29.08.2017, Russia.
The Estonian authorities’ decision to refuse Russian journalists accreditation at an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers is flagrant discrimination, the Department of Information and Press of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on August 29.
“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,” the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The Russian MFA noted that, whether this decision is the initiative of the Estonian presidency or agreed with Brussels, the prohibitive measures in any case undermine the authority of the European Union.
MFA also urged 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”.
Three correspondents of Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency applied for accreditation at the EU foreign ministers’ meeting to be held in Tallinn on September 7-8. Their applications were rejected without any explanation.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
