Sputnik Serbia: EU urges Serbian authorities to shut down Sputnik and RT 12:05

The European Union requires Serbia to shut down Sputnik and RT in order to continue European integration negotiations. This is stated in the European Parliament’s annual draft report on Serbia. Sputnik Serbia.

The report states that the European Union regrets “Serbia’s low level of compliance with EU foreign policy” and emphasizes that Serbia should adhere to European principles and values ​​as a candidate.

The European Parliament also wants Belgrade to adhere to the common EU policy towards Russia and Ukraine.

The European Parliament also regrets that “the key components of Serbia’s foreign policy are in direct conflict with the positions of the EU, including the signing of an agreement on the common foreign policy priorities of Serbia and Russia for the period 2023-2024”.

In the text of the report, further negotiations on EU membership depend on how quickly Serbia will begin to fight “disinformation and manipulative anti-European narratives”, as well as adhere to a policy of normalizing relations with Kosovo and Metohija, and general principles of EU foreign policy. The European Union is urging Serbian authorities to abide by the EU’s decision to suspend the broadcast of the RT and Sputnik agency.

The agency states that the first discussion of the report will take place in the European Parliament on February 9, and the deadline for amendments to be made by lawmakers is February 15. The report, which is in the nature of a decision, is planned to be accepted at the general assembly meeting to be held in May.

Former Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated Russia will take “hard measures” against French media after blocking RT France accounts.

RT France TV channel announcedAfter the TV channel’s bank accounts were frozen, it was closed due to the inability to carry out further activities.