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Russia expels Austria’s ORF chief correspondent in tit-for-tat measure — MFA

The Foreign Ministry emphasized that this step is a response triggered by the continued discrimination of Russian media representatives in Austria

MOSCOW, June 26. /TASS/. Russia is expelling Carola Schneider, chief correspondent for the Austrian broadcasting corporation ORF, as a retaliatory measure after Vienna withdrew the accreditation of TASS correspondent Arina Davidyan, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"On June 26, Carola Schneider, chief correspondent of the Moscow office of the Austrian radio and television company ORF, was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry. She was told to hand over her accreditation certificate and leave the Russian Federation in the near future," the ministry said.

The Foreign Ministry emphasized that this step is a response triggered by the continued discrimination of Russian media representatives in Austria.

"It is said that once Vienna overturns its decision regarding Arina Davidyan, Carola Schneider’s accreditation may be restored," the Russian Foreign Ministry added.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Moscow would take retaliatory measures against an Austrian journalist accredited in Russia after Austria had withdrawn the accreditation of Arina Davidyan, head of the TASS office in Vienna.

In April, the Austrian authorities revoked the permanent accreditation of TASS correspondent Ivan Popov, who was then informed that his registration was cancelled and ordered to leave the country within two weeks. Despite the demarche to the Austrian ambassador, Austria implemented its initiative and Popov was made to leave Vienna on June 7. In response, Russia withdrew the accreditation of an ORF journalist in Moscow.