Lies must be revealed: Lithuanian President on Russian propaganda

  • 2015-03-20
  • from wire reports and TBT staff, BRUSSELS

At their meeting in Brussels, the heads of European countries will be looking for ways to combat disinformation spread by Russia. The European Council will address for the first time the influence of disinformation disseminated by Russia on EU citizens. The heads of the European Union Member States will also obligate the high representative of the union for foreign affairs and security policy to prepare a general EU strategic communication action plan to oppose the information war carried out by Russia and to ensure the security of the European public sphere.

"Information security will be addressed on the initiative of Lithuania and other Baltic States. For the first time Europe has collectively stated that Russia is carrying out open disinformation against the EU and, of course, against Ukraine," Grybauskaite told the journalists after arriving at a meeting of the European Council on Thursday afternoon.

According to the Lithuanian president, both disinformation and propaganda have to first be identified and then eradicated.

Grybauskaite said people should be informed what disinformation is and afterwards it should be eliminated or a positive information campaign implemented. This should reach everyone, both residents of Lithuania and Europe, because single-sided disinformation and lies have to be exposed.

When asked if she had in mind the creation of a TV channel in Russian for Russian-speaking audiences, the president replied that there are many measures that may be employed.

According to Grybauskaite, Lithuania will do what it can - a Russian-language channel and programming will be considered, while the public broadcaster will have to undertake certain responsibilities in exposing disinformation.