In a cognitive war, the consolidation of democracy depends not only on institutions, but also on the citizens’ ability to resist manipulations. The statement was made by President Maia Sandu at an international conference organized in Chisinau by the Council of Europe.
The head of state emphasized that investments in the resilience of the entire society, in the media, and in media education are essential for combating disinformation, reports IPN.
Maia Sandu pointed out that informational manipulation is not a temporary phenomenon, but a constant one, stating that the cognitive war represents a state, not an episode, reports IPN. In her opinion, such actions affect public trust and the way people think and make decisions, noting that the Republic of Moldova has gone through such experiences in recent years, especially during election periods.
The President emphasized that the pressures continue, and their forms are becoming more sophisticated and harder to detect. Moreover, these practices are not limited to a single state, but are found throughout Europe, including in the context of the war in Ukraine, where, in addition to the military component, there is also an effort to influence public perceptions.
In turn, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, stated that the Republic of Moldova has demonstrated the ability to withstand informational pressures. According to the official, no country is immune to these pressures, and informational threats are real and constantly evolving. He added that the current challenge is not about access to information, but about the ability to distinguish what to believe.
Alain Berset said that the response to disinformation and informational interference must be built around democratic values. According to him, protecting journalism, the media, media pluralism, as well as public integrity and trust remains essential for strengthening the resilience of democratic societies. According to him, the Council is working on new tools to address informational manipulation and external interference, as part of a common effort at the European level.
The conference titled “Media Literacy and Information Integrity: Strengthening Resilience Against Disinformation and FIMI in Europe” brought together representatives of authorities, international organizations, academia, and civil society. The discussions focused on identifying solutions to combat disinformation, external interference, and hate speech, phenomena that affect public trust and democratic processes.