The European Parliament adopted a resolution to counter Russian propaganda

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on countering propaganda hostile to the European Union, reports . the press service of the parliament

The document was submitted for consideration by the Polish parliamentarian Anna Fotiga.

According to Brussels, the information attack, in part, comes from Russia, is part of a “hybrid war” and is aimed at “weakening the strategic unity” of the EU and the US, “paralyzing the decision-making process, discrediting EU institutions and the transatlantic partnership.”

According to European parliamentarians, Russia uses contacts with European politicians primarily not for dialogue, but for propaganda. The European Parliament calls foreign-language TV channels like Russia Today, “pseudo-news agencies and multimedia services” (for example, the Sputnik agency network “Rossii Segodnya”), social networks, “Internet trolls”, as well as analytical centers working for a foreign audience, its tools.

It is their activity that calls into question democratic values, contributes to the division of Europe, creates the impression of disagreements between the countries of the Eastern Neighborhood and the EU, according to the European Parliament.

The second part of the document concerns the propaganda network of Islamist organizations, such as Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (terrorist organizations banned in Russia). The resolution states that their influence is aimed at compromising European values ​​and interests.

The European Parliament called on the EU countries to include "strategic communication" in the programs of their presidency during the rotation, and the competent EU services to monitor the sources of funding for anti-EU propaganda.

Reaction

Sputnik told Novaya Gazeta that the leadership has called on European and American media freedom organizations to take steps to prevent the possible consequences of the resolution.

Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan signed an appeal to organizations such as the UN, UNESCO, Reporters Without Borders and the OSCE.

“This resolution is in direct conflict with the EU’s own standards on human rights and media freedom, such as Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 11 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, and the EU resolution of 11 December 2012 on the development of a Strategy for Digital Freedom in the External EU policy,” according to Sputnik.

Margarita Simonyan

editor-in-chief of RT and Rossiya Segodnya

- There are no words. How can you comment on the fact that Russia Today and Sputnik have been compared to the Islamic State (a terrorist organization banned in Russia - ed. )? This is already a delusion.

I don't understand for whom this is more terrible - for us or the European establishment, which so easily betrays its own principles. The principle of freedom of speech is exactly the same.

How many years, how many decades have we been taught: "freedom of speech is above all, democracy is above all, we need to listen to other points of view." As soon as a different opinion was heard, as soon as we had an audience, it seemed to them that it was very, very scary, and we urgently need to find legislative ways so that this different opinion will never be heard again.”

Of course, we consider this resolution a manifestation of double standards. This is such blatant hypocrisy! You know, when you promote one thing, teach everyone around you to live like this, but you yourself live differently ... at the slightest fear that someone might hear a different opinion.

Of course, we will wait for the next steps. Because this resolution has such a recommendatory character. It in itself does not entail any action. But you understand, this is the first step.

In March, the European Union agreed on five basic policy principles in relations with Russia.

In June 2015, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for a critical review of the EU's relationship with Russia. In particular, it involves the allocation of money by the European Commission to finance Russian-language media in Europe, which "could compete with Russian media under state control."