Pavel Havlicek: The Czech Republic is among the most resilient societies in Central and Eastern Europe

Pavel Havlicek

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has definitely affected the vulnerability of each country to disinformation. What is happening in the Czech Republic, he told Pavel Havlicek, Research Fellow at the International Affairs Association in Prague.

From time to time we discuss the current situation with disinformation in the sense of a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. How is the Czech Republic trying to deal with this today?

Czech civil society is often fragmented and has limited influence due to a lack of coordination and exchange of best practices. In addition, public trust in the media is alarmingly low.

The Czech political leadership must demonstrate the political will necessary to implement effective strategies that will increase the resilience of society and strengthen the country's defense against hybrid threats.

New challenges have emerged due to Russian aggression against Ukraine. Despite sociological reports indicating resilience, the Czech Republic remained on the verge of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and the war has started a trend that may ultimately increase the country's vulnerability, contributing to a growing sense of uncertainty and distrust in the state.

In the end, only about 10 percent of Czechs believe disinformation and conspiracy theories.

The Prague Security Studies Institute (PSSI) has found that the Czech Republic is among the most stable societies in Central and Eastern Europe, despite some indicators declining. This suggests that the Kremlin’s war propaganda is having a limited impact.

According to the PSSI 2023 analysis, the perception of China as a threat increased from 50 to 60 percent after the full-scale invasion, indicating a failed attempt by China to charm CEE.

The MapInfluenCE project, which focused on Beijing's digital diplomacy in the region, concluded that China's efforts to exploit the war in Ukraine for its own purposes are a failure.

The war in Ukraine has highlighted how much Russian and Chinese disinformation strategies overlap.

What should the governments of CEE countries pay attention to when combating Kremlin propaganda?

Czech authorities took steps after the invasion to counter the wave of propaganda by banning websites known for spreading false content.

However, the lack of clear communication allowed anti-system actors to plant narratives that the government was violating freedom of speech.

That is, it concerns the Czech government's attempts to sever economic and energy ties with Russia and impose an EU sanctions regime.

Despite vocal support for a tough stance against Russia at the European and national levels, state policy has been ineffective, partly due to a shortage of personnel in the groups responsible for implementing sanctions. This has resulted in numerous reports by investigative journalists about sanctions evasion.

The media reform limited the possibilities for undue political interference and gave additional responsibilities to the upper house of parliament (the Senate) to make media councils and other oversight bodies even more independent from political interference.

Despite some criticism, Czech television and radio remain an open platform for both government and opposition politicians, as well as other political forces. This has contributed to the fight against disinformation, malign influence, and hybrid threats.

However, the mainstream media in the Czech Republic continue to be dominated by the interests of their owners with their own agendas and economic interests.

In addition to mainstream media outlets, the Czech Republic continues to be influenced by dozens of disinformation sites, which have gained importance during the COVID-19 pandemic and gradually focused on other false narratives following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Some – CZ 24 News, Infokurýr, Nová republika and Protiproud – have fuelled distrust of the Czech government and undermined its policies, particularly in support of Ukraine. However, their influence and readership are quite limited compared to mainstream media.

Maryna Kovalchuk, Deputy Editor-in-Chief (Central Europe and Canada), Project Manager at V5 Media, spoke.

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