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Russian journalist challenges Poland's decision to revoke his residential permit

The journalist noted that all materials of his case are classified

WARSAW, May 12. /TASS/. Rossiya Segodnya news agency journalist Leonid Sviridov has challenged Tuesday the decision of Polish authorities to revoke his residential permit.

"Today, [my] lawyer will file an application on 19 pages," Sviridov told a press conference in the Russian Embassy in Warsaw.

The journalist noted that all materials of his case are classified. "There is only one document in my folder where it is written that, according to AWB [Poland’s Agencja Bezpieczenstwa Wewnetrznego internal security agency], ‘residence in the country presents clear and real threat to the country’s security’," he said. "There are reports that there are already 250 pages in the case. We don’t know what is there - illegal wiretapping or something else," Sviridov, who wants the documents to be de-classified, said. "I will defend myself, defend my own name," he stressed.

"We think that there are no reasons for such a decision of Polish authorities. All materials are classified, and we still cannot understand what claims are made against Sviridov," Russian Ambassador in Poland Sergey Andreev said. "We consider this case as serious obstruction to professional activity of the journalist," Andreev said, expressing hope that the case "will be solved and will not become one more problem which would negatively affect our bilateral relations."

Last year, the Polish authorities passed a decision to revoke the residential permit of Russian journalist Leonid Sviridov. In April, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin regrets the unfriendly stance taken by the Polish authorities on Leonid Sviridov.

"To express regret is the only thing we could possibly do [in the situation as it is]," he said. "It’s a pity Poland is restricting the operations of foreign mass media. This runs counter to international standards," Peskov indicated. "As a rule, the international practice for such situations is to react in the spirit of reciprocity," he added.

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