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The COVID-19 crisis has illuminated the weak spots in our societies. It has exposed how vulnerable democracy and our societies are. We should stand together to defend our democratic values, said Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, in her address at the European Conference of Presidents of Parliament in Athens.

The Speaker highlighted that public attitudes towards vaccination were shaped by false and unverified information, and fake news. “Our response to disinformation is to invest in the resilience of society. By raising awareness on how disinformation works, we can strengthen independent media, promote media literacy and participation of civil society,” noted Mūrniece.

The Speaker also pointed out that Belarussian authorities were using third country nationals, by helping them reach the EU’s external border for a political gain. The hybrid operation, carried out by the Belarussian regime, is a response to the EU’s principal position on the human rights situation in Belarus. Latvia will continue informing the international community about the reality on the border with Belarus and the actions of Belarus, emphasised Speaker Mūrniece.

The Speaker of the Saeima is currently attending the European Conference of Presidents of Parliament in Athens, Greece. The conference is organised since 1975 by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), and it is regularly attended by speakers of the parliaments of the EU, PACE, observer and partner country parliaments, as well as international parliamentary assemblies and other regional parliaments.

Saeima Press Service