The National Centre for Information Defence and Counter-propaganda "Patriot" will be created in the Republic of Moldova
The National Information Defence and Counter Propaganda Centre "Patriot" will be created in the Republic of Moldova. The Centre will have the task of coordinating and implementing the state policy in the field of information security and ensuring strategic communication in order to identify, prevent and combat disinformation at national level. The announcement was made today by Head of State Maia Sandu, who noted that a legislative initiative has been drafted for this purpose.
According to Maia Sandu, the institution will have two basic responsibilities.
"To transmit truthful information to the general public and ensure a constant dialogue with citizens as well as to collaborate with all state institutions in order to promote national interests and increase our resistance to misinformation. Identify, assess and combat disinformation to eliminate the risks posed by hybrid threats and disinformation to national security. Tomorrow, the text of the draft law will be published on the website of the presidential institution."
By the end of June, the draft will be sent to Parliament, she said.
"Moldova needs an institution to ensure the fight against propaganda, objective information of people, development of citizens' information resilience and defence of information security. I know that this announcement will stir up the hornet's nest working against the Republic of Moldova and the lies will get worse. Some will discuss this initiative through the prism of freedom of speech. The right to free expression is an unquestionable value and underpins the democratic development we all want, but freedom of expression cannot be a cover for lies and misinformation. It is up to us, as a whole society, not to allow them to divide us and weaken our country, because that is their plan."
