Moldova stands ready to actively contribute to the new European Shield for Democracy, recently launched by the European Commission. Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Cristina Gherasimov, announced that Moldova’s experience in managing external interference in electoral processes represents a valuable resource for the EU, reports IPN.
“The European Shield for Democracy is a long-awaited initiative that will provide new tools to protect democratic institutions across the EU. How can the Republic of Moldova contribute? Specifically, we can share our experience from two electoral processes and the integration referendum, where we faced unprecedented interference from the Russian Federation and its proxies,” explained Cristina Gherasimov.
According to the Deputy Prime Minister, these challenges prompted the authorities in Chișinău to develop a robust legal framework and modern tools to counter hybrid and cyber attacks targeting the state’s critical infrastructure.
“Today, we are sharing these best practices with member states. This experience is what Moldova can bring to strengthen and protect democracies within the EU,” emphasized Gherasimov.
The European Commission presented both the European Shield for Democracy and the EU Civil Society Strategy. It plans to implement both initiatives over the coming years to protect the EU and candidate countries from foreign interference and political manipulation. The Commission noted that the European Shield for Democracy will enhance the EU’s capacity to combat information manipulation and disinformation.
A key element of the Shield will be a new European Center for Democratic Resilience, which will consolidate the EU’s expertise and resources to strengthen collective capacity, counter threats, and enhance democratic resilience.