Russia Today opens a representative office in Serbia, EU reacts

Russian state television “Russia Today” will open its representative office in Serbia, Nova.rs learns. It is about a TV station banned by the EU for “inciting and supporting Russian aggression” against Ukraine.

The editor-in-chief and manager of Sputnik Srbija, Ljubinka Milinčić confirmed for Nova.rs, that the opening of that channel is being prepared.

“I’ll tell you a secret now shall I?” Let them say it”, says the editor of Sputnik Serbia.

The Council of the EU decided in March to suspend the distribution of the Russian state media “Russia Today” and “Sputnik” throughout the EU. As media reports, the sanctions cover all means of transmission and distribution, such as cable, satellite, IPTV, platforms, websites and apps, and suspend all licenses, authorizations and distribution agreements, the EU Council said.

In Brussels, they assessed that these two media are important instruments in “promoting and supporting Russian aggression” against Ukraine and that they represent a “significant and direct threat to public order and the security of the EU”.

The reaction of the European Union

The European Union expects Serbia to refrain from intensifying relations with Russia, the European Commission told Radio Free Europe, citing unofficial reports in Serbian media that Russia Today plans to open a TV station in Serbia.

Serbia is expected to respect the decisions of the European Union, among which is the restriction of the broadcast of the Russian state television, Russia Today (RT), it is said in the reaction of July 15.

“RT is part of the Russian propaganda and disinformation instruments with which the Kremlin monitors the illegal aggression against Ukraine and the murders of the Ukrainian people. In this context, we expect Serbia to refrain from intensifying relations with Russia, as a country that massively violates the Charter of the United Nations and international law,” said Perer Stano, EU spokesperson for foreign security and security policy.

As part of a wider package of sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine in March this year, Brussels suspended the broadcasting of Russian media outlets Sputnik and RT/Russia Today.

Since March 2012, Serbia is a candidate for membership in the EU, and accordingly, it is obliged to follow the decisions of Brussels in order to fulfill the conditions for membership.

Several media outlets in Serbia announced on July 14 that RT plans to open a TV station in Serbia.

Russia Today did not respond to REL’s question if this is true./Nova.rs/REL