BERLIN Nov. 28 (DPA/EP) –
The Government of Germany summoned the Russian ambassador to the country, Sergei Nechaev, this Thursday, a day after Moscow announced the expulsion of two journalists from the German public broadcaster ARD who were working in Russian territory in response to the alleged closure of the Russian Canal 1.
The German Foreign Ministry has indicated in a statement that the expulsion of the ARD workers is “unacceptable” and has pointed out that the arguments given by Moscow are “false.” “We condemn this decision in the strongest terms,” said Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.
Likewise, he has accused the Russian authorities of carrying out a “propaganda battle with false statements” after denying that Germany had closed the said Russian channel. “It is simply false that there are restrictions on press freedom in Germany or Europe,” he stated.
However, Russia has assured that its measure is due to the closure of Channel 1, although it has indicated that “it will reconsider the idea of accrediting new ARD workers if Channel 1 operations in Berlin resume.”
From Berlin they maintain that the Government “did not close the Channel 1 office” and that the matter revolves around a problem with the residence permits of several Russian workers in the country.
Sources close to the matter have indicated in statements to DPA that the authorities denied residence permits to five workers from several Russian media outlets, four journalists and the wife of one of them. One of the reasons given for not extending these permits is related to the alleged dissemination of disinformation and propaganda by these Russian media.
In this sense, Baerbock has defended that the German immigration authorities operate “in accordance with the Constitution” and that the measures adopted can be appealed. However, Russia claims that workers have been suffering “harassment” measures in Germany for more than a year.