Russia threatens tough measures against German journalists

Germany should guarantee the normal functioning of RT, otherwise tough measures will be taken for German media in Russia. Apparently it's about opening a business account.

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has clearly rejected Russian threats against the German media.

The SPD politician on Wednesday to the German press agency and“ Spiegel said, the freedom of the press is not a bargaining chip. We communicated this in unmistakable form to the Russian side today. Our task and our duty is to create a framework of freedom so that journalists can do their work.

State Secretary Miguel Berger telephoned the Russian ambassador in Berlin, Sergei Nechayev, on Wednesday to tell him about the position of the German government to clarify.

Russia had previously complained about restrictions on its state medium Russia Today (RT) in Germany and in return, threatened German media accredited in Moscow with consequences.

We call on Berlin in all seriousness to ensure the normal functioning of RT, said the spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry, Maria Sakharova, the German Press Agency in Moscow.

Account for RT has been closed

She complained that banks would refuse to open a business account for RT under pressure from the German authorities. All restrictive measures for the medium must be ended immediately. In the other case we are forced to take tough countermeasures for the German media working in Russia.

RT, formerly Russia Today, is repeatedly criticized in the West as a propaganda instrument of the Kremlin for spreading conspiracy theories and disinformation on behalf of the Russian state . Sakharova did not say what specific steps are planned against the German media in Russia. "We still hope for an amicable solution.

An escalation should be avoided

She said, the aim is to avoid escalation.

So far, Berlin has not responded to the criticism from Moscow regarding the handling of RT in Germany, complained the ministry spokeswoman.