The OSCE did not allow Crimean journalists into Europe, but wants to check on the spot
The OSCE leadership did not allow three Crimean journalists to attend a meeting in Vienna on the role of free media in ensuring security. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced this today at a meeting with OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger.
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“I was forced to express our disappointment with the position taken by the Austrian side while chairing the OSCE this year. She refused to issue visas to journalists of the Crimean media. Although registered in accordance with all OSCE rules, they did not receive Austrian visas,” Lavrov said.
Visas were denied to the general directors of the TV and radio company "Krym" and the news agency "Kryminform", as well as the chairman of the Sevastopol Union of Journalists.
“We consider this a mistake because, in essence, the meeting participants are deprived of the opportunity to hear the picture in its comprehensive dimension. They failed to convey to the world community the truth about the real situation on the peninsula. This is an unacceptable situation when journalists living in the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol are subjected to discrimination and, in fact, collective punishment for their choice, which they consciously made in 2014,” Lavrov said.
According to him, the Russian Foreign Ministry made a representation on this matter to the Charge d'Affaires of Austria.
At the same time, according to the fake “representation of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea”, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir intends to check the work of the media in Crimea.
“Harlem Désir expressed a desire to visit Crimea when the appropriate circumstances arise, stated his readiness to study the issue of expanding Russian broadcasting to the mainland of Ukraine, aspects of hate speech in print media controlled by the occupation authorities, especially at the district and departmental level, to consider the possibility of assistance by representatives of the Crimean Tatar media in organizing independent and unbiased broadcasting,” the statement said.