President Nicusor Dan conveyed, on Wednesday, that the impact of disinformation on democracy is profound precisely because it does not aim only at an opinion or a vote, but at the weakening of citizens’ trust in institutions, by relativizing facts and amplifying collective confusion. He notes that the effects go beyond the political sphere, however, because disinformation produces real costs in the realm of national security, where false narratives aim to undermine public support and confidence in our strategic partnerships.
The President sent a message during the “Disinformation, challenge to national security” conference, organized at the “Carol I” National Defense University. The message was presented by Martina Orlea, State Councilor – Department of National Security.
“Recently, states are facing an intensification of hybrid threats on a global level, manifested including through actions of an informational nature. The aim is to exploit social vulnerabilities, to amplify divisions and to influence public perceptions and behaviors. In this context, I welcome the initiative to organize this conference, dedicated to a topic of urgent topicality – disinformation – whose effects are felt more and more directly on national security”, President Nicusor said Dan.
The head of state shows that the topic is neither abstract nor conjunctural and expresses a common conviction: a well-informed society is the first line of defense of democracy.
“The last few years have demonstrated, in Romania and in many European states, that information manipulation and foreign interference can influence electoral processes, deepen the polarization of society and erode citizens’ trust in institutions. The development of artificial intelligence, automatically generated content and the speed with which information circulates in the online environment mean that a fake can reach hundreds of thousands of people before the truth can be verified. In the current tense geopolitical situation, the information space has undoubtedly become an environment additional confrontation”, he mentioned.
According to the president, “the impact of misinformation on democracy is profound precisely because it does not aim only at an opinion or a vote, but at the weakening of citizens’ trust in institutions, by relativizing facts and amplifying collective confusion”.
“However, the effects go beyond the political sphere. Disinformation has real costs in the realm of national security, where false narratives aim to undermine public support and confidence in our strategic partnerships. We are no longer talking about isolated episodes, but about coordinated, multi-level, technology-supported operations.
That is why this phenomenon has become a priority for national security and good governance, and the National Strategy for the Defense of the Country for the period 2025-2030 explicitly identifies coordinated disinformation campaigns as a component of the hybrid war waged against Romania. Consolidating social cohesion and national resilience is, therefore, a strategic objective for the achievement of which a closer coordination of the institutions with attributions in the field is required, so that the detection and reaction are quick and coherent, not fragmented”, Nicuşor Dan also states.
The President believes that the effectiveness of an institutional response also depends on the credibility of the state authorities, which is built over time, through transparent, clear and comprehensible communication, in those information environments where citizens are actually present.
“At the same time, strengthening informational resilience requires long-term actions, such as media and digital education, starting from school, support for independent journalism and for those who verify information, transparency on the part of online platforms, a real partnership between the state, civil society, the academic environment and the private sector”, the head of state mentions.
The President also states that combating disinformation does not mean restricting freedom of expression, but protecting it, by guaranteeing the right of every citizen to decide based on correct information
“Romania is not making this effort alone. The European Union has turned the defense of democracy into a strategic priority. The European Shield for Democracy, adopted by the European Commission in November 2025, proposes an integrated approach, on three pillars: protecting the integrity of the information space; strengthening institutions, free elections and independent media; increasing the resilience of society and civic involvement. Romania actively contributes to the implementation of the European Union’s efforts in this field, bringing its own experience to the European dialogue and the good practices developed at the national level”, he says.
Nicusor Dan states that it is important not to forget that democracy is defended every day, through the contribution of every informed citizen, through credible institutions and through active involvement in promoting the truth.
