Debate: The relations of the Russian government and diplomatic network with parties of extremist, populist, anti-European and certain other European political parties in the context of the war
Date: WEDNESDAY, 6 JULY 2022
Speaker: Věra Jourová
Language: EN

Every year we receive the reports from our Permanent Representations depicting the level or the impact of extremism, extremist parties on society. I have it here with me – 40 pages of really irritating, alarming reading. We see that the situation is worsening year by year. The extremists are exploiting the multiple crisis we go through: COVID and now the Russian invasion to Ukraine and its consequences on European Union citizens.  We see to that the extremists are, of course, exploiting also the possibility of using the digital space for spreading disinformation. You discussed it very broadly here. What we can read from all these messages, the message from the extremists is: the worse, the better in Europe. That’s why I think that it’s very clear that we have to be active, and we have to not only analyse the situation or to collect the data, to do the mapping, but we have to take action. Most of the work still lies with the Member States because this is first and foremost an issue falling under the security area, but also the European Union has to do its work. I would mention the proposal for a Regulation on transparency and targeting of political advertising. This is the regulation, which is now in the legislative process, which I believe might be very useful in disclosing who is behind the political ads. I think that the people should know what they read. Also, the proposal to recast the Regulation on the statute and funding of European political parties. Indeed, by this piece of legislation, we cover only the European political parties, but also we say or give the message to the Member States: don’t you think it would be useful if you follow this example, and make stricter rules, for instance, for the donations from outside, and be more vigilant when it comes to the conditions for national political parties, and the financing of extremism. It’s a great thing that you as co—legislators, vis—à—vis the Council, decided on the Digital Regulation, because I think that here we have very clear rules which might diminish or minimise the impact of illegal content and extremist content which falls under criminal law, and its appearance and amplification through digital tools. I think that it’s also good that we have the new Code of Practice against disinformation. Here I have to react shortly on all those contributions which many were mentioning, of course, in fact on spreading disinformation, that we are introducing censorship in the EU. Because when you read through the Code of Practice against disinformation, this is mainly the mechanism which seeks to protect freedom of speech in the EU. That’s why we did not take tough measures against disinformation, and that’s why we go through the voluntary mechanism and with the engagement of civil society researchers and many people in the European Union, who want to contribute to protection of facts. We are looking at facts. We are not restricting anyone’s right to declare things and to share opinions with the society. It’s important for me to emphasise when I work on this agenda, on fighting against disinformation, my job description in fact is also to protect your and everyone else’s right to state publicly their opinions. So I think that we should understand better this. Last comment. We do not have still precise data. We should have better data about the impact of disinformation from the platforms by the end of this year. But the data we already have show that no country is immune against disinformation and against Russian war propaganda. Where the propaganda is most successful is in the countries where they have very agile proxies, the political forces, those who are helping to spread this propaganda, either for political or financial gain. So this is the reality now, and that’s why it’s important that you had this discussion, and that we continue our cooperation with Parliament, because I think that, again, as I said at the beginning, the European Union has a problem which is very important to be addressed by practical, legislative and non—legislative responses.