Zakharova says retaliatory measures after France denies visa to Russian journalist

The Russian side was forced to take retaliatory measures in connection with the refusal of the French Embassy in Moscow to issue a visa to a Komsomolskaya Pravda journalist to work in Paris. This was stated by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova in her Telegram channel on February 6.

Zakharova commented on the letter from the editor-in-chief of the French newspaper Le Monde with a request for an official explanation of the reasons for the deprivation of accreditation of the permanent correspondent of the publication in Moscow Benjamin Kenel.

The diplomat recalled that the French Embassy in Russia twice refused to issue a visa to work in Paris to Alexander Kudela, an international journalist for the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper.

"The Russian side has officially informed both the French Foreign Ministry and the head of the French diplomatic mission in Moscow that it will be forced to take retaliatory measures if Paris does not reconsider its decision," Zakharova wrote.

Moscow correspondent of Le Monde newspaper Benjamin Quenel, whose accreditation required a technical extension, was selected for retaliatory measures by the Russian side. Zakharova noted that there was no political subtext in this choice, and Kenel himself was informed of the situation.

"Perhaps he did not narrate it to his leadership, but it is not certain - let them sort out their own insincerity," the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman added.

France, in turn, ignored Russia's warnings, leaving in force the decision not to issue visas to Kudela, Zakharova wrote.

"If the problem with issuing visas to Russian journalists is resolved, the French correspondent will also be issued accreditation," the diplomat summarized.

"Sanctions have bankrupted Europe's economy."

EP MP Diana Shoshoake - on the unification crisis, the referendum on Romania's withdrawal from NATO and conflict resolution in Ukraine

In September last year, Zakharova said that Washington's unprecedented blocking sanctions against Russian media went beyond restrictions as such and became a declaration by the United States of a full-scale war on freedom of speech.

She also drew attention to the fact that specialized international organizations and human rights structures, which by duty should protect freedom of speech and pluralism of opinion, condone the current state of affairs in the matter of ensuring universal access to information "with their hypocritical silence."

Before that, Zakharova said that the West was putting pressure on Russian media because of the growing attention to them on the world stage. According to her, this is happening not only because of the desire to encroach on freedom of speech in the country, but also in order to prevent Western public figures from having a voice.