“Democracy is fragile.” Pavel mentioned Ukraine at Forum 2000. The president of Moldova is also in Prague

2023-10-16 10:39:00

Pavel said that fact-based debate and decision-making are constantly disrupted by narratives based on lies, the rapid spread of misinformation and incitement to hate. “This is extremely dangerous. Not only because it disrupts the cohesion of our society, which is based on mutual respect and trust in the rule of law. In the long run, it also undermines our security and prosperity,” he said.

According to Pavel, the current experience with disinformation and hybrid conflict management shows that democracy is vulnerable, constantly under pressure and cannot be taken for granted. “In recent decades, the Czech Republic has focused on development and transformation cooperation in countries that went through a similar process as we did in the 1990s. However, the need to defend democracy in our own democratic societies is growing more and more,” he stated.

He considers it necessary to better cooperate with citizens, restore their trust and invest in education. “I am convinced that this is not an impossible mission. History has shown that the desire for freedom is stronger than oppression.” stated Basic rights and freedoms have always been the basis of prosperity and security, added Pavel. According to him, there must be a discussion about how to preserve freedom of speech and strengthen the resilience of democratic institutions in a time of increasing influence of technology. “Freedom of speech goes hand in hand with responsibility,” he added.

According to Pavel, Ukraine, for example, is now fighting for the ideas of freedom, human rights and democracy, which is defending itself against Russian aggression. At the same time, the strategic competitors of democratic countries are working to undermine values ​​such as freedom, human rights and democracy. “Unity, dialogue and cooperation are what make us strong and resilient against any threat,” he stressed.

Pavel also highlighted the Forum 2000 conference itself, which was founded in 1997 by the then Czech President Václav Havel, the writer Elie Wiesel and the Japanese philanthropist Jóhei Sasakawa. “Forum 2000 brought key debates about the value of democracy even at a time when our own politicians suppressed and trivialized the importance of human rights and democracy as a long-term pillar of Czech foreign policy,” he said.