Marta Barandiy: Do You Think the Defence Topic Should Be Silenced?

I am constantly discouraged to talk about defence in Belgium as people don’t want to hear about “militarisation.” I feel like something deep inside me says that it is wrong to keep quiet when the threat is so big. And as people fear militarisation, they do not ask the state for stronger defence. At the same time, the state does not sleep, and puts the responsibility of defence on people/businesses: when people do not control the government, the government controls the people.

An estimated 2,000 Belgian companies and institutions will soon risk up to 10 million Euro fines if they do not comply with cybersecurity rules.

This concerns around a hundred companies active in energy, transport, finance, healthcare, drinking water and digital infrastructure, as well as postal and courier services, food companies, research institutions, and chemical players.

The Belgian Center for Cybersecurity (CCB), the government institution responsible for cybersecurity Belgium, can use audits and unannounced security scans to check whether everyone is following the rules and can also make recommendations.

What is the purpose of unannounced scans?

Why would companies be interested in suffering loss from cyber attacks? Why is there a need to threaten them with fines instead of encouraging security? Training them and cooperating with them in frames of e.g. Public Private Partnerships?

Defence is a core responsibility of the state! The state should empower the private sector to strengthen the resilience, but instead, the state makes rules, and then creates agencies to control whether the rules are obeyed. Who makes the work? The private sector. Who benefits? The State!

Do you think the defence topic should be silenced?

Promote Ukraine Team