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Diplomat slams OSCE for lack of response to EU anti-propaganda resolution

MOSCOW, December 13. /TASS/. Moscow rejects OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic’s position who did not dare to publicly condemn the European Parliament (EP) resolution on combating propaganda, Russian Ambassador to OSCE Alexander Lukashevich said on Tuesday.

According to him, he had a conversation on this matter with Mijatovic, besides, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova met with her on the sidelines of the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting held in Hamburg on December 8-9. Both times Mijatovic explained her lack of response saying that the European Parliament was not one of the OSCE bodies.

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OSCE to closely observe practical actions after EU resolution on propaganda

"We totally disagree with this position since the mandate of the OSCE representative on freedom of media should be fulfilled in order to prevent such controversial documents from being adopted as they run counter to the universal understanding of the freedom of media and journalists’ activities in foreign countries," Lukashevich said.

"However, Mijatovic made an important statement saying that she would keep an eye on the processes to take place in the OSCE member states. If any country’s authorities decide to put restrictions on media citing the EP resolution, she will be the first to raise her voice against it and insist that the decision be reviewed," the Russian diplomat added.

On November 23, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on combating other countries’ propaganda. The document was prepared by a Polish member of the European Parliament, Poland’s former Foreign Minister Anna Fotyga. The resolution claims that Russian TV channel RT, Sputnik agency, Russkiy Mir (or Russian World) Foundation and the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo) pose a threat to the information security of the European Union.

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Foreign policy OSCE

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