MINSK, 31 May (BelTA) – In the course of the information war that has been launched against Belarus citizens of the country are showered with streams of blatant lies and it is necessary to counteract it, including with counterpropaganda. Head of the Belarus President Administration Igor Sergeyenko made the statement after Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko hosted a government conference to discuss ways to improve the information policy, BelTA has learned.
Igor Sergeyenko said: “It is no secret that we've been living and working in conditions of an information war for years. Streams of blatant lies from various Telegram channels, primarily foreign ones, are being poured on heads of our citizens. The lies focus on various areas: international politics, the situation in Ukraine, the special operation [of Russia in Ukraine], prospects of Belarus' development, and Western sanctions. In other words, they mention both global matters and concrete newsworthy events.”
The official remarked that it is certainly sometimes difficult to sort out lies from the truth. Igor Sergeyenko reminded Winston Churchill's saying: “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.” The official admitted: “It is true. It is quite complicated to counter, to resist fake news and blatant lies on the air. It is necessary to work in advance in many areas. It is necessary to give true information and do it certainly faster than streams of lies are unleashed. It is necessary to find out things, explain things, and tell things.”
In his words, the government conference hosted by the head of state focused just on that, on ways to improve this work, on ways to invigorate the work of reporters and TV channels, on artistic presentation of information, and on propaganda and counterpropaganda. “The overall strategy and concrete new forms of work were discussed. We discussed how we can improve things, elaborate the structure and diversify our work,” Igor Sergeyenko clarified.
Participants of the conference did not discuss the possibility of introducing some sort of restrictive measures. “Our mass media are free to say what they want. But they have to bear responsibility. Primarily before the people, the public, before themselves, and before the law,” the Belarus President Administration head stressed.
Igor Sergeyenko is convinced that the Belarusian society wants truth. “Although nowadays the public is spoilt by all kinds of fake information, this information is regarded as a show. And if truth comes second, it is difficult to get the message across. But everyone is interested in getting true information and taking guidance from it,” the official concluded.
