"Strasbourg Calling" French MEP Nathalie Loiseau: In this pandemic when it comes to the truth, we need a vaccine

"European institutions must intervene. We need to create a European fund for information credibility," proposes the MEP

MEP Nathalie Loiseau

Photo: Irina Nedeva

"In the European Parliament we commemorate the end of World War II. Eighty years later, we truly live in peace, but we are also under attack. We do not pose threats to anyone, but others are posing threats to us".

This was stated Nathalie Loiseau, French Member of the European Parliament from the Renew Europe group and Chair of the Special Committee on Foreign Interference in all Democratic Processes in the EU (European Democracy Shield) in an interview with the BNR from Strasbourg.

"Russia’s military doctrine considers information a tool of warfare. What we’re seeing is that Russia is targeting all EU member states. There are massive operations aimed at manipulating information—in Romania, during the German elections, in 2023 this happened in Slovakia, and we are observing with great concern what is happening ahead of the presidential elections in Poland. France has long been the target of Russian attacks. This started years ago, but we are now witnessing an increase in such attacks," she commented.

In the live studio of the BNR"s Horizon channel from Strasbourg, Loiseau reminded listeners that a report was recently published showing that the primary target of Russia’s interference attacks is Ukraine, and the second is France.

"We regard the Old Continent as a beacon of freedom, of freedom of expression," Nathalie Loiseau stated firmly, adding:

"Many investigative journalists and NGOs have documented how Russia spreads its narratives."

Before the special committee, Christo Grozev and Peter Pomerantsev described hybrid attacks and disinformation coming from Russia. Regarding this, the committee chair commented:

"I was delighted that Christo Grozev and Peter Pomerantsev agreed to be special guests of this committee for the protection of democracy. I have immense admiration for their work. Christo Grozev was threatened because of his work. I wouldn’t say that the European institutions are doing enough to warn European citizens about the existing threats. We are witnessing widespread interference in democracies across all countries. I think we need to be very careful about how public opinion can be manipulated."

According to her, the EU should not turn into a Ministry of Truth. "In this pandemic of truth, we need a vaccine," Loiseau declared. She believes we must ensure a reality where disinformation is not funded, but rather countered.

She reminded that the U.S. administration has been withdrawing funding from NGOs and independent media in various countries. At the same time, major American tech companies are turning away from fact-checking, from moderating content, the MEP added and stated clearly:

"European institutions must intervene. My personal opinion is that we must create a European fund for information credibility. It should support professional journalism and fact-checking."

Nathalie Loiseau emphasized that the party "Europe of Sovereign Nations" is pro-Russian in orientation. "That’s just the visible part of the iceberg. We know Russia has been investing for years, if not decades, in representatives of various political groups in the European Parliament."

Some time ago, Loiseau raised the issue of the need for a European Magnitsky Act. In her words, the fight against corruption remains a global priority:

"Corruption is both poison and a weapon. It is used by external actors to influence decision-making and by far-right parties trying to discredit European institutions. It is crucial to implement measures and sanctions against individuals proven to be acting under corrupt influence."

Commenting on the upcoming EU-UK summit on May 19, MEP Loiseau commented there is a growing rapprochement between the EU and the United Kingdom. "We face many common challenges and pursue shared goals," she pointed out, adding her opinion: "Our democracies still remain vulnerable to external interference."

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Photo: Irina Nedeva (BNR)

English version and publication: Rositsa Petkova

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