During a debate on the Democracy Shield and the Rule of Law with Commissioner Michael McGrath, EPP-CoR members strongly welcomed the Commission’s proposal and underlined the essential role of local and regional leaders in safeguarding democracy. Members highlighted the increasing threats posed by disinformation, hate speech, foreign interference, and weak rule-of-law standards in the EU’s neighbourhood. They called for stronger multilevel cooperation, full transparency in political communications, and reinforced support for candidate countries. The EPP-CoR stressed that democratic resilience begins in cities and regions — where institutions, citizens, and communities experience both the challenges and responsibilities of defending democracy on the ground.
Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, Mayor of Gdańsk underlined that the Democracy Shield is a long-awaited proposal for regional and local leaders: “We are engaged in defending democracy on the ground on a daily basis — in running for and organising elections, in public rallies, in educational actions, in engaging with media and involving citizens in democratic deliberations. Sometimes we pay a dear price for our activities, but we stand firm on the side of democracy.” She emphasised that the EPP-CoR strongly supports the proposal and shares the vision that democratic resilience is a fundamental part of Europe’s preparedness and resistance to hybrid threats, alongside civilian and defence preparedness. This work, she stressed, starts in cities and regions.
Dulkiewicz added that the experience of local and regional authorities — including colleagues from the eastern part of the EU and those from countries on the path to accession such as Ukraine and Moldova — is invaluable for shaping a resilient democracy. She warned of the dual threat of disinformation and hate speech, recalling the assassination of Mayor Paweł Adamowicz: “My predecessor was assassinated largely because of an atmosphere poisoned by hate speech. This tragedy is a permanent reminder that words can kill.” She highlighted the importance of involving local and regional institutions in designing the Democracy Shield and pointed to their existing experience in civic education, critical thinking, and media literacy — tools essential not only in schools but throughout life, particularly for vulnerable citizens. Finally, she called for deeper European cooperation, insisting that: “No region, no municipality, and no Member State can protect democracy alone. By sharing good practices, strengthening multilevel governance, and building resilient communities together, we can ensure that Europe remains a space of freedom, truth, and mutual respect.”
Emil Boc, Mayor of Cluj-Napoca warned that modern threats to democracy increasingly come from the digital sphere: “Our democracy is under threat from bots and algorithms which amplify extreme voices and manipulate emotions. We need total transparency for all political content online. We need a ban on political bots to prevent elections from being influenced.” He stressed that democratic processes must remain citizen-driven, free from foreign and hostile interference, insisting that honest debate and electoral integrity must be protected at all costs.
Nikola Dobroslavić, President of Dubrovnik-Neretva highlighted the fragility of democratic values, particularly in the EU’s neighbourhood: “The values of democracy are being questioned. In the Western Balkans, there are shortcomings in the rule of law, related to the insufficient fight against corruption and organised crime.” Despite these challenges, he stressed that the EU must continue to support candidate countries, noting that: “There is no alternative to democracy – we must build it and never abandon it.”