Aravot interviewed Jan Havlíček, researcher from the Prague-based Institute for Politics and Society, who visited Armenia in the framework of a project organised by the Centre for Policy Studies with support from the International Visegrad Fund and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea.
As noted by our interlocutor, “the European External Action Service’s East StratCom Task Force should work on developing infrastructure in the Eastern Partnership countries, helping to intercept disinformation and other hybrid threats”.
-Even at a glimpse, we may estimate that the Czech Republic has long been preparing to deal with hybrid threats seriously. There is a Centre Against Terrorism and Hybrid Threats at the Ministry of Interior, set up based on the conclusions of the 2016 National Security Audit with consideration of hybrid threats, including radicalisation and foreign disinformation campaigns. There is also the relatively recently adopted National Strategy for Countering Hybrid Interference. Which course of events led to an understanding about the need to deal with hybrid threats specifically?
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-Cyber-security has featured in various political discussions for over a decade, with the topic first emerging in 2011, when the Czech government first established a national authority responsible for cyber-security. The government also established the National Cyber and Information Security Agency (NÚKIB) which cooperates with national and international organisations to provide a variety of cyber-security services. NÚKIB also regularly publishes both cautionary alerts and recommendations on its website that warns of ongoing threats.
-Shortly before the Czech Republic assumed the presidency of the EU Council in July 2022, Deputy Minister of Defence Jan Havránek said that the Czech EU presidency would prioritise the fight against hybrid threats. Now, as the end of the year and of the rotating presidency term is near, how would you summarise the accomplishments in that regard?
-The Czech EU presidency organised a high-profile conference about cyber-security and Europe’s digital future. This conference enabled several bilateral meetings to be held throughout the duration of the conference, there were also representatives of the USA and Australia present. Under the Czech Presidency, member states also agreed on a common position for negotiations with the European Parliament on enhancing cyber-security within EU institutions and bodies. In November, the Council, European Parliament, and the Commission signed up to protecting and promoting European values such as democracy, equality, and sustainability in the digital world. Negotiations between the Czech Presidency and the European Parliament on product safety have also successfully been concluded. The new regulation updates the existing rules so that they also apply to online shopping so that goods sold in the EU are safe and comply with European standards.
-Which joint measures have the Czech Republic and its partners developed to deal with disinformation and other hybrid threats on national, regional and EU levels?
-The Czech Republic is focused on reinforcing security and defence capabilities, in particular in partnership with NATO. At the end of October this year, the Czech Republic and Ukraine released a joint statement aimed at the development of cooperation, countering misinformation and various other types of hybrid threats. The Czech army published a strategy to deal with hybrid threats, in it, the state that the security of the Czech Republic is indivisible from the security of the Euro-Atlantic region. Therefore, the strategy is based on the fundamental documents from NATO and the EU. It relies on the principle of solidarity among NATO allies and EU member states. Therefore, Czech membership in these organisations is a key instrument to deter perpetrators of hybrid interference. Therefore, the country must continue to actively participate in activities and initiatives proposed by these organisations in countering hybrid interference. Solidarity and mutual support of the member states and allies represent an effective instrument of both preventing hybrid interference and responding to its specific manifestations.
-Do some EU and NATO members’ governments’ or large political parties’ special relations with Russia and other dictatorships or authoritarian actors have the potential of undermining or seriously compromising the resilience to hybrid threats and the security situation in general?
-While Russia is a leader in the field of hybrid warfare, it is unlikely that countries which are a part of NATO or the EU who have special relations with Russia will pose a serious threat to undermining or compromising the security situation. This is because Russia has such a broad systemic operation to conduct these missions, with one estimate being that there are at least six presidential administration departments, and a series of presidential councils in Russia that are involved with their hybrid warfare campaign. Large political parties that are aligned with Russia may have the potential to compromise the security situation. This is because Russian disinformation is so successful because it exploits opportunities that are presented by either structural transformation, or a crisis in the media. Thus, allowing those parties that are aligned with Russia to capitalise on this situation and further these hybrid attacks.
-Does the European External Action Service’s East StratCom Task Force have the potential for more effective communication with partners in the Eastern Neighbourhood, considering the level of disinformation and other hybrid threats faced by fragile democracies and civil societies of the Eastern Partnership region?
-The European External Action Service’s East StratCom Task Force has a large potential to be more effective in terms of its ability to communicate with its partners in the Eastern Neighbourhood. While the Task Force has been important in implementing communication campaigns for explaining complex policy issues, it has room to grow in order to demonstrate how to deter hybrid threats. The Task Force has supported the European Commission in developing a new €11 million regional programme for independent media in the Eastern Partnership countries. While this is a good start, the Task Force should also work on developing infrastructure in these countries, helping to intercept disinformation and other hybrid threats.
EMMA GABRIELYAN
