A warning about fake news. Sergio Mattarella raises the alarm of a real Russian "disinformation storm" which is also hitting Italy. A few kilometers from the Ukrainian border, during his visit to Moldova, the President of the Republic listens to the president's strong concern Maya Sandu for the Kremlin's attempt to destabilize his country on the eve of the elections and to stop Chisinau's entry into the EU. A concern that Mattarella shares and which he explains in no uncertain terms during the joint press conference: "These are unacceptable forms of hostility."
Mattarella and fake news from Russia
The President talks about a consolidated monitoring of this enemy interference: attempts to Russian disinformation in Italy "we record them, there are constantly, and they intensify in electoral moments, through some sites with caution but clearly and also with multiple websites that arise and disappear". For years and even more so sinceinvasion of Ukraine, there is "a widespread storm of misinformation, fake news, falsehoods to discredit and destabilize our country too".
If therefore the disinformation is not a surprise for the President, his warning is instead very dry and is a real appeal to the international institutions not to consider this a normal corollary of the ongoing conflicts: "These are unacceptable forms of hostility which will promptly require rules of conduct for respect for other countries".
The first to put the fight against fake news at the center will obviously have to be the allies: "The Russian disinformation campaign is insistent throughout Europe and must be addressed within the EU and within NATO“. In the bilateral conversation, the two presidents agree on the common danger. Sandu even speaks of a real "hybrid war". “The Kremlin is trying to weaken us with destabilization actions, they want to have a decisive role in the elections, Moldova has this problem of disinformation. With the support of the EU, by fighting this interference effectively, we will consolidate our democracy with democratic elections" assures the president, who in October will ask at the polls for confirmation of her mandate and the constitutionalization of the process of entry into the EU.
Concern about Russian fake news obviously goes hand in hand with concern about the invasion of Ukraine. “The recent G7 summit hosted by Italy confirmed how our desire to assist Ukraine will not give way or weaken and will continue as long as necessary" assures Mattarella. Which broadens the topic to all liberal democracies and to the whole of Europe, in agreement with Sandu. “We also talked about the importance of preserving our liberal democracies, especially in the current international context. Freedom and democracy are never guaranteed, they must be constantly defended and consolidated." “Defending Ukraine is defending Europe” summarizes the Moldovan president.
As for Europe, which is expanding its eastern border with the times established by the treaties and extended by the negotiations of the member states, Mattarella sounds the alarm clock for a Union that has just come out of the vote and is starting to decide on its new governance. “If the EU is not capable of immediate and fast responses to address the problems, these will be solved by other international actors. Problems don't wait for times slow and delayed procedures” warns the head of state. In addition to enlargement, the President asks Brussels to complete the "financial dimension" and that of the common foreign and defense policy. “These projects will be entrusted to the new leaders who will be trained in the coming weeks and months.”
Italy's support was then confirmed in the bilateral conversation upon Chisinau's entry into the EU, gratitude was expressed for the welcome to the Ukrainian migrants and the strength of the relations between the two countries strengthened by the strong presence of Moldovans in our territory was underlined.
Mattarella on Ukraine
“A few kilometers from here, as we well know, it is raging the brutal war of aggression crazy against Ukraine by the Russian Federation. The recent G7 summit, held in recent days under the Italian Presidency, confirmed that the desire to assist Ukraine will neither weaken nor weaken and will continue as long as necessary", are the words expressed by the Head of State.
“In recent days – Mattarella recalled – a meeting took place in Switzerland peace summit, with the large participation of numerous countries. It was a first, necessarily preliminary, however important moment of comparison at an international level. Together with the other countries that feel close to Ukraine in the resistance for independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty, we intend to work for a just peace, which respects the principles of the United Nations Charter and which is not the result of weapons and arrogance that you want to exercise with weapons."
“Together with President Sandu – he reiterated – we have reaffirmed our firm support for the integrity and independence of Ukraine”.
