by inciting mistrust in the EU, according to Romanian MEP, Eugen Tomak.
At an event organized by the Romanian media company Hotnews, Tomak said that it is extremely important for the Commission to have a commissioner who will focus on disinformation, especially that originating from Russia, because it undermines democracy on a daily basis, Euraktiv Romania reported.
Tomak, who is also the president of the People's Movement party, assessed that the legislation in all member states is "very fragile" and stressed that a proactive approach is needed to stop the growth of anti-EU sentiments fueled by politicians close to the interests of the Kremlin.
A Romanian MEP warned about the ease with which extremist political entities use disinformation tactics while governments remain "powerless because they don't have the mechanisms to respond immediately", Euractiv Romania reported.
On the other hand, MEP Ramona Strugariu says that the EU has the necessary tools to combat disinformation and adds that, however, they should be used efficiently and in accordance with the democratic principles of EU governance.
"If we think we should fight disinformation with the same anti-democratic means as them, we are wrong," said Strugariu of the pro-EU party Renew Romania's European Project.
She pointed to existing legal instruments, such as the Digital Market Act and the Digital Services Act, as well as the upcoming European Press Freedom Act, which will be able to be used in the fight against disinformation.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, disinformation and propaganda were identified as "the second biggest risk facing the world this year".
An EU report investigated more than 750 disinformation attacks between December 2022 and November 2023, including the strategic spread of false stories to undermine trust in public institutions and sow hatred against nations and groups of people.
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