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Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the European Union

Submitted on 2017-08-29 13:47:20

Comment on Estonian authorities’ refusal to accredit Rossiya Segodnya journalists

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Comment by the Foreign Ministry’s Information and Press Department on Estonian authorities’ refusal to accredit Rossiya Segodnya journalists

We are genuinely perplexed by the decision of the Estonian presidency of the Council of the EU to refuse to Rossiya Segodnya journalists accreditation to cover the informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Tallinn on September 7-8, without providing any explanation.

This flagrant discrimination against one of the largest news agencies shows once again what the Estonian authorities’ hypocritical statements about their respect for the freedom of speech and access to information are worth. Whether this decision is the initiative of the Estonian presidency or agreed with the EU headquarters in Brussels, the prohibitive measures imposed by Tallinn in any case undermine the authority of the European Union. We urge the relevant international bodies to pay close attention to this egregious case and take steps to prevent the infringement on the rights of Russian journalists.