Maia Sandu
In her speech, the head of state said that Moldova experienced the pressure of cognitive warfare during the last elections through disinformation, illegal financing and manipulation of the information space.
“This is a war that affects how people think, what they believe and how they act,” Sandu said. Her words are quoted by the press service of the President.
The head of state also stressed “the connection of information manipulation with Russia’s war against Ukraine and attempts to undermine confidence in the strengthening of Europe’s defense capabilities and the process of enlargement of the European Union.” The President emphasized the need to quickly adapt institutions and legislative framework to these challenges, noting the initiative of the Council of Europe to develop a legal instrument to combat external interference and manipulation of information.
She emphasized the importance of media and information education, especially among young people, as a key factor for the sustainability of democracy.
“In cognitive warfare, the strength of democracy also depends on the ability of its citizens to resist manipulation,” Maia Sandu added.
Concluding her speech, she emphasized: “Ultimately, the future of democracy depends on how we protect everyone’s ability to think for themselves.”
The conference was organized under the aegis of the Moldovan chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and within the framework of the “New Democratic Pact for Europe”. The participants exchanged experiences, discussed mechanisms for building a healthier and more trustworthy information environment.
