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OSCE slams Ukraine’s entry ban for president of Russian Union of Journalists

Ukraine’s Security Service has imposed a three-year entry ban on chairman of the Russian Union of Journalists Vladimir Solovyov

VIENNA, July 19. /TASS/. OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Desir slammed on Thursday Kiev’s banning the head of the Russian Union of Journalists from entering Ukraine for three years.

"Disappointed to learn that President of the Russian Union of Journalists Vladimir Solovyev is banned from entering Ukraine for 3 years," Harlem Desir tweeted. "OSCE States committed to facilitate travel of journalists. Limitations on travel affect free flow of information," he said in a statement posted on the official account of the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media.

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has imposed a three-year entry ban on chairman of the Russian Union of Journalists Vladimir Solovyov, Ukraine’s independent media trade union said on Wednesday citing an SBU statement.

"In the interests of Ukraine’s national security, a resolution was passed on February 22, 2018 to bar Russian citizen Vladimir Solovyov from entering Ukraine for the term of three years," the SBU statement read.

In February 2018, Ukraine’s confederation of journalist organizations issued a statement accusing Solovyov of "anti-Ukrainian activities" in Crimea that posed a threat to Ukraine’s national interests and its information and state security.

Commenting on the ban, Solovyov told TASS on Wednesday he was sorry about this decision. "Frankly speaking, I have no idea what these sanctions could be imposed for. Of course, I can only express regret about it. I love Ukraine, I have been there many times, although I did not plan to go there in the immediate future," he said.

"It is deplorable to see such situation around the freedom of speech in the neighboring republic," Solovyov said, adding that nevertheless he was against Russia’s taking tit-for-tat measures. "We are for the freedom of speech and the freedom of movement," he stressed.