There is no Russian propaganda in the Republic of Moldova, and censorship is imposed in the EU, according to a false narrative that borders ridicule, promoted by the Russian ambassador to Chișinău, Oleg Ozerov.
NEWS: The disinformation allegations made by Russian media in Moldova are unfounded. We are dealing with an attempt to silence them, the ambassador of the Russian Federation, Oleg Ozerov, told RIA Novosti in an interview.
“Following the accusations that emerged against the Russian media and that are used as a basis for restricting its activities, I can confirm that no clear-cut disinformation accusation has ever been made. Tell me, when have Russian TV channels, Telegram channels ever stated anything that contradicts reality? There was no such thing. I have not seen any concrete cases. If only they had been caught red-handed, but this was not the case. These allegations are vague, including those according to which the media create “a distorted image”. Why should they create an image that corresponds to the opinion of a certain part of the political forces in the European Union? Why is that so?”, said Ozerov.
The Russian ambassador drew attention to the fact that the European Union itself loudly proclaims its attachment to the principles of freedom of the press, freedom of speech, pluralism of opinions, whereas in fact it does not observe them.
“I have many friends in France, in other European states I have worked in or visited, and let's face it, they are horrified by the current situation in the field of freedom of the press in all the major European states. You can't express your views, censorship is extremely harsh, everything that does not fall in line with the official point of view of Brussels is eliminated. Is this what you call freedom of the press?”
NARRATIVES: 1. The concerns and statements about Russia's interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Moldova, including those voiced by the media press, are unfounded. 2. The European Union is turning (has turned) into a dictatorship, where press freedom and the right to free speech are restricted.
PURPOSE: To present the government in Chișinău as Russophobic and dictatorial. To describe the European Union, which the Republic of Moldova is trying to accede to, as a model of oppression and censorship. To discredit the actions of Moldovan authorities regarding the restriction of Russian media influence, presenting them as violations of press freedom. At the same time, the article seeks to delegitimize the European Union as a strategic partner, by promoting the idea that the democratic values promoted by Brussels are, in fact, a form of dictatorship in disguise. The main objective is to erode public trust in Moldova's European path and promote the perception that Russia defends freedom and pluralism. To mobilize Russian-speaking or pro-Russian readers against measures designed to combat disinformation.
WHY THE NARRATIVES ARE FALSE: Russian propaganda and its effects are visible on a daily basis in the Republic of Moldova. Numerous studies and investigations have drawn attention to this phenomenon as part of Russia’s hybrid warfare against Chișinău, whose purpose is to bring this country back into the Kremlin’s sphere of influence. According to a study conducted by the Stockholm Center for East European Studies, hybrid attacks and propaganda against Moldova have intensified. “Moldova has faced a constant barrage of disinformation attacks from Russia. These attacks have increased substantially since 2022”, the study’s authors note.
“Given Russia’s strong presence in the information space, it has managed to systematically manipulate public opinion and weaken social cohesion in Moldova. Traditionally, the Russian Federation promotes various manipulative narratives related to the Soviet past, implicitly the idea that the Republic of Moldova belongs to the so-called Russian World, Russkii mir. Starting 2014 (in particular, when the EU Association Agreement was concluded), Russia has also promoted narratives directed against the European aspirations of the Republic of Moldova,” according to the Analysis and Strategy for Increasing Disinformation Resilience in the Republic of Moldova, developed by one of the most well-known think tanks in Chișinău, the Institute for European Policies and Reforms.
Internal monitoring reports also revealed that Russian TV channels rebroadcast in the Republic of Moldova were used as propaganda tools.
Russian propaganda has turned up the aggression during the electoral campaign for the referendum and presidential election of October 2024, and recently, The Insider exposed the launch of a large-scale aggressive campaign targeting Moldova, in the context of the parliamentary election scheduled this fall.
Debunking materials published weekly by Veridica in recent years, which scrutinize to Russian and pro-Russian propaganda narratives targeting the Republic of Moldova, provide a valuable and consistent archive in this regard. This systematic documentation demonstrates not only the scale of the phenomenon, but also the repetitive and coordinated nature of disinformation promoted by the Kremlin in the Moldovan public sphere.
According to the annual Democracy Index, conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit, in 2022, the top 10 states with the highest level of democracy included 8 states from Western Europe. The biggest drop was recorded in Russia, which reached the bottom of the ranking of countries with an authoritarian regime. At the same time, the EU is recognized as a space of respect for human values and rights, including freedom of press. In the Press Freedom Index top 20, compiled by the international organization “Reporters without Borders”, most of them are EU member states. The Republic of Moldova has also improved its standing in this regard in recent years, ranking 35th out of 180 states, compared to Russia, which is at the bottom of the ranking, in 171st place.
BACKGROUND: The discussion about the threat and influence of Russian propaganda has been ongoing in the Republic of Moldova for many years. As early as 2018, an international study revealed that the Republic of Moldova is the most vulnerable to Russian propaganda among countries in Central and Eastern Europe.
The problem became even worse after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the authorities have undertaken several efforts to curb this phenomenon, including by blocking websites from the Republic of Moldova and Russia, as well as withdrawing the licenses of several TV stations.
This is not the first time that Moscow or its influencers in the Republic of Moldova have tried to deny the existence of Russian propaganda in the Republic of Moldova. Previously, former president Igor Dodon, currently one of the leaders of the opposition, said that there is no Russian propaganda in Moldova, and Veridica has disproved his statements.
At the same time, narratives about the so-called dictatorship established in the Republic of Moldova and the EU are part of Russian propaganda, which Veridica has debunked in its articles.
