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Gov't urges Romanians not to let hasty reactions to unchecked news guide them
The Romanian government says it will use all the leverage available to it to penalise any attempt to cause instability and spread misinformation in the public space.
"The Romanian government disapproves of any attempt to generate instability and spread misinformation in the public space and will use all the leverage available to it to penalise it. The whole world, Romania included, is going through a very sensitive time in which serious security problems and the effects of the Russian aggression in Ukraine risk being blown out of proportions by manipulations and misinformation. We are pursuing these issues as well and taking steps to counter the information warfare and attempts to create instability and spread unjustified panic among the population," reads a government Facebook post published on Thursday.
Romanians are urged to filter out "in good faith, with reason and responsibility" all the information they receive.
"Let us not be swayed by hasty reactions, under the impulse of unchecked news not from credible sources! We need, especially amidst the ongoing hybrid war, to filter out in good faith, with reason and responsibility the information that reaches us," the government points out.
The government thanked the Romanian Business Leaders for the steps taken to counter the information warfare, while also distributing a press release sent by the organisation. According to it, there are groups in Romania that propagate "false or half-true information to spread out panic for political gain, image gain or to help Putin's Russia." The Romanian Business Leaders show that they trust Romania and take a stand against the information warfare.
"Romania is in serious danger of misinformation. It is the only war we are already in - that of false information, of fake news. We will fight. And it will be a hard war. (...) We must fight. We all have to get mobilised quickly: the government, the business community, civil society and responsible media. We must arm ourselves with all the communication resources at our disposal to counter the false information that could destabilise Romania. Information warfare is difficult and it requires resources, professionalism, patience and discernment. It takes each of us to win."
The Romanian Business Leaders says that it has confidence in the Romanian economy, civil society, in the country's energy capacity, in the Romanian banking system, in the European Union, in NATO and in Romania's defence capacity.
"Of course there is an ongoing energy crisis, we all feel it in our wallets. But Romania will not run out of natural gas, energy or petrol. And prices will be kept in check. Romania will accelerate its investment in renewable energy and we will bridge the deficit (...) The banking system is a stable one. Each bank in Romania is guaranteed separately by sister banks in other countries. The money of the public and companies is guaranteed by the state. The National Bank of Romania has always managed financial crises exemplary."