PANDEMIC COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES: IMPLICATIONS FOR NATIONAL SECURITY (CASE: SPAIN AND POLAND)

Abstract

The current pandemic has provided many examples of effective and not so effective communication strategies from government agencies. In this short article, the authors focus on an analysis of the COVID-19 crisis communication from selected governments of Spain and Poland. Despite the differences in communication strategies of both countries, resulting from characteristic administrative structures and constitutional competences, common features as well as errors and shortcomings can be observed. The authors conclude that the particularism of political interests of the party politicians, who were in power at the time of the pandemic outbreak (regardless of their political foundations) may be a threat to the national security of a given country undermining the public trust, causing unwanted behaviours and thus translating into an extent and a duration of the pandemic as well as negative economic consequences. The crisis of the virus turns out to be a test that highlights the shortcomings of the political and social systems of both countries and opens up the field for further research.