Slovak MEPs Have Differing Views on European Democracy Shield (2)

Brussels, 14 November (TASR) - This week, the European Commission (EC) presented an initiative called European Democracy Shield, which, according to the EC, brings a set of measures to strengthen and protect democratic systems in member states. At the same time, they are intended to support the European Union's ability to resist information manipulation and disinformation. Some Slovak MEPs have welcomed the proposal but consider it to be insufficiently ambitious, while others clearly reject it. "We finally have a society-wide response to hybrid threats and disinformation, even though it could be even more ambitious," said Veronika Cifrova Ostrihonova (Renew Europe/Progressive Slovakia), emphasising that the EC's proposal will undergo thorough scrutiny in the European Parliament. She believes that it will be strengthened. According to her, the proposal combines rapid tools, such as the Digital Services Act (DSA), with the long-term building of democratic resilience. "We need this response, for example, to disinformation attacks from Russia, which are escalating, also according to the EC. Slovakia is no exception, quite the opposite. According to Globsec, we're extremely vulnerable as a country to hybrid threats from Russia," added Cifrova Ostrihonova. MEP Erik Kalinak (Independent/Smer-SD) claims that the European Democracy Shield "is essentially a centralised tool for censorship and control that weakens freedom of expression under the pretext of combating 'disinformation' and 'hybrid threats'." Kalinak considers the financing to be problematic, as, according to him, it is specified only for the new AgoraEU programme, which focuses on supporting culture, media and civil society organisations. "While other measures, such as support for journalism, only mention increased funding without specific figures," he said. According to him, the proposals lack quantifiable targets for the mechanisms, such as a specific percentage reduction in disinformation. "I also see the risk of duplication with existing initiatives, such as EUvsDisinfo, as problematic," said Kalinak. This is a 2015 initiative aimed at predicting, addressing and responding to Russian disinformation campaigns that affect the EU, its member states and countries in the common neighbourhood. Miriam Lexmann (European People's Party/Christian Democrats) welcomed the EC initiative with reservations. According to her, the EU is seriously threatened, in particular, by growing interference by Russia and China. "On the other hand, however, I remain sceptical about the real results of this initiative, which only confirms that the EU is trying to combat disinformation in a way that we've known for more than ten years doesn't work," said the EP quaestor. For example, she believes that protecting elections and media freedom should primarily consist of supporting activities and coordination between member states. "It mustn't become just another piece of centralised bureaucracy in which the EC exceeds its powers. Instead of creating new structures, we should focus primarily on strengthening the platforms that already exist and supporting member states in their efforts to protect their democratic processes," said Lexmann. In response to the proposal, MEP Milan Mazurek (Europe of Sovereign Nations/Republic) said that he rejects "any measures that may lead to restrictions on freedom of speech and the free exchange of information on the internet." He sees the initiative as a dangerous tool for suppressing opposition views. am/df