On Tuesday, 21 March 2023, Andrej Stančík, State Secretary at the Slovak Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, attended the General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels.
At the meeting, Slovakia raised the topic of disinformation and the responsibility social network operators have for its dissemination, with the aim of calling on Member States and the European Commission to take joint action.
“I consider it a problem that social networks, which profit from operating on the European market, are one of the main tools for spreading disinformation not only in Slovakia, but throughout the EU. Disinformation undermines the values on which the Union is founded. And the platforms themselves are making only minimal efforts to address the situation. This must change,” stressed State Secretary Stančík.
The Council’s agenda also included a dialogue on the rule of law, an area in which the European Commission and Member States also seek to identify areas for improvement. This was the first time that Slovakia was also assessed.
“Every member state has room for improvement. It is important that we discuss and share valuable experiences that can inspire us. I confirmed Slovakia’s sincere interest in taking further steps in the fight against corruption, the independence of the judiciary, the status of the prosecutor’s office and media freedom,” said Stančík.
The Council also focused on the preparation of the March European Council, which will focus on EU competitiveness and the war in Ukraine. Representatives of EU member states also discussed the EU’s post-Brexit relations with the United Kingdom in light of the political agreement reached on the implementation of the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol and, at an informal lunch, ministers and state secretaries met Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Olga Stefanishyna.
