The Risks of Russian Interference in the Upcoming Parliamentary Elections Are Growing - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 0 7

On Wednesday, the commission heard from the head of the European Commission representation in Latvia, Andris Kužnieks, who presented the EC strategy "European Shield of Democracy," which includes measures to strengthen democracy. The commission also discussed the security of the upcoming parliamentary elections.

According to Makarov, it would be very naive to expect that there will be no attempts from Russia to exploit any vulnerabilities or "gaps" in Latvian systems. "Interference in the elections will not start a day or three months before the elections; opportunities will be sought even now, they were sought yesterday," Makarov said.

He noted that Brussels institutions have tools they can use to assist in this matter. In particular, there is an early warning system. The European Shield of Democracy also provides for the establishment of a European Center for Democratic Resilience, which would be a useful tool if Latvia joins it, Makarov said.

Regarding communication with major digital platforms, Makarov noted that dialogue occurs on two levels. At the basic level, there is a response to specific incidents. He mentioned that Latvia has such channels, and as far as he knows, we are doing better than the Moldovans. In September of last year, the parliamentary elections in Moldova were marred by false bomb threats and cyberattacks, he reminded.

The second level is a broader dialogue with the platforms. "We have an incentive; it is the Digital Services Act, compliance with which across the European Union (EU) is an absolute condition for responding even to minor incidents," Makarov said.

The head of the Central Election Commission (CEC), Maris Zviiedris, stated that he expects a clear action plan from the European Shield of Democracy in case of threats to the elections.