People in some member states of EU are siding with Moscow over Ukraine, warned Vera Jourova, Vice-President of the EU Commission and Commissioner for Values and Transparency. She said EU member states should spend more money on "strategic communications" because "Russian propaganda" is affecting people, a senior official from the bloc said. It's a situation we see developing in Romania.
"In many countries, the narrative that Russia is not the aggressor but the victim is growing," Vera Jourova told German media. "In Slovakia, more than 50% of the population believes in conspiracy theories, including those about Russia's war of aggression. To this day, we underestimate the influence of Russian propaganda."
The problem with EU citizens who agree with Russia's position is that Moscow "invests billions in its propaganda and we do nothing to counter it," Vera Jourova argued. She urged member states to invest more in "strategic communications and the fight against disinformation".
According to Brussels sources, at the initiative of the EU vice-president, work is under way to introduce a law in the EU to identify and isolate "foreign agents".
What does "foreign agents" mean?
They are not the classic spies, as one might think at first glance. According to the US definition, an "agent of a foreign government" is any person acting as an agent, representative, employee, or acting at the direction, request or under the direction or control of a "principal foreign agent" and doing any of these actions:
- Engages within the U.S. in political activities, such as intending to influence any U.S. government official or the American public with respect to U.S. domestic or foreign policy or the political or public interests of a foreign government or foreign political party.
- Acting in the United States as a public relations advisor, publicist, public information employee, or political consultant.
- Solicits, collects, pays, or disburses contributions, loans, money, or other things of value in the United States.
- Represents the interests of a foreign envoy in the United States before U.S. government officials or agencies.
Replace US with European Union, then EU with Romania and ask yourself who falls into the category of foreign agent. Let's not imagine that Romania can stay out of the propaganda game and agents exploited openly or blindly, because the KGB/GRU/FSB have always had an active presence in Bucharest. They were building, cultivating, laying the foundations of what we see today.
Those who may fall into the category of foreign agents
Some of our compatriots claim to be supporters of Alexandr Dughin's ideology, others have passed through Kremlin offices as agents of influence, others justify the Russian invasion of Ukraine by the so-called Nazi statements of Kiev officials, many nod their heads.
There are those who seek nuance in a conflict in which 500-1000 people die daily on both sides. Although it is the kind of dramatic event where nuances do not exist, where white is only white and black is only black. Russia is a criminal state, an aggressor, and Ukraine is defending its country, what more can be said?
Read the EvZ editorials by Mirel Curea, SRI Colonel (r) Tudor Păcurariu, General (r) Alexandru Grumaz, Colonel (r) Ion Petrescu, to name just a few examples of people who represent our media institution and who represent Romania's interests. They have no nuances. Does this bother some people? I don't think so if we are talking about normal people with their right mind, but others, not so many, but active, would prefer the editorials of Diana Iovanovici Șoșoacă & Co.
In Romania the situation is becoming much more complex, because we are entering a pre-election campaign phase and the temptation is twofold. Just like in the Republic of Moldova, only there much tougher measures have been taken. Maybe it's the right time to find out how things are in our country. But this must be done by state institutions, based on evidence.
P.S. A "principal foreign agent" can be a foreign government, a foreign political party, any person outside the United States (except U.S. citizens domiciled in the United States), and any entity organized under the laws of a foreign country or having its principal place of business in a foreign country.