Russian, ISIS propaganda targeting EU, warn MEPs
PR dla Zagranicy
Paweł Kononczuk
11.10.2016 11:53
Russia and Islamic terrorist organisations are ratcheting up propaganda targeting the EU, deputies on the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee said in a resolution voted through on Monday.
EU-Parlament in StraßburgBild: JLogan/Wikimedia Commons
Hostile propaganda against the EU and its member states seeks to distort the truth, provoke doubt, divide the EU and its North American partners, paralyse decision-making, discredit EU institutions and incite fear and uncertainty among EU citizens, says the text of the resolution.
"Hostile propaganda and disinformation directed against our societies by both Kremlin and non-state actors such as ISIS/Daesh is a fact,” said rapporteur Anna Fotyga, who hails from Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party.
“The European Parliament cannot stay silent on such a vital issue for European security,” she added.
MEPs said that the Russian government “is aggressively employing a wide range of tools and instruments, such as think tanks [...], multilingual TV stations (e.g. Russia Today), pseudo-news agencies [...], social media and internet trolls, to challenge democratic values, divide Europe, gather domestic support and create the perception of failed states in the EU’s eastern neighbourhood.”
MEPs also stressed that falsifying history is one of Russia’s key strategies.
The resolution was approved by 31 votes to eight, with 14 abstentions. It will be put to a vote by a full meeting of the European Parliament in November in Strasbourg.
(pk)
Source: European Parliament