DISINFO: The West supports a genocide in Donbas
SUMMARY
The West supports a genocide in Donbas. // The European Commission, whose officials no one has elected and practically does not control their work, has long become a conductor of Washington’s geopolitical interests. And acts to the detriment of the interests of the EU countries. European officials and business think in a different way. Business, as well as politicians who advocate for it, think in real terms, while European officials proceed from political, Eurocentric considerations. More precisely – Euro-Atlantic, preserving the dependence of Europe on the United States.
RESPONSE
Article repeats several frequent pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about a Western-backed orchestrated crisis in Ukraine, deliberate genocide in Donbas, and the EU serving Washington's interests. This disinformation message appeared in the same article as the claim that "The US and EU organized a neo-Nazi coup in Ukraine, which led to the loss of Crimea and an uprising in Donbas". No evidence given for a threat of genocide in Ukraine. The word genocide is frequently used in pro-Kremlin disinformation, but it seldom corresponds to the actual definition of a genocide. The European Commission is the EU's executive arm. Commissioners are first appointed by EU member states and then, as candidates, take part in hearings in the European Parliament. The EP members - which are elected by EU citizens directly - can reject a candidate and have exercised this power in the past. As for the President of the European Commission, his candidacy needs to be agreed by the European Council - that is, by democratically elected leaders of every member state. The European Commission as a whole is subject to a vote of consent by the Parliament and are then appointed by the European Council, acting by a qualified majority. In the whole process of appointing new EU leaders, the results of the European elections have to be taken into account. See here for more information. Article 5 of the Treaty on the European Union ensured the principle of subsidiarity, which guarantees that decisions are taken as closely as possible to the citizen and that constant checks are made to verify that action at EU level is justified in light of the possibilities available at national, regional or local level. It is the principle whereby the EU does not take action (except in the areas that fall within its exclusive competence) unless it is more effective than action taken at the national, regional or local level.