Local and regional representatives debated the risks posed by disinformation to our democratic societies and adopted the opinion on the role of local and regional authorities in combating disinformation by CoR rapporteur Gustaw Marek Brzezin (PL/EPP), President of Warmińsko-Mazurskie Region.
Gustaw Marek Brzezin, commented: "The phenomenon of disinformation and the need to fight all kinds of manipulations are extremely important issues in our societies. The pandemic and the war have exacerbated these problems – there are hybrid threats against which we must defend ourselves. Falsified information and the current development of technology pose threats to the very essence of democracy and seriously disturb democratic electoral processes. That is why we must educate citizens at all levels. We should use abilities of local governments, activate local media, but also provide financial resources from within the European funds."
The debate was held during the CoR Plenary Session, on 5 July and was an opportunity to recall that, in the current context, attacks on the virtual and real lives of mayors and other local and regional representatives in Europe have also become more frequent or more intense. The COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian war against Ukraine, the welcoming of refugees or even the consequences of climate changes are some of the dominating political issues that have recently served as surrogate topics for gaining influence by manipulating the European information space.
In their debate, members of the CoR discussed the tools available to local and regional authorities in their fight against disinformation including those presented in the CoR's study on a handbook of good practices to counter disinformation and the conclusions of the seminar held in Elblag in May 2022 on the invitation of the rapporteur Brzezin. .
"We should support NGOs and independent media on the ground. We need better regulation at European level to ensure media freedom and to counter the spread of misinformation and hate speech. " said Olgierd Geblewicz, President of West Pomerania Region and President of the EPP-CoR.
Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, Mayor of Gdańsk underlined that " We need to work for democracy not only at European level but also at the local and regional level. Through the Pawel Adamowicz Award we want to recognise the values on which the European Union is built and we must continue to fight for them. We have to take action to safeguard democracy, rule of law and our values, as well as independent media.
Sari Rautio, Chair of Hämeenlinna City Board spoke about the important role of young people in the political decision making: "In Hämeenlinna, Finland, the participation of young people is part of our everyday life. Through participatory budgeting, young people decide where money is spent. This is and should be the everyday work for democracy."
"Brexit has clearly shown that it is in our common interest to take care of the education and firmly oppose disinformation activities. The reliability of information about the role of the European Union, as well as transparency and respect for democracy, are key issues for ensuring security and resilience for the future." said Mariusz Frankowski, Councillor of the capital city of Warsaw.
The President of Harghita County Council, Borboly Csaba highlighted that "Involving youth in the electoral process not only ensures their voices are heard but also cultivates a sense of ownership and engagement in the democratic process, leading to a more inclusive and representative European Union."