Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-002212/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Dolors Montserrat (PPE)
On 31 May 2025, Spain’s Deputy Prime Minister and two government ministers circulated a claim that a former Guardia Civil officer had threatened to plant a car bomb in the Prime Minister’s vehicle. Checks by journalists, however, revealed the claim to be false. It was nevertheless used as a political weapon, with statements explicitly identifying an agent of the Central Operative Unit (UCO), a specialist anti-crime team that is investigating scandals involving the government.
This is an example of institutional disinformation and an attack on the reputation and credibility of a state security force. It is undermining public trust in the police and democratic scrutiny.
In the light of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2022/2065, which obliges public authorities to act diligently so as not to encourage the spread of disinformation, and in line with the European democracy action plan:
- 1.Does the Commission take the view that such dissemination of false rumours breaches the principle of diligence that the regulation requires public authorities to uphold?
- 2.Is the Commission intending to include specific recommendations on institutional disinformation in its rule-of-law report?
Submitted: 3.6.2025