“Russia wants to divide the world into two belligerent camps. It goes not only to political opinions, but also to the inciting of hatred to destroy communication between people. If we want to eliminate disinformation, we must primarily cultivate civil vigilance and maintain this vigilance,” the chairman of the Polish National Broadcasting Council (KRTiT) Maciej Świrski stated in the Summit “Stop Disinformation and Russian Propaganda” that was held recently in Warsaw, IPN reports, with reference to the Polish News Agency (PAP).
The event organized by the KRTiT at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, which brought together representatives of media regulators of Poland, Ukraine, Estonia, Romania, as well as Hungary, Latvia and Lithuania, was further proof that the Central and Eastern European countries are constantly and loudly speaking with one voice on the issue of countering Russian disinformation. The representatives of media regulators met at the summit to demonstrate unity in defense of freedom of speech based on reliable and truthful news.
In his speech at the summit, the chairman of the Polish National Broadcasting Council formulated five main goals facing the broader media industry in democratic countries in the context of repelling the wave of Russian fake news.
“Firstly, it is necessary to constantly strengthen the role and capabilities of credible media, providing the public with reliable and verified information. Secondly, we need to develop international cooperation and constantly share experiences and best practices,” Maciej Świrski urged.
In his view, “changes in the law and adaptation of regulations to changing external circumstances, promotion of journalistic ethics, and effective communication of our activities to all audiences will also be necessary.”
The unprecedented intensity of the disinformation campaign is of course related to Russia’s launch of full-scale aggression against Ukraine, but its origins should be sought far in the past. “Large-scale aggression has awakened Western societies, but this does not mean that we have won this great battle for truth in the mass media and social media,” stressed Olha Herasymiuk, chairwoman of the National Broadcasting Council of Ukraine.
“Disinformation is a huge challenge to the entire EU, but currently hits mostly the countries on its Eastern flank. It is very important that the representatives of the countries of this region of Europe came here, to Warsaw, to develop a joint plan for the strategic protection of our basic values: freedom of expression and freedom of the press,” said Valentin-Alexandru Jucan, vice president of Romania’s National Audiovisual Council.
The centerpiece of the “Stop disinformation and Russian propaganda” summit, organized in Warsaw on October 4-5, 2023, is the signing of the “Warsaw Declaration on Combating Disinformation,” setting out a framework for cooperation among signatories to limit and expose Kremlin propaganda. “We are not helpless. There are legal regulations in place in our countries that allow us to combat disinformation; we just need to utilize them,” stated the host of the event Maciej Świrski.
