The European Union condemns the “totally unfounded” decision by the Russian authorities to block access of 81 European media in Russia, said the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, on Wednesday 26 June.
On Tuesday 25 June, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation published a list of the 81 European media concerned. Agence Europe is on the list, but so too is Le Monde, Libération, La Croix, Radio France, AFP, Der Spiegel, El Pais, El Mundo, La Repubblica, RAI and Politico.
This decision is a “reprisal” following the decision adopted by the Council of the European Union on Friday 17 May to “suspend the broadcasting activities” of Voice of Europe, RIA, Izvestia and Rossiyskaya Gazeta, four media organisations described as “Russian disinformation and propaganda outlets” (see EUROPE 13417/8). RT and Sputnik had already been banned by the EU in March 2022.
Russia is “further restricting the already tightly controlled access of the Russian population to independent and free information”, deplored Peter Stano, the European Commission’s lead spokesperson for foreign affairs, at a press conference on Wednesday 26 June.
Josep Borrell added that, unlike the Russian media banned in the EU, “the banned European media work according to journalistic principles and standards” and “give factual information, also to Russian audiences, including on Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine”.
While the initial aim was to react to these bans with a statement on behalf of the EU, the fact that Hungary blocked that course of action has prompted the High Representative of the Union to react in his own name. (Original version in French by Florent Servia)