Russia has blocked access to 81 media outlets in the EU as a "retaliatory measure" after last month Brussels imposed a broadcast ban on several Russian state media outlets, BGNES reported.
For Bulgaria, the Russian state blackout has been imposed on the online editions of "24 Chasa" and Mediapool.
"Temporary restrictions are being imposed on access from the territory of the Russian Federation to the broadcast resources of a number of media from the member states of the European Union, and to media operators from the entire Union who systematically spread false information about the progress of a special military operation," an announcement of the Russian Foreign Ministry reads.
"The Russian side has repeatedly and at different levels warned that the politically motivated harassment of local journalists and the unjustified bans of Russian media in the EU will not go unnoticed. However, Brussels and the capitals of the bloc countries chose to take the path of escalation, forcing Moscow to take mirror and proportional countermeasures with another illegitimate ban. The responsibility for such a development of events lies solely with the leadership of the European Union and the countries of this union, which supported such a decision. If the restrictions on the Russian media are lifted, the Russian side will also reconsider its decision in relation to the said media operators," the position added.
The EU banned the distribution of the "Voice of Europe", the news agency RIA and the newspapers "Izvestia" and "Rossiyskaya Gazeta".
With today's decision, the Russian side imposed restrictions on Agence France-Presse, the Austrian state television company ORF, the Irish television RTE and the Spanish news agency EFE, dozens of newspapers and "Politico", "Der Spiegel". The list includes 4 Greek and 3 Romanian media. | BGNES
