DISINFO: The bureaucracy leads to the collapse of the EU
DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS
  • Outlet: ren.tv (archived)*
  • Date of publication: May 16, 2020
  • Outlet language(s): Russian
  • Reported in: Issue 198
  • Countries / regions discussed: EU
Tags:
coronavirus Euro-scepticism EU disintegration European Union Europe

DISINFO: The bureaucracy leads to the collapse of the EU

SUMMARY

The coronavirus pandemic has pretty much hit European solidarity. And this is not only because of quarantine, which has closed transparent borders. Confronting the faceless (and even completely American) bureaucracy of the EU with the whole diversity of European countries and peoples is a very old topic. While the EU grew and developed, complications could be tolerated. But a weakening reveals many disorders. People who are worth listening to are already talking about the collapse of the EU.

RESPONSE

A recurring pro-Kremlin narrative that is consistent with the disinformation message that the Schengen zone has collapsed and more broadly, with the disinformation narrative that the EU is collapsing as a result of the coronavirus crisis. In the current exceptional situation, many EU Member States introduced temporary border controls to slow the spread of coronavirus, which adhere to the Schengen border code, but the EU Commission is ensuring that EU-wide supply chains continue to operate and that the flow of goods and key services continues around the clock. The introduction of ‘green lanes’ will allow all freight vehicles to cross internal Schengen borders within 15 minutes. Furthermore, to cushion the blow to people’s livelihoods and the economy, the European Commission has adopted a comprehensive economic response to the outbreak, applied the full flexibility of the EU fiscal rules, has revised its State Aid rules and proposed to set up a €37 billion Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative to provide liquidity to small businesses and the health care sector. Regarding the current coronavirus crisis, European leaders said they would spend hundreds of billions of euros to prevent the coronavirus outbreak from provoking a deep recession or financial crisis. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said that the European Union would allocate up to €100 billion ($109.62 billion) to the hardest-hit countries, starting with Italy, to help cover the cost of lost wages and to preserve jobs. The EU has also created the first-ever stockpile of medical equipment, while German hospitals took in Italian patients and masks were sent to Italian doctors from France, Czechia, Austria and much more. Read more about the EU's response here and here. For similar cases, see here, here, and here.

Embed

Related disinfo cases

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

    Your opinion matters!

    Data Protection Information *

      Subscribe to the Disinfo Review

      Your weekly update on pro-Kremlin disinformation

      Data Protection Information *

      The Disinformation Review is sent through Mailchimp.com. See Mailchimp’s privacy policy and find out more on how EEAS protects your personal data.