On October 9, 2025, the Geopolitics and Security Studies Center hosted a discussion titled “European Democracy Shield: Protecting Against External Threats and Strengthening Civic Engagement.”
The event featured Michael McGrath, European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, Rule of Law and Consumer Protection; Mykolas Katkus, CEO of Repsense; and Jovita Tautkevičiūtė Kalinauskienė, Project Manager at Debunk.org. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Juljan Jachovič, Senior Area Manager.
Participants explored the key challenges to European democracy — from disinformation and algorithmic amplification to safeguarding electoral integrity. Commissioner McGrath highlighted the need to invest in media and digital literacy, empowering citizens to navigate an increasingly complex information environment, and stressed the importance of enforcing the Digital Services Act to protect election integrity.
Jovita Tautkevičiūtė Kalinauskienė presented Debunk.org’s initiatives aimed at countering large-scale disinformation campaigns and emphasized the value of cooperation between civil society, government institutions, and the tech sector. Mykolas Katkus discussed evolving information ecosystems and citizen engagement. The discussion underscored that strengthening democracy and ensuring information reliability are inseparable from active civic participation and responsible communication.
Photo credits: European Commission
