Volt expresses solidarity with the Press, NGOs and elected representatives who are victims of spoofing

> Sees this coordinated disinformation campaign as an attack on the pillars of our democracy

> Urges the Police Cyber Crime Unit to investigate the source

> Asks the government includes ramping up investment in combating cyber crimes, disinformation, media manipulation & invest in education in its budget for 2022

In the midst of a pandemic and with an election inching closer it is fundamental that disinformation is addressed and investigated diligently. The Board would like to express solidarity with all the victims of the ongoing disinformation campaign, which seeks to harm the trust between citizens and key democratic institutions. We urge the Police Cyber Crime Unit to do its utmost to investigate and find the source.

In the past year, a diversity of cyber crimes have affected Malta nationwide, including a series of email and text message scams that have cost the people of Malta over 100,000 euros in damages. It appears Malta is increasingly a target for cyber-crime, and mitigative and preventative solutions are of increasing importance..

We ask the government to include ramping up investment in fighting & preventing cyber-crimes, disinformation, media manipulation, and a significant increase of Cyber-Security education as part of its Budget 2022 proposal. The General Election is fast approaching and it is essential to safeguard the integrity of our democracy in light of present and anticipated challenges.

- Volt Malta Board (Co-Presidents Alexia DeBono, Arnas Lasys, Vice-President Thomas Mallia)