“The decision strengthens the already serious censorship”: Moscow, Photo: Reuters
The European Union condemned the “completely unfounded decision” of the Russian authorities to block the access of more than 80 European media in Russia, the EU’s high representative for foreign and security policy, Josep Borelj, announced yesterday.
“This decision further limits access to free and independent information and reinforces the already serious censorship of the media in Russia,” said a statement published on the website of the European External Action Service (EEAS).
It is added that banned European media work in accordance with journalistic principles and standards and provide factual information to the Russian audience, including about Russian aggression against Ukraine.
“On the contrary, Russian disinformation and propaganda media, against which the EU has introduced restrictive measures, do not represent free and independent media. Their broadcasting in the EU has been suspended because they are controlled by the Russian authorities and are used as an instrument to support the war of aggression against Ukraine.” it is stated in the announcement.
Borelj pointed out that respect for freedom of expression and the media is a key value for the EU and that he will continue to support the availability of factual information and the audience in Russia.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Tuesday that in response to the ban on Russian media in the EU, it is introducing countermeasures, blocking the broadcasting of 81 media from EU member states on Russian territory.
Among these media are several news agencies, including France’s AFP and Spain’s EFE, several television stations, newspapers and online publications, such as Germany’s Spiegel and Zeit, Spain’s Mundo and Pais, France’s Mond, Liberasion, Italy’s Repubblica, channels LCI and C News. and the Politiko and EUObserver portals.
In mid-May, the EU decided to sanction four Russian media – Voice of Europe, Ria Novosti, Izvestia and Russian Gazeta, accusing them of spreading Kremlin propaganda.
Austrian journalist to leave the country
Russia announced yesterday that it had ordered the Moscow correspondent of the Austrian public service ORF to leave the country after Vienna revoked the accreditation of the chief correspondent of the TASS agency in Austria.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it had invited ORF’s chief correspondent from Moscow, Karola Schneider.
“She was ordered to hand over her accreditation and to leave the territory of the Russian Federation in the near future,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.
It was emphasized that this step is a forced retaliatory measure in connection with the continuation of discrimination against Russian media representatives in Austria.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it could overturn the decision if Austria reinstated the accreditation of Arina Davidian, the Vienna-based correspondent for the state news agency TASS.
The expulsion of the Austrian journalist coincided with the start of the trial of Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Gerskovich, who has been in custody since his arrest in March 2023 on espionage charges that he, his employer and the US government deny.
( A.Š. )