Disinformation is an obstacle in the process of accession to the European Union, admitted Lithuanian Ambassador to Moldova, Tadas Valionis, in an exclusive interview with RLIVE TV. He explained how Lithuania countered Russian propaganda and emphasized that the most effective response is to provide accurate and direct information. The ambassador urged Moldovan officials to go into communities, speak directly with citizens, and explain the benefits of EU integration to help society develop critical thinking.
“There are many ways to fight misinformation. The best is proper, correct information. People—your citizens—must have access to correct channels of information. In our case, we worked to prevent and block Russian channels—not all Russian-language channels, just propaganda channels. And that still had an impact on combating disinformation in society.
The government must perform its duties well. That works better than any information campaign. Everyone has to be good at what they do.”
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The ambassador drew a parallel with Lithuania’s experience during its EU accession process:
“We also had the challenge of misinformation when we were joining the EU. Personally, I took part in a campaign—every week or every two weeks, we left Vilnius and went into the regions, into the districts, to talk to people.
These were very interesting visits for me as well, because we could see our country, hear about the problems of the citizens. At that time, I was a diplomat, and it was very meaningful. We also learned a lot.
I think that would be valuable in Moldova as well. When you ask people to resist disinformation, you have to enable them to think critically. And when people think critically, they begin to question everything. That’s why it’s so important to work with people to ensure they receive accurate information—not propaganda.
Just as important is education. In Lithuania, we even have classes in schools focused on countering misinformation. That’s crucial—so that people learn to think clearly and critically.”
Another key element in combating disinformation, according to Valionis, is ethical journalism.
“Ethical journalism helps a lot. If journalists know the proper steps they need to follow before publishing information—and avoid getting caught in any provocations—that makes a difference. Likewise, good coordination with government authorities regarding how we communicate with the public is essential,” concluded the Lithuanian diplomat.