Propastop awarded European Citizen's Prize

The candidacy of Propastop.ee was put forward by Estonian MEP Urmas Paet, who said that Propastop has, for many years, helped to ensure the security of Estonia and all of Europe through its work and sense of mission.

One of the founders and spokesman of Propastop, Andres Lember, said that the European Citizen's Prize is a great recognition for all Propastop volunteers for their long-term contribution.

"The blog, created seven years ago as an initiative by Kaitseliit [Defense League] volunteers, has become a reliable channel of citizen journalism and an influential opinion leader in its field. Over the years, we have debunked hundreds of units of misinformation and exposed networks of hostile information activities. We have also created media literacy materials for use in schools," said Lember.

The blog Propastop.ee, which focuses on exposing anti-Estonian propaganda, was established in 2016 and is run by Kaitseliit volunteers. Propastop combats misinformation aimed at Estonia and the European Union, exposing information attacks and promoting media literacy. Its goal is to help the citizens of Estonia and the European Union navigate the complex information space, develop citizens' ability to think critically, and recognize misinformation and hostile propaganda.

This year, a total of 38 awards were presented, distributed among 25 member states of the European Union. The national award ceremony for the European Citizen's Prize takes place in September, and all the winners from the member states are invited to the ceremony in Brussels on Nov. 7.

The European Citizen's Award has been presented by the European Parliament since 2008. The award recognizes individuals and organizations that promote mutual understanding among citizens and societal cohesion. The award comes with the European Citizen's Medal, and the laureates are invited to an award ceremony in either Brussels or Strasbourg.