Four Greek media outlets were included among a total of 81 EU media organizations Russia announced it was banning access to as a retaliatory action to the EU’s ban on Russian outlets.
The Greek media banned are Public Broadcaster ERT, MEGA TV, Proto Thema, and Skai.
In May, the European Union suspended the distribution of Voice of Europe, RIA news agency, and the Izvestia and Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspapers describing the media outlets as four “Kremlin-linked propaganda networks,” stripping them of their broadcasting rights in the bloc.
The outlets are from 25 European countries and also include pan-European media like Politico. French outlets were most heavily targeted with nine bans, affecting global news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP), and Le Monde and Liberation newspapers among others.
The German Der Spiegel, the Spanish El Pais and El Mundo, the Finnish Yle, the Irish national broadcaster RTE, and Italy’s RAI television channel and la Repubblica newspaper are some of the other prominent banned outlets.
The Russian Foreign Ministry accused the outlets of “systematically distributing inaccurate information” about what Russia calls its special military operation in Ukraine.
Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the State Duma lower house of parliament and an ally of President Vladimir Putin, said in May that the EU move had shown that the West refuses to accept any alternative point of view and “does not tolerate” freedom of speech despite appearing to champion it publicly.
Moscow said that it is open to rescinding its ban on the outlets if restrictions on Russian media are lifted.
EU reacts to Russia’s ban on media
Russia ban – Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy issued the following statement on the ban:
“The EU condemns the totally unfounded decision by the Russian authorities to block access to over eighty European media in Russia.
This decision further restricts access to free and independent information and expands the already severe media censorship in Russia. The banned European media work according to journalistic principles and standards. They give factual information, also to Russian audiences, including on Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.
“In contrast, the Russian disinformation and propaganda outlets, against which the EU has introduced restrictive measures, do not represent a free and independent media. Their broadcasting activities in the EU have been suspended because these outlets are under the control of the Russian authorities and they are instrumental in supporting the war of aggression against Ukraine.
“Respect for the freedom of expression and media is a core value for the EU. It will continue supporting the availability of factual information also to audiences in Russia.”
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